Make a new tradition with this slow cooker black-eyed pea recipe and bring yourself good luck by making these on new years day! These southern-style black-eyed peas are slow-cooked with ham, bacon, and onion and make a perfect meal.
Why are black-eyed peas eaten on new years day?
In the years in the past, I always think to make these New Year’s Day Black-Eyed Peas too late in the day, so get your ingredients ready! Some think that eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day will bring prosperity to the new year. We also make Collard greens to go with this!
How to make black-eyed peas in the crock pot
Ingredients
- DRIED black-eyed peas – This recipe is for a one pound bag of dried black eyed peas.
- Chicken broth – 7 cups of chicken broth, be sure to measure it out for the box doesn’t have exactly the amount that is stated on the box.
- Petite diced tomatoes – This is an addition my family loves. It gives the black eyed peas a tangy flavor and more color.
- Cooked bacon – The bacon needs to be cooked and crumbled, do not add it to the slow cooker raw or you will have a flavorless greasy mess.
- Diced ham – This can be leftover ham, just cube it!
- Other flavorings – Diced sweet onion, fresh garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. – Wait to add the salt until the cooking time is up.
Step-by-Step directions
Step One – Add the dried black-eyed peas to the crockpot, no need to presoak!
Step Two – Add the canned diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, ham, bacon, and seasonings. Pour over the chicken broth. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 7 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time. For creamy beans remove about a cup of beans and mash with a fork, stir these mashed beans into the rest of the beans.
Should I soak my black eyed peas?
- For my version you DO NOT have to soak. Just be sure to cook on HIGH for 7 hours.
- Though, if you really feel the need to soak your beans overnight you can! Be sure to rinse of the soaking water and add the chicken broth on top. You won’t need 7 cups of chicken broth if you presoak, you will only need 5.
Can I use a ham hock?
- Yes, omit the bacon and ham.
- Add 1 large or 2 small ham hocks to the pot at the beginning of cooking time.
- When the cooking time is up, remove the ham hocks, shred the meat (discard fat).
- Degrease the fat from the top of the peas by placing a paper towel over the grease and removing quickly.
- Add the shredded ham to the slow cooker. Stir and serve.
Can I make this vegetarian?
- Omit the bacon and ham.
- Use water instead of chicken broth.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke.
- Add more salt at the end of cooking time to make up for the saltiness in the ham and bacon.
Can I Make this kosher?
Try one or more of these meats instead of pork:
- Smoked turkey Kielbasa
- Chicken Thighs
- Turkey bacon
- Add a 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke for more flavor
Can I make this spicy?
- Add cajun seasoning at the end of the cooking time instead of salt. (Don’t want to add anything too salty or the beans won’t soften)
- OR
- Add a 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper at the beginning of the cooking time.
What goes with Black-Eyed Peas?
- Slow Cooker Collard Greens (or instant pot)
- Mac and cheese
- Cornbread or Garlic Bread
- Steamed white rice
How to store leftovers:
- Place in tupperware and refridgerate for up to three days.
- Or freeze for up to three months. Thaw and reheat on the stove in a small pan or microwave.
I am not a superstitious person, but I love traditions. Making a big pot of these smoky beans with cornbread will be a fun way to start off my new year. Enjoy!
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Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Peas Recipe
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. dried black-eyed peas
- 7 cups chicken broth
- 14 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
- 6 slices bacon cooked and sliced
- 1 cup diced ham
- 1/2 cup diced sweet onion
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- about 1/4 tsp. salt add to taste at the END of cooking time
Ideas for sides:
- cornbread or garlic bread
- collard greens
- steamed white rice
Instructions:
- Add the dried peas to the slow cooker. NO NEED TO PRESOAK.
- Add the chicken broth, can of diced tomatoes, bacon, ham, onion, garlic, oregano and pepper. Stir. WAIT TO ADD THE SALT.
- Cover and cook on HIGH FOR 7 hours. Do not open the lid during the cooking time.
- Add the salt to taste.
- For creamier beans remove 1 cup of the beans and mash. Add back to the slow cooker and stir.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR IF YOU PREFER TO SOAK YOUR BEANS:
- Start by soaking the black-eyed peas overnight in the slow cooker. Do this by adding the black-eyed peas to the slow cooker and add water to cover plus a few inches more. Let the black-eyed peas soak for at least 8 hours (don't turn on the slow cooker, just let them soak).
- Drain off the water in the morning. You will only need 5 cups of chicken broth for this recipe if you soak your beans. Add the chicken broth and remaining ingredients (except salt).
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 10 hours or HIGH for 6 hours. Mash 1 cup of the beans if you want a creamier texture.
How to Video:
Recipe Notes:
- Yes, omit the bacon and ham.
- Add 1 large or 2 small ham hocks to the pot at the beginning of cooking time.
- When the cooking time is up, remove the ham hocks, shred the meat (discard fat).
- Degrease the fat from the top of the peas by placing a paper towel over the grease and removing quickly.
- Add the shredded ham to the slow cooker. Stir and serve.
- Omit the bacon and ham
- Use water instead of chicken broth
- Add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Add 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
- Add more salt at the end of cooking time to make up for the saltiness in the ham and bacon.
- Smoked turkey Kielbasa
- Chicken Thighs
- Turkey bacon
- Add a 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke for more flavor
- Add Cajun seasoning at the end of the cooking time instead of salt. (Don’t want to add anything too salty or the beans won’t soften)
- OR
- Add a 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper at the beginning of the cooking time.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Can you freeze the leftovers?
I only had two slices of bacon, and a small piece of smoked sausage. I maximized the bacon flavor by cooking the quartered slices of sausage in the bacon fat, and then the chopped onion, as well. I used a can of crushed tomatoes, and added 1/2 tsp of smoked paprika. The result was delicious – the best black eye peas I have ever had. There was ample liquid, and I ate lots of this “soup”. Thank you! I will make this regularly.
My husband and I loved your recipe when I cooked them for New Year’s Day. I soaked my peas to use less broth. They were delicious. He asked me since then to use it for pinto beans. Almost as good.
He wants more of your black eyed peas!!
Thanks very much for sharing,
David and Susan
Great recipe!! I leave out the tomatoes rinse and soak the black eyed peas first and add green pepper and season salt I also use 2 small ham hocks and 1 cup chopped ham or I use a left over ham bone. It’s also good adding some chopped greens near the end of cooking
Love it. Period! Did not use the onion for allergy reasons. Otherwise, it’s perfection! I prepared with basmati and cornbread.
When should I add canned green beans? I’m making this this weekend for family. Thank you for posting.
I would add the last hour.
I agree this is an excellent recipe. It is very close to what I normally do. In regards to your question about the green beans. I would add the Black eyed peas and green beans in at the same time. That will enable both the Black eyed peas and the flavor from the string beans to mailed. Anytime you use string beans based on what my grandmother and mother taught me is that they need ample time to cook tinder and yet to be flavorful. Personally I don’t like string beans that have been cooked an hour. Their flavor has not penetrated the food nor has it given time for them to become tender but left them slightly on the crunchy side. Now if you want to make the string beans a side dish. Depending upon the size of your crowd I would use no less than a 3/4 crock pot for a few people or a five quart crock pot to ensure that I had plenty of room for my seasoning. So let’s assume you are having a big crowd. By that I mean five or six adults plus yourself. In a f 5 quart crock pot, add four cans of a quality string bean put in new potatoes. You can either buy them and Dyson or you can use the canned ones or sliced ones. If I was cooking for cans of string beans I would want at least two cans of potatoes. You can use either hickory smoked bacon but not maple. Or you can use diced ham ham hocks or ham bone. Add onion to taste. I usually use about a half of a medium size onion but I’m not a strong onion eater. It may require one whole medium onion. Season with a little salt and pepper and garlic powder. Put on high and leave it cooking for 4 to 5 hours. You may think that is a long time but it does take time for string beans to cook two a tender flavorful level. Check the water as you go along. You may need to add a half a cup but don’t drown your beans. Too much liquid is not good. Now let’s go back to the Black eyed peas for just a couple of minutes. If I were to cook my string beans as a side dish then I would add PODS of okra at the same time I added my peas. The boiled okra in the peas gives them a delicious flavor. Yet I am an okra fan. I love boiled okra in peas or I love fried okra as a side dish. Now that is my recommendation based on being around a family of Southern Cooks who were known throughout the area in which they live for their expertise in a kitchen. I am proud of my heritage and of the quality of the products that my great aunt my great cousin grandmother and my mother taught me over the years. I hope that my recommendations will help you to have a delicious meal as well as and enjoyable time with your famil
I made this for my New Year’s dinner. I pre-soaked peas & I used ham & bacon. I used all of the ingredients mention except, I added diced red bell pepper instead of the tomatoes. Absolutely, Delicious!! Thanks for the recipe.
What a terric idea. I will add in the tomatoes as well as the bell peppers. Who knows, I may even throw in a jalapeno or two to spice it up.
Our slow cooker must get very hot on high because after 7 hours our beans were burned. We went to a movie and expected to come back to a delicious dinner and instead walked into a house that smelled burnt. I even commented before we left (about 3 hours into the cooking time) that the liquid looked like it wasn’t enough. Should have followed my instincts and added more before we left. Just a heads up. If you know your slow cooker has a strong high setting add more liquid or watch it and add more liquid half way through.
Making this for tonight! Husband said he thinks it’d be good over rice, so I am going to make some minute rice with it.
When do you add the collard greens? My husband requested it.
I would add the last 2 hours.
This is amazing and so easy! It filled up my apartment with lovely smells. Salting at the end is a wise idea for several reasons. I will definitely be making this again, and not just on New Year’s Day.
Family opted for no tomatoes so I used 8 cups chicken broth. It was FANTASTIC!!! I might use low sodium stock next time. Or maybe substitute a couple of cups of water with some of the stock – it was just a tad too salty for me.