Black-Eyed Peas Recipe (2024)

Recipe from Mashama Bailey

Adapted by Brigid Washington

Black-Eyed Peas Recipe (1)

Total Time
2 hours, plus overnight soaking
Rating
4(1,005)
Notes
Read community notes

Black-eyed peas are a Southern good-luck tradition for New Year’s Day, one with deep roots in African-American culture. Simmer the peas with charred onion, chile de árbol and cloves, and they’ll soak up deep flavor. This recipe comes from the chef Mashama Bailey, of the restaurant Grey in Savannah, Ga., who makes it for her New Year's feast. Her family always cooked the beans with ham hocks, but Ms. Bailey prefers to make hers vegan, so all can enjoy it. These peas are also fairly customizable: Purée a portion of the mixture for a thicker sauce, doctor with your favorite hot sauce or dollop with sour cream to add richness. —Brigid Washington

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Ingredients

Yield:12 servings

  • 2pounds dried black-eyed peas
  • 1sweet onion, such as Vidalia, peeled and halved through the root end (keep the root attached)
  • 4whole cloves
  • 1garlic head, cut in half
  • 10black peppercorns
  • 2dried bay leaves
  • 1chile de árbol or other small dried chile
  • 1cup olive oil
  • 2tablespoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • Hot sauce, to taste

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

244 calories; 18 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 293 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Black-Eyed Peas Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Put the peas in a large bowl, add water to cover by 2 inches, and soak overnight.

  2. Step

    2

    Blacken the onion: If you have a gas stove, turn one burner on high and place the onion halves directly on the grates next to the flame and cook, turning occasionally, until the onion is charred on all sides, about 5 minutes. Otherwise, heat the broiler and broil the onion on a baking sheet a few inches from the heat, turning occasionally, until charred, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.

  3. When the onion is cool enough to handle, poke 2 cloves into each half, and add the onion to a large stockpot. Drain the peas, discarding the liquid, and then transfer the peas to the pot.

  4. Step

    4

    Place the garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves and chile on a 12-inch square of cheesecloth and wrap tightly, using twine to seal the packet.

  5. Step

    5

    Add 6 quarts water and the spice packet to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim any foam that collects on the surface, then reduce to a simmer. Stir in the olive oil and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring and skimming occasionally, until the peas are fully cooked and the cooking liquid has thickened, 1 to 2 hours.

  6. Step

    6

    Discard the spice packet, season with the remaining 1 tablespoon salt (or to taste) and the hot sauce and serve.

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1,005

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Mk

Excellent recipe. The true taste comes through. I can also recommend instead of cheese cloth to tie up the spices /since I halve the recipe/ I use a coffee filter that goes into a regular coffee pot to enclose the spices and tie up with string. Then I can pull it out and discard.

Nomi

Traditionally, black eyed peas are eaten on the Jewish New Years (Rosh Hashana), along with other foods whose names signify good luck for the upcoming year. The Hebrew name for these peas is "increase" - symbolizing our wish to have a fruitful year, with many merits.

Denise Bachman

Okay my first thought is why tie up all the flavor in cheesecloth and discard it, especially the garlic! Even the peppercorns are fine being loose, if you encounter one you can remove it from your spoon or just eat it, which gives a zap of black pepper flavor. And it is easy enough to remove two bay leaves at the end. There is also no note about what to do with the giant onion halves at the end, not to mention the cloves, which is, in my opinion, the main spice I would not want to bite down on.

James Daniel

Can you use fresh Black-eyed peas instead of dried? How would you modify the recipe?

Tessa

This looks interesting, and great to have it vegan rather than the usual way of cooking black eyed peas with pork of some type, but a full cup of olive oil for 2 pounds of dried legumes? That's a lot of fat, especially if it's not being used to sauté or brown some of the ingredients.

Niki

There is no reason to soak black eyed peas overnight. If you want, you can soak them in hot water for an hour, rinse them. Ad cold water and cook them. Or just cook them without soaking for an hour.

David

I think the water problem was a typo with the units. 6 cups worked very well- 6 quarts would have been impossible in my stew pot.

Meenakshi

This sounds delightful. I'd especially like to try stewing the roasted onion. My mother made a similar dish in India, frying cumin seeds with sliced onions at the outset and adding a dash of turmeric and a spoon of red chilli flakes to the water before bringing it to a boil. That's what I'll cook this new year's day!

scarpet

Instant Pot version: 1 cup beans, 2 onions (still only 4 cloves), only 2 tbs of olive oil. Soaked the beans for about 2 hours prior. Once onions were charred with cloves, drained beans and added everything to the Instant Pot. Added just enough water to almost cover the beans and 1 tbs salt / 2 tbs olive oil / spice packet. Set to High-Pressure cook for 17 mins; 15 min natural release. Added more salt, hot sauce, and lemon to finish. The onions melted into the beans, but it was tasty nonetheless.

S

Half a garlic head? Is this cut in half longitudinally (through the poles) or widthwise (through the equator)? The latter would expose all the cut surfaces. What would the former do? Why not just smash and peel several garlic cloves and use those? What is the reason for this specific technique of halved garlic?

Paul Franson

Sadly, Rancho Gordo black-eyed peas are sold out, but I (heh, heh) bought mine when no one as thinking of New Year's. It's still good with other beans, but some at supermarkets are old and take a longer time to cook.Happy New Year!

Pat Harris

I'm glad to see some notes from those who actually made these beans. I halved the recipe, but used a whole onion; for the rest, I followed exactly & I thought these beans were quite bland. I started with 3 quarts of water and drained most of that at the end because the broth was thin & not very tasty. Based on a dish I had at a Southern style NY Day party, I just added diced tomatoes and their juices and it's looking and tasting a lot better now! I'll be adding some hot sauce at the table too

Rene

I think you can use canned beans with the seasoning listed in the recipe. Cooking for 1 requires dexterity!

Odehyah Gough-Israel

I'm going to try this recipe. I cook black eyed peas frequently. I'm also vegan so I appreciate Ms. Bailey providing a vegan version of her family's recipe. I've never made my peas with cloves so I'm anxious to see how this will taste. I always cook my peas with onions, green and red peppers (sauted prior to adding) and celery but I want to try the peas cooked with the cloves.

Denise Bachman

As a member of the Rancho Gordo Bean Club I looked hopefully into my cupboard this morning and happily discovered a bag of Blackeyes! Hooray for Steve having the foresight to provide the necessary legume for the holidays!

K

Best bean recipe known to humankind. Add bacon or ham. Two ancho chiles is even better. Good with any type of bean. I have been eating this recipe every week since the beginning of the new year because it is so good. I make a pot and put it in the fridge every morning I hear 2 cups of beans and broth with 4-5 cups of power greens till they wilt and eat my “beans and greens” this may be the year I finally reach my health goals. Thanks NYT!

Carl Keane

Critical to use Rancho Gordo black eyed peas! The Best! Shorter soak. Two hours. Shorter cooking 90 minutes for 1 pound.I added andouille sausage, omitted celery and added red bell pepper and jalapeno garnishCloves in the charred onion is genius.

K

This is the best recipe for black eyed peas. I made it for the new year, and it’s so good I’m making it again two weeks later. I love reheating it with some power greens that wilt into it and then laying it on top of more raw power greens. It’s absolutely delightful, filling and healthy. Thanks NYT.

Brian T.

For all the many years I've prepared black-eyed peas on New Year's Day, this was hands-down the best recipe I've used for several reasons. I did, as I've done for some time, add two smoked ham hocks from and therefore reduced the olive oil -- but using a high quality EVOO gave a rich depth of flavor. I'm deeply grateful to those here who steered me to Ranch Gordo heirloom beans, a game-changer, and this recipe also introduced me to the sultry sublime arbol chili. Definitely a keeper.

Laurie

NY Times, please change the incorrect water measurement. 6 Quarts is way too much, it should be about 6 cups by my measurement, with 2 lbs of peas and in my large Dutch oven. Amazing recipe! I chop up the garlic and throw in with the peas rather than discarding it.

Karen

Another good method for charring onions is to put a cookie cooling grid over the gas flame and keep turning them over as you do other things instead of wearing out your arm.

Karen

I bring all the veg and beans to a simmer, let it steep in the Wonderbag a few hours, then divide out the portions for vegan or allergic guests, add a smoked turkey leg to the main portion and smoked paprika to the vegan pot, and finish with two pots. Everybody happy. Charred onion is key.

Karen

It’s fine without the oil, becomes zero point food on weight watchers.

Fishswifty

Made a half recipe in the instapot. Used half a very large onion blackened with a kitchen torch, about 2/3 head of garlic, cloves peeled and sliced in half and thrown in, 1 1/2 bay leaves, full 1/2 c. Olive oil, all the cloves and peppercorns and no dried pepper. Used 4 1/2 cups of water, cooked 20 minutes with a 15 minute release. There was some broth but not an overwhelming amount. Delicious.

Ronni

Really gorgeous flavors, achieved simply. Beps don't need to be soake, so save time there. Don't have a grill, so I used a cast iron grill pan on stove top for the onions. Just threw the spices into the broth as recommended by someone. Simple. Delish!Leftovers with gravy made from broth , vegan chikun, and onion, pepper, garlic saute. Yum!

Kimberly

We didn’t have cheesecloth (or coffee filters) so we let the spices float freely, and that turned out fine! We used eight cups of water (2 quarts) and the full cup of olive oil. Cooked for an hour and 45 minutes; came out creamy and delicious.

Anne

agree with not tying up the spices..just add them...NYT recipes often have unnecessary steps to make recipes both more complicated and requiring more dishes/pots etc than are needed...good flavor though without the tying up

Philip

The "fresh" blackeyes are simply the same dry beans from the market, rehydrated. You are just paying double for water. I speak with some authority, having grown them commercially for several years. Beans are harvested in the summer, and dried in the field until the plants are dry enough for the combine to harvest them. Used canned if you're in a hurry.

Jeannie B

The black eyed peas really need the added flavorings. We eat meat so I added pork bones & broth with the other ingredients. Near the end I added rice and a little more broth. It was hearty and filling for a winters day. I'm not sure my daughter would have liked it enough to go for seconds had I not added the pork and rice.

KM

These turned out fantastic! The only spice I bothered tying up (in a teabag) was the cloves, which I knew I wouldn't be able to find and didn't want to bite into. My wife appreciated the whole (peeled) garlic cloves remaining in the pot where she could mash them into her bowl. Used a tej patta leaf instead of bay laurel and it worked wonderfully. Next time I'll add a parmesan rind to the pot!

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Black-Eyed Peas Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to make black-eyed peas from a can better? ›

My mom had a really neat trick for making canned peas taste good. She would drain the liquid from the can into a small saucepan and reduce it to almost a syrup, add an equal amount of butter to it to form a sauce, and then add the peas and heat them in the sauce just enough to warm them before serving.

Do I have to soak black-eyed peas before cooking? ›

The black-eyed pea, which is also known as a cowpea, doesn't necessarily need to be soaked. But if you find yourself short on time, soaking black-eyed peas can make a true difference in regards to cooking time. So if time is ever your enemy, this simple method will make your day!

Do you rinse canned black-eyed peas before cooking? ›

Canned black-eyed peas are best in recipes that don't require slow cooking or a long cook time, which can make them mushy. If you're using canned black-eyed peas, simply rinse them in a colander to remove any liquid from the can as well as excess salt. Then you're good to go!

What does baking soda do to black-eyed peas? ›

Bottom Line. If beans make you uncomfortably gassy, sprinkle a little baking soda into their soaking water. It will reduce the volume of gas produced by the legumes, plus, they will cook quicker. If you're even shorter on time, you may want to try some of our favorite recipes to make with a can of black beans.

How do you cook black-eyed peas so they are not mushy? ›

How can black-eyed peas be cooked so that they don't turn into mush when cooked in a stew or soup? As with many types of dried beans, soak them overnight in salted water. Then cook them slowly or low to medium high heat over 2 hours or so.

How to make peas in a can better? ›

Making canned peas taste delicious is easier than you think! Try sautéing them with garlic and onion in a bit of butter or olive oil for added flavor. You can also sprinkle them with herbs like parsley, thyme, or dill, along with a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness.

Can you overcook black-eyed peas? ›

Drain them the next day and bring them to a boil in cold water, then reduce the heat so the water barely simmers: dried black-eyed peas can overcook, and a rolling boil could cause them to break apart. Taste the peas often to check their doneness: They should be creamy but retain their shape.

What happens if you don't soak peas before cooking? ›

Lentils and peas are softer than dried beans. They'll cook within 5 to 20 minutes without any soaking time.

How to cook dry peas? ›

Place prepared beans/peas in a stock pot and cover with water. Bring the liquid to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer until the beans/peas are cooked through. Beans will be tender and ready to use after simmering for 45-60 minutes, whole peas after 25-35 minutes.

What happens if you don't rinse canned beans? ›

"If you rinse your beans thoroughly, you will have a consistently flavored product, but if you do not rinse them, different amounts of salt will remain in the dish each time you cook it, and it will be hard to cook consistently," he says.

Do I drain canned peas before cooking? ›

"When using canned vegetables, you typically will want to and should drain the vegetables from their brine before using them,” says Chef Matt Bolus of The 404 Kitchen in Nashville. "The canning liquid is made of salt and preservatives.

What is the least amount of time to soak black-eyed peas? ›

Soak the peas overnight. Alternatively, “quick-soak” the peas by boiling them for 2 minutes, removing from the heat, and soaking them, covered, for 1 hour.

Should I soak beans in salt or baking soda? ›

Beans brined in baking soda performed even better than those in the salt brine. This was true across the board regardless of the type of the bean.

Do you add salt when soaking black-eyed peas? ›

Soak the beans: If you're cooking black-eyed peas the traditional way (i.e. stovetop method), then you'll need to soak them first. You can soak them one of two ways: 1) Cover them with water and add two tablespoons kosher salt per pound of beans. Soak overnight.

Are canned black-eyed peas healthy? ›

Canned black-eyed peas provide important nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and fiber. combine with other vegetables for a healthy side dish.

Can you eat black-eyed peas straight out of the can? ›

Yes, canned black-eyed peas are already cooked. This means you ‌can‌ eat them straight from the can. Still. they'll be more delicious heated up and flavored to your liking.

What goes well with black-eyed peas? ›

Collard Greens

Collard greens are a traditional pairing with black-eyed peas.

How do you rehydrate black-eyed peas quickly? ›

Pick over peas and in a saucepan cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring water to a boil and boil peas 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Soak peas 1 hour.

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