This Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas recipe is an easy Southern-style side dish cooked in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Start with dried black eyed peas for this quick and easy recipe with no-soak and soaked cooking times. Add ham, ham hock or bacon for smokey flavor.

Here in the South, black eyed peas are a MUST on the supper menu for New Years Day along with collard greens, cornbread and ham. Whether these bring us good luck or not, we're not gonna risk it!
I'm a huge fan girl of the Instant Pot, especially for foods like dried beans, tougher cuts of meat like corned beef, and easy-peel boiled eggs.
Black eyed peas are a classic Southern side. But they are also a protein-packed legume (peas and beans are legumes) that is naturally gluten-free you can add to soups and salads.
Dried black eye peas are an inexpensive (cheap) ingredient to stretch your family dollar and can be stored in your pantry for up to one year.
I'm also giving you cooking times for fresh and frozen black eyed peas in the Instant Pot so keep reading!
Shortcuts
- The Instant Pot is shortcut cooking all by itself, reducing cooking time in a fraction of the time cooked on the stovetop.
- No Soak- No soaking needed before cooking dried black eyed peas in the Instant Pot.
- No need to cook onions first when using onion powder.
Tip: Instant Pot is a brand name for an electric pressure cooker, so you can also use a stovetop pressure cooker with same cooking times.
Ingredients
What you need to make Instant Pot black eyed peas with ham, bacon or ham hocks.
Scroll down to printable recipe for exact ingredient quantities.
- Black-eyed peas- Although they are called "black" eyed peas, the center can be also be brown, pink, green or red. Other small dried peas and beans like Navy beans and baby lima beans can be substituted in this recipe.
- Broth, stock or water- I use chicken broth or stock for added flavor. You can use beef or vegetable broth, too. Water can also be used but results in a lot less flavor.
- Water- You can use all 6 cups of liquid as broth or I like to conveniently use 1 (32-ounce) carton of broth (4 cups) and add the remaining liquid as 2 cups of water. It saves me from buying a second carton to use only half of it.
- Ham, ham hock or bacon- For Southern-style black eye peas, one of these smoked pork elements is needed. You choose your favorite. I use whatever I have in the freezer at the time. Ultimately, they are optional.
- Seasonings- I guess these can be optional, if you are using a flavorful stock.
- Salt- I prefer to use unsalted broth to cook the peas, then add salt after cooking.
Pro Tip: Salt and acid can inhibit the cooking of dried peas and beans and make them tough or too firm. Use unsalted broth, stock or water to cook them, then add salt after cooking. (If using salted broth, just add 2 minutes to the pressure cooking time.)
How to make Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
When you cook dried black eyed peas in an Instant Pot, it requires less liquid than the stovetop method because steam does not escape.
Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe with detailed instructions.
- Rinse and sort through dried peas for dirt, stones and dark peas.
- Combine all the ingredients in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker and stir. Choose bacon, ham or ham hock for flavoring or leave it out
- Seal the lid and cook according to times on printable recipe below.
- After 10 minutes of Natural Release time, remove the lid and stir.
- Done. It's that easy!
Tip: When you're cooking black eyed peas in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker, it's normal for the peas to continue to soak up a little broth or water the longer they sit. So, don't skimp on the liquid.
Black eyed peas Instant Pot cook time
- 2 cups dry beans, not soaked: 20 minutes, 10 minute natural release
- 2 cups dry beans, soaked overnight: 12 minutes, 10 minute natural release
- 4 cups frozen, not thawed: 12 minutes, 10 minute natural release
- 4 cups fresh: 7 minutes, quick release
If you want peas that are slightly firm to hold up in salads, cook them slightly less than the times above.
Substitutions & Variations
Trade "this" for "that" in this black eyed peas Instant Pot recipe.
- Peas and beans- If your store shelves are empty because everyone is buying dried black eyed peas for New Years, any dried small pea or bean can be substituted.
- Onion and garlic - Replace onion and garlic powder with 1/2 cup chopped onion and 1 clove minced garlic.
- Smoked turkey- Smoked turkey wings and legs and can substituted for smoked pork.
- Bouillon and Water- Create your own broth by dissolving bouillon cubes or granules in water.
Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Vegetarian: Do not add ham, ham hock or bacon. Cook the peas with water or vegetable broth.
Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas and Ham Hock: For one pound of dried black eyed peas, I recommend a small ham hock. You can also get the smokey flavor imparted with bacon and chopped ham.
Helpful Information
The Instant Pot or pressure cooker is my favorite method to cook black eyed peas. Ratio: 1 part dried black eyed peas to 3 parts water or broth.
It is not necessary to soak dried beans before cooking, especially if cooking in the Instant Pot, but it does significantly reduce the cooking time. It is also considered to reduce the number of beans that burst or split while cooking.
When dried black eyed peas and beans like pinto beans are cooked they almost triple in size. For example, 2 cups of dried peas cooked in 6 cups of water in the Instant Pot will make 6 cups of cooked peas.
What to serve with Instant Pot blackeyed peas
- Rice is a common side dish to serve with or stir into black eyed peas. Stirred together with ham and rice, you have yourself a version of Southern Hoppin' John.
- Traditional New Year's Day fare is black eyed peas, collard greens, cornbread, and ham.
- Any kind of greens like mustard greens or turnip greens. You could add 1 1/2 cups of cooked black eyed peas to my Shortcut Turnip Greens Soup instead of the can of beans.
- Pork chops, sliced ham, and fried chicken
Storage Tips
- To Store. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator, covered or in an air tight container.
- To Reheat. Cook over medium heat in a saucepan until hot or microwave on HIGH in a microwave-safe container 1 minute at a time until hot.
- To Freeze. This black eyed pea recipe freezes well in an air tight container for at least 3 months.
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Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried black eyed peas (12-ounce) package
- 6 cups unsalted chicken broth or 1 (32-ounce carton chicken broth plus 2 cups water) (If using salted chicken broth, omit salt in recipe or to taste.)
- 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Choose one: 2 slices bacon, 1 ham hock, 1/2 cup chopped ham
- 3/4 teaspoon salt (omit salt if using salted chicken broth or to taste)
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients except salt (if using) in the Instant Pot and stir well. (Cut bacon into 1/2 pieces, if you like)
- Place the lid on the pot and make sure it is set to Seal, not Vent. Pressure Cook on high for 20 minutes. (See NOTES for soaked dried, frozen, and fresh peas cooking times.)
- It will take 12 minutes for the pressure cooker to come up to pressure before sealing and starting to cook.
- When the peas have cooked 20 minutes, allow the pressure to Natural Release (which means do nothing) for 10 minutes.
- Carefully, release the pressure. Open the lid away from your face to avoid the hot steam. Stir in salt and enjoy!
Notes
- 2 cups dry beans, not soaked: 20 minutes, 10 minute natural release
- 2 cups dry beans, soaked overnight: 12 minutes, 10 minute natural release
- 4 cups frozen, not thawed: 12 minutes, 10 minute natural release
- 4 cups fresh: 7 minutes, quick release
Nutrition
Nutrition analysis on GritsAndGouda.com recipes are mostly calculated on an online nutrition calculator. I am not a dietitian and nutritional information is an estimate and can vary based on products used.
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