Name: Creamy Southern Black-Eyed Peas (Instant Pot + Stovetop!) – Full Recipe Article
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil (or bacon grease/duck fat); 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped; 1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped; 1 stalk celery, finely chopped; 1 small jalapeño, deseeded & finely diced; 6 cloves garlic, finely minced (or 1 tbsp garlic paste); 2 bay leaves; 2–3 teaspoons Creole Cajun seasoning (homemade or store-bought); 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 lb smoked turkey wings or ham hocks; 1 lb (16 oz) dried black-eyed peas, sorted & rinsed; 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth; Fresh chopped parsley (optional); Cooked white rice and/or cornbread for serving (optional)

Description

The best Southern Style Black-Eyed Peas recipe you’ve been looking for. Incredibly flavorful, creamy, and rich. Made easily in the Instant Pot with tender smoked turkey, aromatics, Cajun spices, and creamy black-eyed peas. Stovetop instructions included!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil (or bacon grease/duck fat)
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 small jalapeño, deseeded & finely diced
6 cloves garlic, finely minced (or 1 tbsp garlic paste)
2 bay leaves
2–3 teaspoons Creole Cajun seasoning (homemade or store-bought)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 lb smoked turkey wings or ham hocks
1 lb (16 oz) dried black-eyed peas, sorted & rinsed
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth
Fresh chopped parsley (optional)
Cooked white rice and/or cornbread for serving (optional)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Sauté Aromatics (Instant Pot): Set Instant Pot to sauté (7 min). Add oil, then onion, bell pepper, celery, and jalapeño. Cook 6–7 minutes until tender, stirring frequently.
Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
Add bay leaves, Cajun seasoning, Worcestershire, smoked meat, peas, and chicken stock. Stir well.
Place lid on Instant Pot. Select “manual/pressure cook” for 35 minutes.
When done, allow natural pressure release for 7–10 minutes. Remove lid.
Remove smoked meat and shred using forks or hands. Return meat to pot.
Remove bay leaves. Mash some peas with a potato masher for a creamier texture and stir.
Taste and adjust seasoning with more Cajun seasoning if desired. Garnish with parsley and serve with rice or cornbread.
Stovetop: Soak peas overnight or quick soak (boil water, add peas, remove from heat, soak 30–60 min). Follow sauté steps in a Dutch oven. Simmer covered 45–60 minutes until tender, adding more broth if needed. Shred meat, mash some peas, stir, and season.

Notes

For best results, read full blog post and watch video tutorial.
Adjust creaminess by mashing more or fewer peas.
Add extra broth or water if mixture becomes too thick.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Sides
Method: Instant Pot
Cuisine: Southern