This Southern black eyed peas and collards recipe is a New Year's special meal that I grew up on every year. Tasty by themselves - out of this world when combined into one dish!
You may also love my Crock Pot Black Eyed Peas with ham. Both of these recipes are fabulous served with my Southern Cornbread or Easy Homemade Biscuits.
A simple black eyed peas recipe that's supposed to bring good luck and prosperity in the new year. Although I don't believe in "good luck" by eating a particular food (or by any other means, really), it's a great hearty meal and a fun tradition.
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💖 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Hearty & Nutritious - Collards and black eyed peas are both very nutritious all alone, but added together they make a very hearty and nutritious combo that's sure to become a favorite.
- Great for New Year's Dinner - A fabulous combination to add to your New Year's dinner celebration.
- Delicious Combination of flavors - This canned black eyed peas recipe that includes collards, ham, and other seasonings makes for a delicious side dish or main course for the New Year or any other day of the year.
🥘 Ingredients
📖 Ingredient Notes / Variations
- Collards: Use fresh collards for this recipe. Sometimes I can find them already washed and chopped, which saves quite a bit of time. Otherwise, carefully wash your own, trim out the stem, and chop.
- Ham: Use cooked, chopped ham. I like to utilize my leftover Christmas ham for this very reason. Adds some great flavor.
- Onion: I used a red onion. Use whatever type of onion you have.
- Water (not shown): Feel free to use broth if you wish, but it's not necessary - the flavor is great without it.
- Black eyed peas: Use canned with only salt added so you don't risk clashing flavors. Drain the beans before adding.
(See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions)
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Wash collards thoroughly. Remove center stem, and chop into bite-size pieces.
Step 2: Heat Dutch oven on stove top on low-medium heat (about 3-4). Add onions and garlic and cook about 5 minutes until beginning to soften.
Step 3: Add collards to the pan and stir together with onions and garlic. Cover and cook for 5 minutes (still on low-medium heat).
Step 4: Add ham, water (or broth), salt, and black pepper. Stir, cover, and cook on low-medium heat for 20 minutes or until collards are tender.
Step 5: Add drained black eyed peas to the pan and stir together with collards.
Step 6: Turn heat off and cover for about 5 minutes to warm through. Serve hot.
(Scroll down for full recipe and print capabilities)
💭 Expert Cooking Tips
- Pork makes the black eyed peas "southern" ... so adding ham hock, ham chunks, and/or bacon and bacon fat is really all you need to give your peas a southern flare. If adding bacon, make sure to cook it before adding.
- I recommend you use canned black eyed peas in this recipe, as using canned beans will save you time. Using dry beans takes more planning, but they are cheaper, and you do have more control over the levels of salt and seasoning with dry beans.
- If you want to slow cook some dry black eyed peas to use in this recipe, simply soak for 8-12 hours or overnight in lots of water. Drain and rinse the beans before adding to your slow cooker and add your liquid. For every pound of dry beans, add 3-4 cups of liquid. Cook the beans on high about 6 hours or low for about 8 hours (or until soft). Add salt to taste, then use in your recipe. Two cans of black eyed peas equals about 2 cups worth of cooked peas.
- I recommend you start with fresh collard greens that are not yet chopped. This way I can control the process of removing the tough stem centers. Collard greens can be quite sandy, so make sure to wash each leaf individually, rubbing gently with your hands to get off any dirt or sand. You can certainly use pre-chopped, pre-washed collard greens to save time if you can find them.
🧐 Recipe FAQs
I like to serve mine with Homemade Biscuits or Cornbread for a complete, hearty meal.
It's customary, especially in the Southern US, to eat some form of black eyed peas on New Year's Day. It's thought to bring good luck and prosperity in the coming year.
🫘 More Delicious Bean Recipes
If you tried this Southern Black Eyed Peas recipe with collard greens or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📋 Recipe
Southern Black Eyed Peas and Collard Greens
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic , minced (about 2 large cloves)
- 1 medium red onion (or yellow), chopped (about 1 cup)
- 12-16 ounces collard greens , fresh, rinsed, stems removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup ham , cooked chunks
- 1 cup water (or broth)
- ½ teaspoon salt , more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper , more to taste
- 31 ounces black eyed peas (with only salt added - 2 cans, 15.5 ounces each), drained
Instructions
- Preheat cast iron Dutch oven on medium for a couple minutes.
- Add oil, garlic, and onion, stir, and cook 5 minutes.
- Add collards to pan, stir, and cover 5 minutes.
- Add ham, salt, black pepper, and water or broth. Lower heat to 3-4. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
- Add drained beans and stir together. Turn off heat. Cover and warm for 5 minutes. Serve right away with corn bread or biscuits.
Notes
- You can use pre-washed, pre-chopped collards if you can find them - this will save you some time.
- I recommend canned black eyed peas to save time as well. If you cook dry beans for this recipe, two cups of cooked will equal about two cans.
Gail says
Recipe turned out great with 3 cups chicken broth versus 1 cup water/broth. Cooked over an hour to soften collard greens to desired softness. Thanks!
Sally says
Thank you for sharing your alterations, Gail! Sounds great!
Julie says
I cooked a lb of bacon (cut up) & drained fat off & put aside to top the dish at the table. Cooked onion & garlic in that pan, added a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes (plus 1Tsp of sugar) & followed directions without the ham.
Everyone enjoyed!!
None of us had collard greens before & are glad black eyed peas were added!
Sally says
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with this recipe, Julie! Sounds like great alternatives - glad it was enjoyed!
Lana Simons says
Delicious
Sally says
Glad you liked it, Lana!
Jerel says
Never had collard greens or black-eyed peas, made this, and… IT’S DELICIOUS! Made some white rice because it’s what I had, and it was a great combo. Thank you for this recipe.
Sally says
Awesome Jerel! Thanks for letting me know!
Elisha says
I have never had collard greens or black-eyed peas but, decided I could use a little good luck and prosperity this year so I found your recipe and gave it a go. I followed your recipe exactly and really enjoyed it. I used broth instead of water which I always opt for when given the choice. This recipe was delicious and I also made cornbread as my side. I signed up to follow you now and looking forward to making other yummy dishes. Thanks so much!
Sally says
Awesome Elisha - so glad to hear! Wishing you a Happy New Year full of prosperity!
penny myers says
I love mixed greens,kale and collard greens and putting the black-eyed peas in them with meat is just a great comfort food and all you need to do is add your cornbread and what a meal 🥰😋😋
Sally says
I couldn't agree more, Penny! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback!