Southern Black-Eyed Peas in the Instant Pot

A spoon removing a serving of southern Black Eyed Peas from a white bowl with an instant pot in the background.

5 from 1 vote

Southern Black-Eyed Peas in the Instant Pot

These Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas are a quick and easy way to enjoy a Southern classic—no soaking required! With smoky bacon, savory ham, and perfectly tender peas, this one-pot recipe delivers all the comforting flavors of slow-cooked peas in a fraction of the time. Perfect for New Year’s Day, busy weeknights, or any time you need a hearty, flavorful dish.

This Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas Recipe includes instructions for dried, frozen, and fresh black-eyed peas.

Author: Nikki Lee

Servings: servings

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Equipment

1 6 quart Instant Pot

Ingredients

▢ 1 pound dried black eyed peas sorted & rinsed, *(fresh or frozen blac-eyed peas - see notes)
▢ 3 to 4 slices of thick cut bacon diced
▢ ½ cup diced onion
▢ 2 cloves garlic 2 tsp minced garlic
▢ 1 ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
▢ ½ to 1 teaspoon black pepper
▢ ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon red pepper flake (optional)
▢ 1 ham bone with meat ham shank or ham hock
▢ 6 cups chicken broth

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Set the instant pot to the saute function and let it get hot. Add diced pieces or whole bacon slices and saute until crispy (or the way you like it), about 7-10 minutes. Remove the bacon, but leave the grease. (You can also reserve some of the bacon pieces for the garnish if you’d like).
If you prefer not to have pieces of bacon in the peas but want the flavor, leave the bacon pieces whole and remove them for serving.
3 to 4 slices of thick cut bacon
To the bacon grease, add in onions and saute until they are almost translucent and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Then add in the minced garlic and saute another minute.
½ cup diced onion, 2 cloves garlic
Next add in salt, black pepper, and red pepper if using and stir into the onions and garlic
1 ½ teaspoon salt, ½ to 1 teaspoon black pepper, ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon red pepper flake
Slowly add in the chicken stock while scraping (or deglazing) any bits that may be in the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula making sure nothing is stuck to the pan.
6 cups chicken broth
Then, add in the ham, bacon, and rinsed peas and stir it.
1 ham bone with meat, 1 pound dried black eyed peas
Cover and seal the lid – making sure the vent is turned to the sealed position. Hit CANCEL to stop the saute function, then turn the dial or press the MANUAL (high-pressure button and set the timer for 30 minutes to 35 minutes (35 will give you a softer, creamier pea). It will take about 15 minutes for Instant Pot to come to full pressure, then the display will show a countdown timer.
Once the cook time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release “vent” any remaining pressure by manually opening the pressure valve.
Unlock the lid and take out the ham bone and meat, setting it aside to cool for a few minutes. Give everything in the pot a stir. Once the meat is cool enough to handle, use two forks or your hands (disposable gloves if you prefer) to pull the meat off the bones into bite-sized pieces. Stir the meat back into the pot.
Taste the peas and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. If the peas aren’t tender enough to your liking add an additional 5 minutes of cooking time.
Stir everything together until combined. It will look pretty brothy at this point. If you prefer creamier peas, use a potato masher or a fork to mash some of them. This will break them down and give the mixture a creamier texture—just give it another stir to bring it all together.
Garnish with parsley if desired and enjoy!

Notes

Instructions for Fresh or Frozen Black-Eyed Peas in the Instant Pot

Decrease the chicken broth to 4 to 5 cups of broth. You only will need 4 cups of broth. However, if you have a meatier ham bone and like to have a lot of broth, you can use 5 cups.

4 cups frozen black-eyed peas (about 1 pound of weighed peas), not thawed: 12 minutes, 10 minutes natural release.
4 cups fresh black-eyed peas (this is about 1.25 pounds of weighed peas): 8 minutes, then quick-release. This gives you a tender bean while still a little firm. If you like it softer, cook another 1-2 minutes, or let it naturally release for 10 minutes.

You will also love my Southern Stovetop Black-Eyed Peas or Crock Pot Black-Eyed Pe as versions, too!

Nutrition

Find it online:

www.soulfullymade.com/instant-pot-black-eyed-peas-no-soaking-needed/