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Creative Recipes » Side Dishes » Legumes » Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas

Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas

Dec 28, 2019 10 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
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Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Long Pin Photo collage
Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Long Pin Flavor Mosaic

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!

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

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.

Side view of white bowl with black eyed peas with stewed tomatoes, andouille sausage, bacon, and parsley.

Why Make Blacked Eyed Peas In An Instant Pot?

  1. 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.
  2. Flavor. While they cook up fast, the black eyed peas still have all the flavor of black eyed peas that cooked for hours.
  3. No Soaking. You don’t have to soak the black eyed peas overnight.
  4. 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!
  5. 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)

Overhead view of main ingredients for Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas

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. 

Step By Step Photo Collage of How To Make Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Flavor Mosaic

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

Step By Step Photo Collage How To Make Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas - Flavor Mosaic

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

  • Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
  • Instant Pot Chicken And Dumplings
  • Instant Pot Beef Stew

Overhead view of red spoon with black eyed peas with sausage, stewed tomatoes held over the black eyed peas in an Instant Pot.

FAQS:

  1. 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.
  2. 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. 
  3. 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.

If you like this recipe or make this recipe,  be sure to leave a comment, rate the recipe, and follow us on:

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Overhead view of white bowl with Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas with tomatoes, sausage, and bacon.
Print Pin
4.7 from 10 votes

Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas

These Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas, made with pork sausage, bacon, onions, garlic, herbs and spices, are the best blacked eyed peas you ever tasted!
Course Side Dishes
Cuisine American, Southern
Keyword Black Eyed Peas, Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Pressurization 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8
Calories 415kcal
Author Michele @ Flavor Mosaic

Equipment

  • 6-Quart Instant Pot Duo60 from Amazon.com (affiliate link)

Ingredients

Meat, Onion, and Garlic

  • 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)

Liquid

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 4 cups chicken broth (recommend low sodium)

Seasonings

  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

Black-Eyed Peas

  • 16 ounces dried black eyed peas (1 bag)

Tomatoes

  • 14-1/2 ounces stewed tomatoes (1 can)

Instructions

  • SAUTE The Bacon and Sausage. Press the SAUTE button so it selects "More" and wait until the display says "Hot" and then pour in 1 Tablespoon oil. When the oil is hot, add the 8 ounces of sliced andouille sausage and 8 slices of bacon that have been chopped and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 or 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove the bacon and sausage to a paper towel covered plate and set aside temporarily.
  • SAUTE The Onion and Garlic. Add the chopped onion and cook in the fat from the bacon and sausage for about 3 minutes. Add 1 Tablespoon of minced garlic and stir for about 1 minute. Press CANCEL to stop the SAUTE function.
  • DEGLAZE The Pot. Pour in about 1/2 cup water and scrape the bottom of the pot to remove the brown bits from sticking to the bottom. This accomplishes 2 things: 1) It adds flavor to the broth, and 2) It prevents the food from sticking to the bottom of the pot and helps to prevent receiving a BURN Message from the Instant Pot. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP.
  • Add the Rest of Ingredients IN THIS ORDER. 1) Add the browned sausage and bacon back in the pot. 2) Then pour in 4 cups (32 ounces) chicken broth, and 3) add 3 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional if you want it a little spicy). 4) Add in the dried black eyed peas and 5) add the stewed tomatoes last. DO NOT STIR.
  • Pressure Cook. Close and lock the lid, move the pressure release valve to the SEALING position. For NON-SOAKED Black Eyed Peas, press PRESSURE COOK and HIGH PRESSURE and use the + or - buttons to select 20 minutes. For SOAKED Black Eyed Peas, press PRESSURE COOK and HIGH PRESSURE and use the + or - buttons to select 10 minutes. NOTE: The display will show "On" while the Instant Pot is coming up to pressure, which can take about 10 minutes. After it has come to pressure, and starts to pressure cook, the display will change to count down the minutes of pressure cooking.
  • Natural Release 15 Minutes. After the Instant Pot has finished pressure cooking, it will beep and the display will change to read L and start counting up. DO NOTHING and let the Instant Pot release pressure naturally, called a NATURAL RELEASE, for 15 minutes. After a Natural Release of 15 minutes, do a QUICK RELEASE, by carefully moving the pressure release valve to the VENTING position to release any remaining pressure.
  • Open The Lid And Serve. After the pin drops and the pressure has been fully released, turn and open the lid. Remove the bay leaves and stir the black eyed peas. Serve with collard greens, cabbage, rice or cornbread.

Video

Notes

  • I made this recipe in a 6-quart Instant Pot Duo-60.

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

What Do I Serve With Black Eyed Peas?

  • Instant Pot Pulled Pork
  • Fried Cabbage with Bacon
  • Homemade Buttermilk cornbread
  • Chocolate cake. 

More Southern Instant Pot Recipes

  • Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
  • Instant Pot Chicken And Dumplings
  • Instant Pot Beef Stew

Nutrition

Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 1014mg | Potassium: 929mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 278IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 6mg

Filed Under: American, Instant Pot Recipes, Legumes, New Years, Side Dishes, Southern Recipes Tagged With: andouille sausage, bacon, black eyed peas, Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas

DISCLOSURE: Flavor Mosaic is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. Please note: This blog may contain affiliate links to products I use and love. I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, to help with blog expenses when you make a purchase through an affiliate link. Thank you for your support!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marty Aaron says

    January 1, 2020 at 8:17 am

    Amazing flavor! Starting 2020 out right.

    Reply
    • Michele says

      January 1, 2020 at 11:59 am

      Hi Marty, Yay! I’m so glad you like it. Yes, it is a great way to start out the New Year! Happy New Year!

      Reply
  2. Lisa says

    January 1, 2020 at 4:43 pm

    This was spectacular! I had a hard time chopping the bacon so it was a hot mess going in, but it still ate the same 😉
    Also, I used only half an onion because I like them chopped fine and I was on a time constraint. I used 12oz of sausage instead of the 8oz in the recipe. There can never be too much sausage!
    After I had already started cooking it all together, I saw down in the instructions, it said six strips of bacon, but in the ingredients, it says eight strips. I used the eight – although some of the fat wasn’t used because it was too difficult for me to chop, so maybe it ended up being six.
    Anyway, this was amazing and I have it in my saved recipes!
    Happy New Year!

    Reply
    • Michele says

      January 1, 2020 at 5:23 pm

      Hi Lisa, thank you so much for the nice comment. I updated the instructions so they are consistent with 8 slices of bacon. Whether you use 6 or 8 slices of bacon is a preference. It will be delicious either way. I’m so happy you like it. I have to admit that I wasn’t a big fan of black eyed peas until I created this recipe. The andouille sausage and bacon add so much flavor. This is one we will make every year from now on. Thank you for coming back to let me know how much you liked it. Happy New Year!

      Reply
  3. Suzanne Brown says

    February 8, 2020 at 10:28 am

    Have made this 3 times, it is amazing. Thank you for sharing

    Reply
    • Michele says

      February 8, 2020 at 10:43 am

      Hi Suzanne,

      I’m so happy you like it too! We love it! Thanks for taking the time to come here and share your enthusiasm about the recipe. I truly appreciate it. Be sure to check out all the other wonderful recipes we have on FlavorMosaic.com.

      Michele

      Reply
  4. keekrock says

    March 27, 2020 at 5:20 pm

    This was a fantastic recipe–great flavor, and so easy. I loved that I didn’t have to spend 20 minutes chopping celery, peppers, etc. to get great cajun flavor. I would double the sausage in the recipe if making again, though. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Michele says

      March 27, 2020 at 10:09 pm

      I’m so glad you liked it. Thanks for the nice comment.

      Reply
  5. Karen Fein says

    November 13, 2020 at 7:49 pm

    Can I use diced or crushed tomatoes since I don’t have stewed? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Michele says

      November 13, 2020 at 7:54 pm

      Hi Karen,

      Yes, If you don’t have stewed tomatoes then I would recommend diced tomatoes.

      Michele

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Michele, a home cook with 20+ years experience. I created Flavor Mosaic as a place to share our favorite fast, easy, and flavorful creative recipes with bold flavors, including Southern, Mexican, Tex-Mex, and Instant Pot recipes. Read More…

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