Canned black-eyed peas make this dish of Southern black-eyed peas quick and easy. It’s a simple recipe that takes just minutes to fix and is perfect for a New Year’s Day lunch or dinner. Plus, black-eyed peas are said to bring good luck when eaten on New Year’s Day! The peas purportedly represent “coins,” which signify prosperity in the coming year. Feel free to add greens to your menu, as they are said to resemble folding money!
You don’t have to wait for New Year’s Day to enjoy this dish—it’s quick and easy enough to fix for any busy weekday meal.
I used leftover Christmas ham to make this dish, and it was delicious served with hot cooked rice and cornbread.
PrintQuick Black-Eyed Peas With Ham
Black-eyed peas are associated with prosperity and are a favorite New Year’s Day dish, and these fast and easy black-eyed peas are ready in under 30 minutes!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Beans, Ham
- Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients
- 2 (15.8-ounce) cans black-eyed peas
- 1 tablespoon bacon drippings
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 1/2 cups diced cooked ham, about 8 ounces
- Pinch cayenne pepper, optional
- Thinly sliced red or sweet onion, for garnish
Instructions
- Drain the liquid off the top of the cans of black-eyed peas, but don’t drain completely.
- Heat the bacon drippings in a sauté pan or skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, or until slightly softened. Add the diced ham and cayenne, if using, and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onions are translucent.
- Add the black-eyed peas with the liquid remaining in the cans and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for about 10 minutes longer, or until the liquids have reduced by half.
- Garnish the black-eyed peas with thinly sliced onion and serve with cornbread and hot cooked rice.
