Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas recipe for a prosperous New Year. Dried beans will now be one of your favorite Instant Pot recipes.
Cooking dried beans in the Instant Pot is so easy.
Forget about soaking dried beans and waiting hours to cook them.
Now you can enjoy all your favorite dried beans in mere minutes when you pressure cook them in the Instant Pot.
These smokey flavored black-eyed peas are made with leftover ham from a holiday meal.
Serve them with southern style skillet cornbread and a side of greens.
Don't have an Instant Pot yet?
You can also make Crock Pot Black-eyed Beans and ensure good luck all year long.
Why Do We Eat Black Eyes Peas on New Years?
Black-eyed peas are a Lucky New Year food in the south.
Black-eyed peas have a very interesting historical story as to why the South eat them on New Years Day for good luck.
No one knows for sure how this Southern legend got started.
The popular belief is that during the Civil War when the North was pillaging the South they left black-eyed peas and salted pork untouched.
They thought these two southern food items were animal food unfit for human consumption.
When the war ended people of the South rejoiced in their luck.
The only food they had was black-eyed peas and salted pork.
The people of those ravished southern towns survived because they had black-eyed peas to eat.
Traditional Southern New Years Recipe
Black-eyed peas are a traditional southern recipe eaten on New Years Day.
This simple but delicious dried bean recipe is said to bring good luck in the new year to anyone who eats it on New Year's day.
Traditionally served with collard greens and cornbread black-eyed beans are a staple in most Southern homes.
At least it is in Georgia where I first enjoyed black-eyed peas.
Head over to my Instant Pot Recipe page for more easy Instant Pot recipes
How To Make Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon diced garlic
- 2 large bay leaves
- 3 cups diced ham or a leftover ham bone
- 1 lb dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and picked through (cowpeas)
- 6 cups chicken stock
Directions
- Melt the butter in the Instant Pot inert on the saute setting.
- Add the diced onion, diced carrots, salt and ground pepper to the melted butter and saute for about 3 minutes to sweat the onions (link).
- Add the minced garlic to the Instant Pot and saute for 1 minute.
- Add the diced ham, black-eyed peas and bay leaves to the Instant Pot.
- Add the chicken stock and stir with a large spoon to combine.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot making sure it has locked into place.
- Check the pressure valve and make sure it is set to the sealing position.
- Press the manual button on the Instant Pot and set the time to 30 minutes. Pressure cook for 30 minutes and then naturally release the steam for 15 minutes.
- After 12 minutes carefully push the Instant Pot valve to the releasing setting allowing any steam to release.
- Open the lid carefully, away from your face to prevent a steam burn.
- Serve with white rice, crusty french bread or crackers.
- Makes 8 servings.
Print the Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas recipe below
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Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large carrot (diced)
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon diced garlic
- 2 large bay leaves
- 3 cups diced ham or a leftover ham bone
- 1 lb. dried black-eyed peas (rinsed and picked through)
- 6 cups chicken stock
Instructions
- Melt the butter in the Instant Pot inert on the saute setting.
- Add the diced onion, diced carrots, salt and ground pepper to the melted butter and saute for about 3 minutes to sweat the onions (link).
- Add the minced garlic to the Instant Pot and saute for 1 minute.
- Add the diced ham, black-eyed peas and bay leaves to the Instant Pot.
- Add the chicken stock and stir with a large spoon to combine.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot making sure it has locked into place.
- Check the pressure valve and make sure it is set to the sealing position.
- Press the manual button on the Instant Pot and set the time to 30 minutes. Pressure cook for 30 minutes and then naturally release the steam for 15 minutes.
- After 12 minutes carefully push the Instant Pot valve to the releasing setting allowing any steam to release.
- Open the lid carefully, away from your face to prevent a steam burn.
- Serve with white rice, crusty french bread or crackers.
- Makes 8 servings.
Jean
I have made this several times; always delicious; but this year I subbed a generous amount of crisp-cooked thick sliced bacon, chopped, for the ham & omitted salt; best ever!!!
Cathy
Arlene thank You very much for this recipe. They are the best I have ever cooked and I been cooking them every New Year day for many years. Happy New Years
Arlene Mobley
Cathy so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Happy New Years!
TONI
Delicious! Black eyed peas were perfectly cooked. Keeper recipe!
Susan Mikulecky
Yummy this New Years' day! I made yesterday and it solidified so much I scooped out the amount I wanted to serve today as cups of soup, added chicken broth and reheated on stove top.
Delicious with our leftover Christmas smoked ham bone.
Note: I found the timing notes on # 8 and 9 confusing on the natural release.
Heather
so easy and the most flavorful black eyed peas ever!! this is the ONLY recipe i use (although i’ve never added the bay leaf)
Belinda
My instant pot defaults to cook on high pressure. I hope this turns out ok. Beans sometimes don’t get tender enough in this gadget for me. 🙂 stay tuned.
Michelle
I didn’t have ham so I substituted a handful of diced bacon. My daughters and I sampled the first batch and it was so delicious we made a second batch to ensure we would have leftovers. Even the grandchildren ate two bowls! Thank you for posting this recipe
Arlene Mobley
Nichelle Thanks I'm happy to hear everyone loved the recipe!
Naomi
I made this yesterday. I soaked the peas for roughly an hour while prepping the veggies, so I adjusted time for 10 minutes since they didn't soak very long, with the 15 minute natural release. It was perfect. I did sub some liquid smoke for the ham since I eat kosher, but this was a wonderful recipe. Will keep this recipe to use again - thanks so much!
Arlene Mobley
Naomi
Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Naomi S.
Instant hit with my family! Even my seven year old picky eater loved it. Definitely a keeper!
Kathy Boggs
My first try at this traditional New Year's Day dish. Just two of us so I halved the recipe (but still added 3 cups of ham). Skipped the bay leaves. Served with garlic parmesan toast and a bottle of hot sauce on the table.
Arlene Mobley
Kathy
Thank you for stopping by and letting me know how much you loved my Instant Pot black-eyed peas recipe! Have a Happy New Year!
Nora Nix
I made this recipe for New Year's today. Followed it to the letter. Let me just say...it was the best darn black-eyed peas I have ever cooked, and I have been a Southern cook for a long time. Thank you so much for my mother-in-law's comment of them being the "best I've ever had!" Ta Dah!
Arlene Mobley
Nora
Happy New Year! Thank you for the lovely compliment on my recipe! It is always great when you can impress our Mother-in-law!
Misti
What if the peas have already been soaked? Thank you!
Arlene Mobley
Hi Misty I have not pressure cooked soaked beans in the Instant Pot yet but the Instant Pot website says to cook soaked black-eyed peas for 4-5 minutes.
Laura
So yummy! I added a jalapeno, to give it a bit of kick. Realized it really needs two.
My husband was VERY impressed.
Thanks for making this available!
Arlene Mobley
Laura
You're very welcome! I love topping off a bowl of beans with some pickled jalapeno's! Have a Happy and prosperous New Year!
Helen
I have an 8 qt Insta pot. Can this recipe be doubled and what would the cooking time be?
Arlene Mobley
Hi Helen
This is what the Instant Pot website says about cooking dried beans
"Dried beans double in volume and weight after soaking or cooking. To avoid overflow, please do not fill the inner pot more than to the ½ mark to allow for expansion."
I do not think this recipe should be doubled in the 8 quart Instant Pot because it will fill the Instant Pot more than halfway.
O,ivia
Your recipe doesn’t include when to add the chicken broth. Please explain. I’m guessing you just left it out by mistake, and that it should be added with the other ingredients.
Arlene Mobley
Olivia
Thank you for pointing that out!