Spotlight on black-eyed peas
Black-eyed peas are actually beans. They are beige colored and rather distinctive because each bean has a black “eye” or hilum, where the seed was once attached to the pod. Like most beans, black-eyed peas, also called cowpeas, black-eyed beans and southern peas, are highly nutritious. They are loaded with antioxidants, fiber and protein and are a good source of complex carbohydrates, as well as calcium, magnesium, iron and vitamins A and K. Black-eyed peas also have a very distinctive, nutty, sweet taste, which makes them one of my favorite beans. In the American south, black-eyed peas have long been associated with good luck, meant to represent coins for prosperity and wealth. As a result these legumes shoot up in popularity around New Year’s Day, when they are eaten alongside collard greens and cornbread (try my vegan collard greens and southern-style vegan cornbread). You can enjoy black-eyed peas in southern favorites like Vegan Hoppin’ John and this Southern Instant Pot Southern Black-Eyed Peas Stew. Or use them to make global recipes, like Akara, a crunchy fritter from West Africa, or this low-carb, Indian-style Black-Eyed Peas and Cauliflower Curry.
Ingredients
Dried black-eyed peas. Use peas that look firm and bright and not wrinkly. Pick over the dry beans to remove any pebbles or other impurities. Bay leaf. This optional, but it adds a nice aroma to the cooked beans.
How to cook dried black-eyed peas
On the stovetop
In the Instant Pot
Storage instructions
Refrigerate: Store cooked black-eyed peas in the fridge for up to three days. Freeze: Strain out the cooking liquid and place the beans in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Freeze up to six months. Use: You can add the beans directly from the freezer to hot soups and stews, or thaw them overnight in the refrigerator if you need them for recipes like these vegan black-eyed pea cakes.
More recipes with black-eyed peas
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