Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
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Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas made with a leftover holiday ham bone are a New Year’s Day staple for good reason. They’re hearty, comforting, and yes, they’re definitely packed with some luck! Using the Instant Pot makes the tradition easier than ever, without sacrificing flavor or spending all day at the stove.
Sheila’s Recipe Snapshot for Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
This comforting Instant Pot black-eyed peas recipe is packed with flavor, rooted in New Year’s tradition, and puts leftover holiday ham to good use.
Instant Pot black eyed peas seasoned with the leftover Christmas ham bone is real good eatin’ for any New Year’s Day feast!
Of course, there’s the luck factor (I’m not about to skip that), but I also love how naturally cozy and hearty they are, especially after the whirlwind of the holidays. Adding leftover ham gives them even more depth and makes them feel extra special without extra effort!
If you’re like me and don’t love is having to let a pot of beans simmer all day, the Instant Pot is definitely the way to go. These black-eyed peas cook up tender and flavorful in under 20 minutes of pressure time, no soaking required, and no hovering over the stove.
It’s the easiest way to keep the tradition alive, without sacrificing your whole afternoon. Just add some skillet cornbread to make it complete! You might also enjoy this copycat salad from Hattie B’s for a fresh contrast.
Ingredient Notes for Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
- Dried Black-Eyed Peas | No soaking needed, since the high pressure cooks the dried peas perfectly! Just rinse and check for debris before cooking.
- Ham Hock or Ham Bone | Adds a deep, smoky flavor to the cooking liquid. Any leftover holiday ham bones work perfectly! If you didn’t have ham this year, you can add diced ham, bacon, or pancetta instead.
- Onion | Helps build extra flavor right from the start.
- Water | Keeps the peas tender while absorbing all that ham flavor. When using a ham bone, you don’t need to add chicken broth since that might make the liquid too salty.
- Apple Cider Vinegar | Brightens the dish and helps balance the richness of the pork.
- Ham Chunks | Stirred in at the end for hearty bites of meat throughout!
- Salt & Pepper | Always season at the end to avoid over-salting from the ham.
Variations and Substitutions
- Ham: Use ham hock, pancetta, or bacon if you don’t have a leftover ham bone. You can even opt for smoked turkey if you have that on hand!
- Meat Free: Make it vegetarian by skipping the pork and adding a bay leaf, smoked paprika, and vegetable broth.
- Spices: You can add garlic powder, thyme, or a bay leaf for extra depth. Or if you like a little heat, stir in red pepper flakes before serving.
How to Make Black Eyed Peas in the Instant Pot
This recipe is so simple, all you need is your Instant Pot and a few basic ingredients!
COMBINE THE INGREDIENTS. Add the rinsed beans to the inner pot with the ham hock, onion, water, and apple cider vinegar. Give everything a quick stir so most of it is submerged.
SEAL AND COOK. Add the lid and set the vent to closed, then set to Pressure Cook or Manual for 17 minutes. It can take up to 15 minutes to come to pressure.
DO A NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE. Once the timer goes off, leave it alone until the float valve drops. Then, flip open the vent and remove the lid.
FINISH AND SERVE. Carefully transfer the ham hock to a cutting board and remove any meat still on the bone. Stir the meat into the pot, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
More Recipe Success Tips
Storage and Reheating Tips
- To store: Store leftover ham and black eyed peas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: These Southern black eyed peas also freeze well for up to 3 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave!
If you have a lot of leftovers, you can mash them into fritters for frying or bake them into a casserole with extra meat and cheese. They are even delicious in a dip with some veggies and tangy dressing!
Frequently Asked Questions
While these are done in a mere 17 minutes, the total time required is closer to 45 minutes. That’s because the pot has to come to pressure first, as well as naturally release that pressure once the time is up.
Yes! Replace the water with vegetable broth, leave out the ham and bone, and add some garlic.
No, you don’t need to soak black-eyed peas before cooking them in the Instant Pot! This Instant Pot black-eyed peas recipe cooks up tender and flavorful without soaking, which saves time and makes this recipe especially easy.
Looking for More Instant Pot Recipes?
This easy Instant Pot red beans and rice recipe, and my Instant Pot green beans are family favorites. I also have a yummy Instant Pot beef stew recipe, for when you need a hearty meal!
What to Serve With Black Eyed Peas
To ring in the New Year, we often feast on a traditional meal of collard greens, hasselback sweet potatoes, a skillet of buttermilk cornbread, and these flavorful black eyed peas in the instant pot. But they would also go great with other Southern classics like sweet potato biscuits and Southern baked mac and cheese!
If I don’t feel like cooking a full spread, we’ll dish these Instant Pot black eyed peas with ham into bowls with my Mexican cornbread muffins instead! I bake and freeze batches of those muffins all the time to reheat for soups and stews.
Beyond the Recipe
Growing up, I was told I would enjoy “a day of good luck during the next year” for each pea eaten during my New Year’s supper. I always thought my mom was just trying to trick me into eating them!
According to tradition, these Hoppin’ John style beans symbolize prosperity in the New Year since they swell when cooked. They are often served with collard greens to symbolize money, pork as a sign of moving forward, and cornbread to represent gold.
More Fan Favorites
- Instant Pot Pork Chops
- Old-Fashioned Potato Soup Recipe
- Navy Bean Soup
- Split Pea and Ham Soup
- Homemade Biscuits
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Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas with Ham
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dried black-eyed peas
- 1 8-oz ham hock or left over ham bone
- 1 medium onion diced
- 5 cups water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ cups ham in large chunks
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place black-eyed in a colander and rinse with cool water to remove any debris. Remove any small rocks that may be in the beans.
- Add the peas to the pressure cooker along with the ham hock (or salted pork), onion, water, and apple cider vinegar.
- Lock the lid and make sure the vent is closed.
- Set to PRESSURE COOK for 17 minutes.
- When finished, allow the cooker to natural release — waiting to open the lid until after the float valve drops.
- Open the pressure cooker and remove the pork. Remove any meat from the bones and return to the pot (or stir in other ham chunks).
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Add extra ham if needed. If your ham bone doesn’t have much meat left on it, feel free to stir in additional ham at the end—or leave it out entirely. The peas are still flavorful on their own, so do what works best for you.
- Be patient while it comes to pressure. Pressure cookers can vary, so some models take longer to build pressure than others. As long as the lid is locked and the vent is properly sealed, you’re on the right track, just give it a little time.
- Always season at the end. Ham hocks and bones release salt as they cook, so waiting prevents over-seasoning!
- Don’t skip the vinegar. A small amount goes a long way in brightening the overall flavor! And since this recipe is quite savory, the vinegar balances out the flavors wonderfully.
- Let the pressure release naturally! This keeps the peas tender and prevents the broth from becoming starchy or foamy.
- To store: Store leftover ham and black eyed peas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: These Southern black eyed peas also freeze well for up to 3 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave!
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
