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.
I also recommend you try my Southern Collard Greens with Ham Hock.
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.
Andy Lewis says
Cooked country ham prices with the dry black eyed peas then shredded it up and added to the recipe. Very good. Never thought of combining collards and black eye peas. Thank you!
Sally says
Yes! Country ham in there would be fabulous, Andy!
Deb says
Would a smoked Turkey leg be ok instead of ham I’m cooking for people that don’t eat pork?
Sally says
Using a smoked turkey leg would probably be delicious! Give it a try!
Trish Wissbroecker says
You said we could use dried beans, but then you mentioned a slow cooker. Do we need to use a slow cooker for the dried beans?.....or once soaked can we do the stove top? thanks so much:)
Sally says
Thanks for your question, Trish! If you want to use dry beans, you can use the slow cooker or stove top methods. Just keep in mind that they are not cooked like canned beans are, so they will take longer. You will need to cook the beans before adding the other ingredients, whether you use the slow cooker or stove top for the recipe. Hope that answers your question. I will try to clarify better in the directions.
Trish Wissbroecker says
yes, that dawned on me just a while ago, lol, and I reread the directions, thanks so much:)!
Sharon Garlick says
This was a staple in my home for New Year but served separately. Instead of ham hocks I used smoke turkey necks and flaky biscuits went with the recipe. I looove this!!!
Sally says
Thanks Sharon!
Connie says
This dish was incredible! Made this recipe as is (with bacon) to pair with Nashville hot chicken and it was the perfect side dish. Will go to bed dreaming of these greens! Thank you for sharing, Sally! 🙂
Sally says
Thank you Connie! That's wonderful to hear and made my day!
Sally says
Alexandra - Yes, the ham definitely takes the flavor over the top. Sorry you didn't have any available. Homemade potato salad would be great with it!
Jennifer Wright says
Happy 2021!!! Oh I am making this delish dish today!!! Thank you!!!
Sally says
Happy 2021 to you too, Jennifer! Hope you love the black eyed peas and collards!
Michelle Zeches says
Hi! Can I use frozen black eyed peas? Also can this be doubled and cooked in a crockpot? Thanks so much!
Sally says
Hi Michelle! Yes, you can use frozen black eyed peas. I would add them when you add the collard greens instead of at the end, since the frozen ones need to cook and not just heat up like the canned. You can also double the recipe without a problem and cook in the slow cooker. For the slow cooker, I would add everything and cook on high 3-4 hours or low 5-6 hours (or until peas are done). Enjoy, and let me know how yours turn out!
Michelle Zeches says
Thanks so much! So everything in the crockpot at the same time even the greens? This is my first time making this.
Sally says
Yes - everything, even the greens. Make sure to wash your greens thoroughly, and I like to cut out the main stem while chopping them up. I would add the oil, onions, and garlic to the bottom of the slow cooker before adding everything else. Keep in mind that I haven't done this exact recipe in the slow cooker, but I have done many slow cooker recipes over the years. The cook times I gave are estimates - it's done when the beans and greens are tender. Let me know how it turns out for you!
Frank Fulmer says
This is how my mama God rest your soul used to cook them I still cook them the same way thanks
Sally says
Glad to hear it Frank!
Marie-Charlotte Chatelain says
I have been on the lookout for more ways to cook with collard greens! This sounds amazing as a healthy yet filling side!
Sally says
Thanks Marie!
Anjali says
I love black eyed peas but I've never made them with greens before!! This recipe looks absolutely delicious - can't wait to make it for my family this week!
Sally says
A perfect combination! Let me know how you and your family like it!
Jas @ All that's Jas says
Fantastic comfort food! Perfect to cozy up with on a cold winter night.
Sally says
Yes it is! Thanks Jas!
Kushigalu says
What a great and unique combination. I hav never tried these together. Sounds delicious
Sally says
We Southern gals eat the two together on a plate often, so I decided to just combine them into one dish and see what happened (along with the lovely ham bits). Was a hit at my house! Thanks for commenting, Kushigalu!
Carrie Robinson says
This is such a perfect southern side dish! Just add some cornbread and I am good to go. 🙂
Sally says
Yes, me too, Carrie! Thanks!
Scarlet says
I just love collard greens but I never tried them with black eyed peas. Thanks for the recipe. It sounds delicious with some corn bread.
Sally says
Yes, Scarlet - they are delicious combined together! Thanks for stopping by!