This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
If you want a bowl of Southern comfort and a little New Year's good luck, these Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas with sausage and bacon are it.
They cook fast, require no soaking, and are loaded with smoky andouille sausage, crispy bacon, and stewed tomatoes.
I grew up in South Texas eating black-eyed peas every January 1st, and this is the version my family reaches for year after year.
Smoky, savory, and ready in about an hour! This recipe is the easiest way to carry on the New Year's tradition or enjoy a cozy Southern dinner anytime.
Table of Contents
- 🔍 Recipe at a Glance
- What Are Black-Eyed Peas?
- Why We Eat Black-Eyed Peas on New Year's Day
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 🛒 Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- How to Make Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas
- Pro Tips
- Variations
- Serving Suggestions
- How to Store, Freeze & Reheat
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- More Southern Recipes You'll Love
- Final Thoughts
- Recipe
- Reviews
🔍 Recipe at a Glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| ⏲️ Total Time (Start to Serve): | ~1 hour |
| 🔪 Prep Time: | 15 minutes |
| 🔥 Active Cook Time: | 20 minutes |
| 🔺Pressure Build: | ~10 minutes |
| 💨Natural Release (NR): | ~15 minutes |
| 🍽️ Servings: | 8 |
| ⚡Method: | Instant Pot (No Soak) |
| 🌟Flavor Profile: | Smoky, Savory, Southern |
| 🍀 Perfect For: | New Year’s Day, Good Luck |
What Are Black-Eyed Peas?
Black-eyed peas are those little cream-colored beans with the dark "eye" staring back at you. They're mild, a little earthy, and soak up flavor like a sponge, which is why Southern cooks love them. Even though we call them peas, they're really beans… but around here, nobody argues with something this tasty.
Why We Eat Black-Eyed Peas on New Year's Day
In the South, a bowl of black-eyed peas on January 1st is more than comfort food, it's a promise of good luck for the year ahead.
The peas are said to represent coins, and when you serve them with greens or cabbage, that's your "paper money." Add pork, which symbolizes progress, and you've covered all your bases.
Finally, we always serve it with a slice of Cornbread, which represents ‘gold’ to complete the lucky trio of health, wealth, and prosperity.
Growing up in South Texas, we never skipped this tradition. Everyone got a spoonful, even the picky eaters, because nobody was taking chances with their New Year's luck.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Big, bold Southern flavor. Smoky andouille sausage, crispy bacon, and stewed tomatoes give these Instant Pot black-eyed peas deep, savory flavor you won't find in simpler versions. The best part is the Pot Likker – the rich, savory broth created by cooking the ham hock and peas together. It's liquid gold! Make sure you have cornbread ready to sop it up
No-soak Instant Pot convenience. This Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas recipe cooks everything perfectly in under an hour – no soaking, no simmering, and no fuss.
A meaningful New Year's tradition. Black-eyed peas, greens, and pork are classic Southern good-luck foods for January 1st, and this recipe brings them all together with ease.
One-pot, easy cleanup. Everything cooks in the Instant Pot: sauté, simmer, and pressure cook in the same pot with minimal hands-on time. This is one of the reasons I love Instant Pot Recipes!
Great for leftovers. The flavors get even richer the next day, making this perfect for meal prep or enjoying all week long.
🛒 Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Andouille Sausage
Andouille adds smoky, spicy Cajun flavor that makes these peas extra hearty. You can swap in any smoked sausage, kielbasa, turkey sausage, or even a milder pork sausage work well.
Bacon
Bacon brings richness and depth that seasons the whole pot. Ham, diced ham steak, or a chopped ham hock also work if that's what you have on hand.
Dried Black-Eyed Peas
Use a 16-ounce bag of dried black-eyed peas – no soaking required. If yours have been sitting in the pantry for a while, check them quickly for stones or debris. If you prefer to soak them, the cook time will be shorter.
Stewed Tomatoes
Stewed tomatoes add moisture, acidity, and classic New Year's Day tradition. You can swap in diced tomatoes or Rotel for extra heat.
Chicken Broth
Low-sodium broth is best since the sausage and bacon add plenty of salt. Vegetable broth works for a vegetarian version.
Onion & Garlic
These build the flavor base for the peas. Use white, yellow, sweet, or even green onions-whatever you have on hand.
Herbs & Spices
Bay leaves, thyme, paprika, salt, pepper, and optional cayenne for heat. Simple seasonings that give the peas great flavor without overpowering them.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients with amounts.
How to Make Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas
Follow these simple steps to make flavorful, no-soak black-eyed peas right in your Instant Pot.
1. Sauté the Sausage and Bacon
Turn on the Sauté setting and wait until the Instant Pot says "Hot." Add a little oil, then cook the sliced andouille sausage and chopped bacon until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
2. Sauté the Onion and Garlic
Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook for about 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Press Cancel to turn off Sauté.
3. Deglaze the Pot
Pour in about 1/2 cup water and scrape up every browned bit. This prevents burn messages and adds flavor.
4. Add Ingredients in the Correct Order (Do Not Stir)
Add the sausage and bacon back into the pot. Pour in the chicken broth, then add bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne. Add the dried peas on top. Spoon the stewed tomatoes last.
Do not stir.
5. Pressure Cook
Close the lid and set the valve to Sealing.
- 20 minutes on High Pressure for unsoaked peas
- 10 minutes on High Pressure for soaked peas
6. Natural Release
Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
7. Open and Serve
Remove the bay leaves and stir. Serve warm with greens, cornbread, cabbage, or rice.
Pro Tips
- Don't skip the deglazing step.
It prevents burn messages and builds flavor. - Add ingredients in the listed order.
This ensures proper pressure-building. - Use low-sodium broth.
Sausage and bacon add plenty of salt. - Adjust the heat.
Add cayenne or use a spicier sausage for more kick. - Stir in greens at the end.
Spinach or collards wilt beautifully. - Tastes even better the next day.
Flavors deepen overnight.
Variations
- Spicy Cajun Black-Eyed Peas
Swap stewed tomatoes for Rotel or use extra cayenne. - Ham or Ham Hock Version
Replace bacon with diced ham or add a ham hock. - Tomato-Free Version
Skip the stewed tomatoes and add a bit more broth. - Vegetarian Version
Use oil instead of bacon, skip the sausage, and use vegetable broth. - Fresh Black-Eyed Peas
Reduce cook time to about 10 minutes. - Black-Eyed Peas with Rice
Serve over rice for a Hoppin' John-style meal.
Serving Suggestions
- Fried Cabbage with Bacon
Classic New Year's Day pairing. - Homemade Cornbread
Perfect for soaking up the broth. - Instant Pot Pulled Pork
A hearty pairing with peas. - Southern Squash Casserole
Creamy and comforting. - Rice
Stretches the meal to feed more people. - Greens
Collards or spinach wilt beautifully into the peas.
How to Store, Freeze & Reheat
- Store: Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Add a splash of broth if needed; warm gently.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No. The Instant Pot cooks dried black-eyed peas perfectly without soaking.
20 minutes on High Pressure plus about 10 minutes to pressurize, and a 15-minute natural release.
It's a Southern tradition symbolizing good luck and prosperity.
Black-eyed peas are traditionally served with greens (for cash), cornbread (for gold), and cabbage (for folding money). We love pairing them with my Fried Cabbage with Bacon.
Yes. Any smoked or savory pork works well.
Yes. Use vegetable broth and skip the bacon and sausage
Plain peas are safe, but this recipe contains onions, garlic, spies, and pork, so it’s not dog-friendly.
More Southern Recipes You'll Love
Final Thoughts
I hope these Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas bring plenty of flavor, and a little extra good luck, to your table.
If you make this recipe, I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Leave a comment, rate the recipe, or snap a photo and tag me on social media. Happy New Year, and enjoy every cozy bite!
Recipe
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.
Marty Aaron says
Amazing flavor! Starting 2020 out right.
Michele says
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!
Lisa says
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!
Michele says
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!
Suzanne says
Have made this 3 times, it is amazing. Thank you for sharing
Michele says
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
keekrock says
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!
Michele says
I’m so glad you liked it. Thanks for the nice comment.
Karen Fein says
Can I use diced or crushed tomatoes since I don’t have stewed? Thank you.
Michele says
Hi Karen,
Yes, If you don’t have stewed tomatoes then I would recommend diced tomatoes.
Michele
Kim says
Really good flavor, served with rice. I would add the bacon back in at the very end as it got a lot mushy, but otherwise excellent flavor and black eyed peas were perfectly cooked tender. Best wishes in 2022!
Ali says
Hi, Michele—-made your Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas today for New Year’s! Absolutely DELICIOUS! I doubled the recipe (2 lbs of black eyed peas, etc.) for my 10-Quart Instant Pot. The only ingredient I changed was that I used Smoked Sausage instead of Andouille, since that’s what I had on hand. Thanks for sharing the recipe, we enjoyed it so much! Let’s hope we got a lot of good luck out of it, for 2022! God bless 🙂
Michele says
Hi Ali,
I’m so glad you liked it. Thanks for letting me know. Yes, we need all the good luck we can get for 2022! So everyone eat your black eyed peas!!
Thanks,
Michele
Dorie says
Hello I would really like to try this recipe but I don’t have a pressure cooker. Can I use my crock pot instead?
Michele says
Hi Dorie,
Yes, you can.
I recommend pre-soaking the beans before cooking.
However, you will likely start it on the stove in order to sauté the sausage, onion and garlic. (I would not cook the bacon yet. I would do that shortly before it finishes slow cooking.)
Transfer the sausage, onion, and garlic to the slow cooker, and add the rest of the ingredients in the Instant Pot and cook on low for 6 hours.
Thanks,
Michele
Edge says
I can’t thank you enough. I’m a guy who typically can’t cook, but this was a hit! People are eating this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
I followed your instructions almost exactly. I forgot to soak the beans overnight, so I soaked them for 2 hours, and did a 16 minute cook time; also did not use the cayenne. When it was through the 15 min release, I set it to saute and let it boil about 5 more minutes for consistency. Saw the comment about bacon chopping being hard, so I used scissors – easy (black eyed) peasy!
Again, thank you. Happy New Year!