Ring in the New Year, or enjoy them at any time of year, with this comforting Southern-style recipe for crock pot black-eyed peas and ham! This easy black-eyed peas recipe is a great way to use up leftover spiral ham from the holidays. For quicker cooking, soak your beans overnight first.
Crockpot Black-Eyed Peas
Did you know that black-eyed peas are actually beans, not peas? Either way, they’re an excellent source of calcium, folate, vitamin A, and fiber. This easy crock pot black-eyed peas recipe is an excellent way to ring in the new year and use up a leftover ham bone from the holidays. They are cooked to perfection and couldn’t be easier. Serve it with cornbread muffins and collard greens to make it a meal! More of my favorite easy black-eyed pea recipes are Black-Eyed Peas with Ham, Collard Greens, and Cabbage and Black-Eyed Pea Dip. And check out my other slow cooker recipes!
Why Make Black-Eyed Peas and Ham in the Crock Pot?
- They’re high in fiber, with about 4 grams per cup.
- Freezer-friendly: These black-eyed peas with ham can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Inexpensive: Affordable beans and leftover spiral ham make this easy dish ideal if you’re on a budget.
- Great for meal prep, and the slow cooker allows you to cook a big batch at once with very little effort. You can eat black-eyed peas alone or add them to meal bowls with rice.
- Good luck for the new year!
What Is the Tradition of Black-Eyed Peas on New Year’s Day?
In some cultures, black-eyed peas are considered good luck for the new year. Some say that if you cook them with tomatoes, they “symbolize wealth and health.”
Ingredients You’ll Need
These are the simple ingredients you’ll need to make the best black-eyed peas in your slow cooker. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Ham: Dice a lean ham steak or use a ham bone from leftover honey baked ham.
- Black-Eyed Peas: Rinse and soak a pound of dried peas overnight in water.
- Herbs and Spices: Bay leaves, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper
- Garlic: Mince two cloves.
- Jalapeño: Seed and mince one jalapeño pepper.
- Vegetables: Dice an onion, red bell pepper, and tomato.
What Happens if You Don’t Pre-Soak Black-Eyed Peas?
If you don’t presoak black-eyed peas, they will take longer to cook. To soak them, place them in a large pot or bowl with enough water to cover them and refrigerate overnight until you’re ready to cook them.
How to Cook Black-Eyed Peas in the Crock Pot
Aside from soaking the black-eyed peas ahead of time, there’s very little prep needed to get this crockpot recipe ready to go. Follow the steps below.
- Drain the soaked peas and add them to the slow cooker with four cups of water, bay leaves, and ham.
- How long do black-eyed peas take to cook? Set the crockpot on high and cook the peas for 6 hours.
- Afterward, sauté the veggies. Once done, cook the onion, garlic, bell pepper, jalapeño, and tomato in a large skillet until soft.
- Season the black-eyed peas. Crockpot recipes typically need more seasoning, so I found seasoning the beans during the last hour of cooking provided maximum flavor. Add the vegetables to the slow cooker and season with salt, cumin, chili powder, and black pepper.
- Finish cooking. Lastly, cover and cook on high for another hour or so. Discard the bay leaves before serving.
Crockpot Black-Eyed Peas with Ham
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz smoked lean ham steak, diced (or a ham bone would be perfect)
- 1 pound dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and soaked overnight
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- 1/2 tsp chili powder, I used chipotle
- 1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Soak peas overnight in 6 cups of water.
- The next morning, drain the peas and discard the water, transfer the peas to the slow cooker.
- Add 4 cups of fresh water, bay leaves and ham.
- Cover and cook on high 6 hours or until the beans are tender.
- After 6 hours, in a large skillet, add the oil and sauté onion, garlic, bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, and tomato until soft, about 6 minutes.
- Add to the slow cooker and season black eyed peas generously with salt, cumin, chili powder and black pepper.
- Cover and cook on high 1 to 1 1/2 more hours.
- Discard bay leaves and serve.
Last Step:
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Variations
- Vegetarian black-eyed peas: Omit the ham.
- Don’t eat pork? Use smoked turkey or shredded chicken instead.
- No ham? Swap it with bacon or pancetta.
- Spiciness: These peas have a mildly spicy flavor, but you can adjust the heat to your taste. Use less jalapeño for milder peas, or leave the seeds and ribs in for more heat.
- Cooking liquid: Substitute water with low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth.
What to Serve with Crock Pot Black-Eyed Peas
If you’re eating these black-eyed peas at New Year’s for good luck, don’t forget the collard greens! I often serve these black-eyed peas with white or brown rice and a salad.
Storage
Black-eyed peas last up to 4 days in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer. Thaw them in the fridge for a day and microwave or heat them on the stove.
What Is the Best Slow Cooker?
Since so many are asking, although I have and love my Instant Pot, I still use my slow cooker all the time! I have the 6 Quart Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker. I love it because you can adjust the time you want it to cook, and it automatically turns to warm when it’s done. It also has a probe for meat that automatically shuts off when done. This slow cooker is so great, I own several!
