Name: Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon oil; 8 ounces andouille sausage, sliced ((or other smoked sausage)); 8 slices bacon, chopped; 1 onion, chopped; 1 tablespoon minced garlic ((about 3 cloves)); 1/2 cup water; 4 cups chicken broth ((recommend low sodium)); 3 bay leaves; 1 teaspoon fresh thyme; 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne ((optional)); 16 ounces dried black eyed peas ((1 bag)); 14-1/2 ounces stewed tomatoes ((1 can))

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These Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas make the BEST Black Eyed Peas you ever laid your taste buds on. Cooked with andouille sausage, bacon, onions, garlic, herbs, and spices, you’ll want these good luck black-eyed peas not only for New Years Day but any time during the year!

What Are Black Eyed Peas?

According to the Library of Congress, while black-eyed peas are called peas, they are actually beans, which are legumes. They look like peas that are a tan color with an indented black spot on them, which looks like an eye.

Why Do People Eat Blacked Eyed Peas For New Year’s Day?

It is a tradition in the South, as we call the Southern United States, to eat black eyed peas for New Years Day to bring good luck for the new year. The black eyed peas look similar to coins and are often served with collard greens or cabbage to represent money and wealth. If you serve blacked eyed peas with stewed tomatoes then it is said to represent health and wealth. Therefore, I add stewed tomatoes to my black eyed peas because I want both health and wealth. Yes, I’m greedy! LOL! When I was growing up, black eyed peas were the most popular of Southern Recipes on New Year’s Day.

Why Do Black Eyed Peas Symbolize Good Luck In The South?

Based on family stories that have been passed down generation over generation, it is believed that black eyed peas and pork became symbols of good luck during the American Civil War. During the Union Army’s march through the South, they took the food supplies but left the black eyed peas and pork, believing that those were the feed for animals. Therefore, the people in the South survived on pork and back eyed peas and they have since represented good luck.

Why Make Blacked Eyed Peas In An Instant Pot?

Cooks Faster. The Black Eyed Peas cook much faster in an Instant Pot and can be ready quickly so everyone can eat sooner and be sure to get their fair share of good luck on New Year’s Day.
Flavor. While they cook up fast, the black eyed peas still have all the flavor of black eyed peas that cooked for hours.
No Soaking. You don’t have to soak the black eyed peas overnight.
Easy. They are just so easy to make in the Instant Pot. I would say that they are one of the easiest Instant Pot Recipes I have made, and I have made many!
One-Pot. Everything can be done in one pot. You can cook the bacon and sausage, saute the onions and garlic and cook the black eyed peas all in the one Instant Pot. It makes for fewer pots and pans to wash and saves you clean up time so you can spend your evening however you want.

Do I Need To Soak Black Eyed Peas Overnight?

No. You don’t have to, especially when cooking them in a pressure cooker. Some people choose to soak the black eyed peas overnight to clean them and remove some of the sugars that some people have difficulty digesting, which can cause discomfort and gas. But it is not required.

What Makes This The Best Blacked Eyed Peas Recipe?

This recipe uses smoked pork sausage and bacon to add incredible flavor as well as additional good luck since they are both pork products. To add even additional flavor, as well as wishes for good health, I saute onions, garlic, and add stewed tomatoes. Lastly, with the addition of herbs and spices, it has incredible flavor.

What Do I Need To Make Black Eyed Peas In An Instant Pot?

Below are tools that you will need to make this recipe. These affiliate links will allow you to see the product on Amazon.com. If you choose to purchase one of the items, I will receive a very small commission on the product at no additional cost to you.

Equipment:

Instant Pot on Amazon.com (affiliate link)
Slotted Spoon on Amazon.com (affiliate link)
Ladle on Amazon.com (affiliate link)

Ingredients:

For this recipe, you will need the following ingredients. For the more detailed list with the specified amount for each ingredient, scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card.

A package of smoked pork sausage (like Andouille sausage)
Bacon
Chopped onion
Minced garlic
Water
Chicken Broth
Black Eyed Peas
Bay Leaves
Fresh Thyme
Stewed Tomatoes
Salt and Pepper
Paprika
Cayenne

As mentioned above, for the more detailed list with the specified amount for every ingredient, scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card.

How To Cook Black Eyed Peas In An Instant Pot

Cook the sausage and Bacon. In The Instant Pot, use the SAUTE feature to cook the sausage and bacon. Remove the sausage and bacon and place it on a plate and set aside. Drain excess fat, if necessary. Leave about 2 tablespoons of fat.
Saute Onions and Garlic. Add the chopped onions and saute for about 3 minutes until soft. Then add the minced garlic and cook for about a minute while stirring the garlic to keep it from burning.
Deglaze Pan. Add 1/2 cup of water or chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pan. IMPORTANT. DO NOT SKIP.
Add remaining ingredients. Add the remaining broth, then the sausage and bacon, and then the bay leaves, thyme, and cayenne. Then add the stewed tomatoes last. Add the ingredients in this order. It is important so that you do NOT receive a BURN notice.

Tips And Tricks For Perfect Black Eyed Peas In An Instant Pot

Layer the ingredients in the order specified in the recipe. This is important in an Instant Pot because it needs a think liquid like water or broth at the bottom of the pot to come up to pressure.
What Happens If I Don’t Layer The Ingredients In The Specified Order? Then the food could burn on the bottom of the Inner Liner pot and you could receive a “Burn Notice.” To avoid this, be sure you have enough liquid in the bottom of the Instant Pot and layer the ingredients in the order specified in the recipe.

What Do I Serve With Black Eyed Peas?

We like to serve black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day with Instant Pot Pulled Pork, Fried Cabbage with Bacon, and Homemade Buttermilk cornbread, and chocolate cake. That is our traditional New Year’s Day menu.

More Southern Instant Pot Recipes

FAQS:

What If I Don’t Have An Instant Pot, Can I Make Black Eyed Peas On The Stove? Yes. You can make this in a Dutch oven on the stove. Cook the sausage and bacon, remove any excess fat, and add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until soft. Then add the minced garlic and cook for a minute while stirring. Add back the sausage, bacon, all chicken broth, black eyed peas, stewed tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper, and cayenne (optional). Simmer on low for 1 hour 15 minutes.
Can I Modify This Recipe To Make It Vegetarian? Yes. Leave out the sausage and bacon. Add a tablespoon or two of oil so you can saute the onions and garlic. Then use water or vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Can Dogs Eat Blacked Eyed Peas? Yes. It is safe for dogs to eat black eyed peas. However, don’t give them too much because it can give them indigestion and smelly doggy farts, and there is nothing worse than smelly dog farts! In addition, you have to be careful about what else was cooked with the black eyed peas. For example, this recipe has onions in it, and dogs should not eat onions. Also, the spices, like cayenne, may upset their stomach. Furthermore, as we learned with our previous dogs, sometimes any sudden change in their diet, can cause digestive issues.

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Overhead view of white bowl with Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas with tomatoes, sausage, and bacon.

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5 from 6 votes