Happy New Year, friends! What better way to kick off a new year than with a big bowl of Black Eyed Peas & Greens? Not only is it incredibly delicious, but this dish is also believed to bring good luck and prosperity, and we could all use a little more of that in our lives.
This plant-based version is incredibly comforting and delicious. Plus, it’s quick and easy to make with a little help from the Instant Pot.
History of Black Eyed Peas & Greens
Black eyed peas (also called cowpeas) are native to West Africa. And they’ve been enjoyed for centuries as a symbol of good luck for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Black eyed peas have been grown in the Southern US since at least the 18th century.
The tradition of serving black eyed peas with greens on New Year’s Day is believed to have originated in the Southern US. The black eyed peas are thought to represent good luck and the greens to represent money or prosperity. You can learn more about the history of black eyed peas and greens here and here.
Our version is not traditional, but is a plant-based take on the concept. Find a more traditional preparation for Southern black eyed peas and greens from Immaculate Bites.
Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas & Greens
As we shared in our Instant Pot Guide, the ability to make perfectly cooked beans (quickly!) is one of the major advantages of the Instant Pot.
Black eyed peas have become one of our favorites because they turn out tender and buttery and cook in just 15-17 minutes (no soaking required!). They’re also packed with nutrients such as folate, calcium, iron, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc, and so much more. And when paired with collard greens — woah, hello nutrition goals!
To make this dish equally as flavorful as it is nutritious, we started with sautéing onion, bell pepper, and garlic as the flavor base. Then vegetable broth is used to maximize flavor, bay leaves add earthiness, and cayenne adds heat.
For a smoky, bacon-y element, we went with both smoked paprika and liquid smoke. And for the salty element, we used both coconut aminos and sea salt. Black pepper adds a final spicy touch!
We hope you LOVE these black eyed peas & greens! They’re:
Comforting
Quick & easy
SUPER flavorful
Smoky
Subtly spiced
Versatile
& SO delicious!
It’s the perfect dish to serve for New Year’s Day, especially with rice, cornbread, or a baked sweet potato! But it’s also equally delicious any day of the year and would be great for meal prep, easy weeknight dinners, and beyond!
More Collard Green Recipes
- Coconut Bacon Collard Greens
- Coconut Curried Greens
- Collard Green Spring Rolls
- Veggie Collard Green Burritos
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Smoky Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas & Greens (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil (if subbing water or broth for oil, start with twice this amount and add additional 1 Tbsp as needed to prevent sticking)
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ¼ cups dry black eyed peas (no need to soak // see notes if using canned)
- 3 ½ cups vegetable broth (DIY or we like Pacific brand)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (omit for less heat)
- 2 Tbsp coconut aminos (or sub tamari but reduce amount by half as its saltier)
- 1 tsp liquid smoke (adds a smoky “bacon” flavor)
- 1/2 tsp each sea salt and pepper (plus more to taste)
- 1 small bundle collard greens, bulky stems removed, leaves chopped into bite-sized pieces (~6 cups chopped // or sub other sturdy green such as kale)
FOR SERVING optional
Instructions
INSTANT POT (with dry black eyed peas)
- Press “SAUTE” on the Instant Pot. See instructions below if you don't have an Instant Pot. Once hot, add oil and onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender and translucent.
- Add bell pepper and minced garlic and sauté for 1 additional minute, then press “CANCEL”.
- Add all remaining ingredients except collard greens and stir to combine. Then top with collard greens, but don’t stir (this helps keep the beans submerged in the liquid rather than some winding up on top of the greens).
- Cover with lid, press “PRESSURE COOK”, and cook on high for 17 minutes. Allow to naturally release pressure for 15 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
- Remove bay leaves and stir. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more paprika and/or liquid smoke for smokiness, cayenne pepper for heat, salt to taste, or coconut aminos for depth of flavor. We added a bit more of each!
- Serve beans and greens on their own, over rice, baked/roasted sweet potato, or with cornbread (linked above). Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days, or in the freezer for 1 month.
STOVETOP (with dry black eyed peas)
- Soak black eyed peas in cool water for 12-24 hours, then drain and set aside.
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add oil and onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender and translucent.
- Add bell pepper and minced garlic and sauté for 1 additional minute or until tender and fragrant.
- Add all remaining ingredients except collard greens and stir to combine. Use an additional 1/2 cup (120 ml) more vegetable broth for this method (amount as additional recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more liquid if needed to fully submerge peas.
- After 30 minutes, the black eyed peas should be al dente. At this time, add the collard greens, stir, and continue cooking for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peas are tender and the greens are wilted and darker green. If there is too much liquid, remove the lid, increase heat, and allow some of the liquid to evaporate off.
- Remove bay leaves and stir. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more paprika and/or liquid smoke for smokiness, cayenne pepper for heat, salt to taste, or coconut aminos for depth of flavor. We added a bit more of each!
- Serve beans and greens on their own, over rice, baked/roasted sweet potato, or with cornbread (linked above). Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days, or in the freezer for 1 month.
STOVETOP (with canned black eyed peas)
- Slightly drain canned black eyed peas and set aside.
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add oil and onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender and translucent.
- Add bell pepper and minced garlic and sauté for 1 additional minute or until tender and fragrant.
- Add all remaining ingredients (use only half the amount of vegetable broth for this method or it will be soupy) and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the greens are wilted and darker green. If there is too much liquid, remove the lid, increase heat, and allow some of the liquid to evaporate off.
- Remove bay leaves and stir. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more paprika and/or liquid smoke for smokiness, cayenne pepper for heat, salt to taste, or coconut aminos for depth of flavor. We added a bit more of each!
- Serve beans and greens on their own, over rice, baked/roasted sweet potato, or with cornbread (linked above). Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days, or in the freezer for 1 month.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
*Adapted from Simply Happy Foodie and the Good Luck Black Eyed Peas from the Sweet Potato Soul Cookbook.
Renata says
I love this recipe! I haven’t bought liquid smoke so I’ve always made it without, and for me it’s been just fine.
This most recent time I made it, i added half a cup of raisins. I will definitely keep doing that in the future!! Nice lil bursts of sweetness to contrast with the savory.
I also used baby spinach most recently. And that worked fine as well – but I added the leaves after pressure cooking since they’re more tender than collards.
Sounds lovely! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Renata! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Lauren says
This recipe was incredible! I doubled it and my family ate it for days with a side of cornbread. I used kale instead of collard greens since my wife isn’t a fan, but it was awesome with kale.
Amazing! We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it with kale. Thank you for sharing, Lauren! xo
Susie says
I made this instead of my usual Black-eyed Pea recipe for New Year’s. It was delicious and I really liked adding the greens right to the pot of legumes.
Yay! Thanks for making this one and sharing, Susie. We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe! xo
Anonymous says
Made this with broth instead of oil, and used soaked black eyed peas. Also MSG instead of salt because I felt like it.
It was really good! I might just add it to my meal rotation. Goes well with cornbread of course.
Fishing out the bay leaves was a bit annoying through.
Thank you for sharing your experience and modifications! We’re so glad you enjoyed it. To make it easier to remove the bay leaves, you could place them in a cloth/muslin tea bag and then remove that. Hope that helps for next time!
The Vegan Goddess says
I don’t see my comment on this wonderful easy-to-make dish so I’ll add it now.
This is one of my favorites and I’ve made it many times with canned black-eyed peas. I never cooked or tried black-eyed peas until this recipe beckoned.
Sometimes I don’t have red bell pepper and it’s still good without it but it definitely adds an extra layer that’s nice to have. I love it served over rice. It’s a hit in this home.
Yay! We’re so glad this recipe is one of your favorites. Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Pati says
Another delicious recipe from Minimalist Baker! I wasn’t sure it was possible to get flavorful Black eyed peas without seasoning ham but this recipe does it! And the bonus is way less fat. 😊 I didn’t change a thing. This is going in our recipe notebook for sure!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe and will be adding it to your notebook! Thank you for the lovely review, Pati! xo
Deborah Shaw says
This is the first time I’ve made black eyed peas. I’ve never liked them before, but this recipe was phenomenal and so incredibly simple! I used the pressure cooker variation with my brand new instant pot. Mine didn’t have a sauce setting, so I opted for the “brown/sear” option. As well I had to select “beans/lentils” rather than just pressing a button that says pressure cook. I cooked mine for about 20 minutes thinking I would need a bit longer because my peas were several years old. I also used frozen recipes collard greens and didn’t have any coconut aminos or tamari on hand, so I doubled the salt. I used 5 cloves of our own garlic and ground twice the amount of dehydrated cayennes from our garden.
This recipe is a definite keeper and has made a black eye pea lover out or both my husband and me! Thank you!
Amazing! We’re so happy to hear that you and your husband both now love black eyed peas. Thank you for sharing, Deborah! xo
Jenny K says
This was one of my all-time favorite meals! I added a minced jalapeño with the red pepper and a little Kitchen Bouquet Browning Sauce.
I cooked it in the Instapot, but I also gave the peas a pre-boil on the stove (just water) for about 2 minutes and let them sit in the hot water for 10 minutes more. Then, I drained/rinsed them before proceeding with the recipe. After I opened the Instapot, I pressed sauté to simmer them down a bit while I made rice and cornbread.
I wish I had made a double batch. I seriously might make the recipe again this weekend – for extra good luck!
Whoop! We’re so glad you love this one, Jenny. Thank you for sharing! Wishing you all the good luck in 2025! xo
Sarah says
Fantastic and flavorful recipe! I didn’t have liquid smoke on hand but subbed Worcestershire sauce instead and it was perfect. Thanks so much for the recipe and Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Sarah! We’re so happy you enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing! xo
Cara says
I was looking to make collards without pork, but recently started eating chicken again, so I used chicken broth in this recipe to great success. I chose the stove top method and soaked my beans for 24 hours prior to cooking. I ended up pulling about 2 cups of broth out at the end to make the concoction more stew like, which was my goal. I found this quite tasty for vegans, the vegetarians, and carnivores alike. Thanks for the recipe!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Cara! Thanks so much for sharing!
Jan says
Whether it will bring me good luck in the new year remains to be seen, but this was a delicious dish! I made it in my Instant Pot & followed the recipe as written (except omitted the cayenne because my husband doesn’t tolerate that). Served with homemade corn bread. A good start to our new year!
Thanks so much for sharing, Jan! We’re so glad you enjoyed it. Wishing you luck in the new year!
Thomas Farm says
Make this recipe every New Year”s Day, and several during the year. I like the basic receipe best but cut down the smoke a little bit.
Thanks so much for sharing, Thomas! We’re so glad you enjoy it.
Johanna Zalneraitis says
I added celery and some tomato paste because it seemed logical. It came out amazing, giving me great chances of fortune for the coming year.
So glad you enjoyed it, Johanna! Thanks so much for the lovely review. xo
Sherry says
If using canned, how many cans of black-eyed peas… and do I rinse them?
Hi Sherry, we would recommend using 2 (14-oz) cans in place of the 1 1/4 cups dry black eyed peas. You don’t need to rinse them (though it wouldn’t hurt), but we do recommend slightly draining. Hope that helps!
Gina says
I have an Instant Pot, still unboxed and unused, so thank you for including stove top advice (will used 2 cans of Eden org. black-eyed peas). Am fortunate to be able to find organic collard greens in the rural area where we live, so everything has come together to make this recipe. Will pair this recipe with your Perfect Vegan Cornbread, which is a staple in our house (and has been for years!). Many thanks for the beautiful recipes you share. I view many, many recipe blogs, and Minimalist Baker is my number one fav. As I married into a French family, will leave you with these best wishes: Bonne et heureuse année 2025!
Thank you so much for the lovely review and kind words and support over the years, Gina! It means a lot! Happy 2025 to you and your family as well!
Mike says
Is there enough room to double it In a 6 quart instant pot?
Hi Mike, we don’t think so (it would likely be above the 1/2 line which is the max recommendation for foods that expand), but 1 1/2 batches might work!
Ellen says
What quantity of BE peas if using canned?
Hi Ellen, ~2 (14-oz) cans would be the equivalent of 1 1/4 cups dry beans. Enjoy!
Ellen says
Thank you very much for the information. I love your recipes so much and consider you a very valuable resource for vegan meals.
Aw, thank you so much for your kind words, Ellen! We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes! xo
Jennifer says
Would this work with pinto beans? We have à black-eyed pea allergy.
Hi Jennifer, we think it would be tasty with pinto beans, but they will take longer to cook, which will cause the greens to overcook. If using dry beans, you could try soaking the pinto beans to speed up the cook time. Or, another idea would be to use canned beans and the stovetop method. Let us know if you try it!
Nancy Norton says
Could this be made in a slow cooker? If yes, what modifications would be needed?
Hi Nancy, Yes, we think so! Another reader reported success making this in the crockpot by tossing everything in (except the collard greens) and cooking on high for about 6 hours, adding the collard greens halfway through. Let us know if you try it!
Molly says
Same question! It would be awesome to see the instructions for slow cookers in future recipes. Fan request. It’s my preferred way to cook :)
Thanks for the feedback, Molly!
Joyce Merrill says
Love this recipe and have made it multiple times. I’m making it for meat eater friends, and would like to add ham to it. Do I need to alter the recipe to accommodate that?
I also appreciate the tip on “find on page” in my phone browser. Learned something new!
Hey Joyce! That should work, but you might want to add a little less salt and adjust the seasoning at the end!
Rachel says
Wonderfully surprising depth of flavor! Good with or without the greens if you don’t have them handy. I loved making this for a healthy vegan high-protein meal prep. I will be making this in the future on rotation!
We’re so glad you enjoyed this one, Rachel! Thank you for sharing! xo
Lori says
This is delicious! I didn’t have collard greens so after cooking for 30 min on high pressure I added chopped fresh spinach. I did not use oil or do any sauteing. I also don’t use salt or pepper. We love it and will make it again soon. Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Lori! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo