These slow cooker black eyed peas are loaded with ham, sausage and veggies. The perfect crock pot meal to get your new year off to the right start!
Ring in the new year the Southern way with these easy and delicious black eyed peas. They’re full of smoky meat and are absolutely amazing served over rice.
In the South, eating black eyed peas on New Year’s Day is thought to bring prosperity for the new year. Get your new year started off on the right foot with these easy (and totally delicious) slow cooker black eyed peas. They’re hearty, loaded with smoky flavor and are sure to bring you lots of luck!
How to make slow cooker black eyed peas
For this recipe you’ll need a bag of black eyed peas, onion, green pepper, garlic, ham and sausage. I use both a ham hock or bone and chopped ham in my crock pot black eyed peas for maximum flavor. You can save your ham bone from Christmas (toss it in the freezer!) or buy a ham hock. If you don’t have either one, simply omit and it’ll still be delicious.
You’ll want to soak your black eyed peas for anywhere from 4-8 hours before you put them in the slow cooker. Soaking the peas helps them to cook faster. If you don’t have time to soak your peas, you can still make this recipe; just be aware that it might take longer to cook.
The ham and sausage, and seasonings get stirred in close to the end. I add the seasoning at the end because sometimes salt can interfere with the cooking process and make the peas tough, so if you add it after the peas are mostly cooked, you avoid that issue.
I use a rope style sausage like kielbasa, but if you can really use any type of smoked sausage that is available to you.
You can serve these peas as-is or over steamed rice. I typically serve them with rice, but honestly they’re great as a stand alone dish too. My whole family loves these black eyed peas, even the kids! We eat them all year long, but they’re always on our New Year’s Day menu too, because who couldn’t use a little extra luck?!
More slow cooker recipes
- Slow Cooker Ham Bone Soup
- Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak
- Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Slow Cooker Black Eyed Peas Video
Slow Cooker Black Eyed Peas
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb dried black eyed peas soaked for at least 4 hours
- 1 ham bone or ham hock
- 5 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 2 cups chopped ham
- 14 ounces smoked rope sausage such as kielbasa or andouille, halved lengthwise and sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Place the onion, bell pepper, garlic, black eyed peas, ham bone and chicken broth in a slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 hours.
- Uncover and remove one cup of the peas. Mash thoroughly then return to the pot. Add the ham, sausage, salt and pepper to the pot. Stir thoroughly.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 more hour.
- Remove the ham bone. Stir in the parsley and serve with rice.
Shawn says
Can you use bacon in place of ham hock and ham?
Sara says
Yes that would work, but you’d probably want to pre-cook the bacon first!
karina says
I made this this past New Year…but added a few more ingredients . I added two small cans of diced green chile along with a can of Rotel. I also put all the ingredients in at once since I knew I was going to be cooking this overnight…10 hrs on low. This recipe along with my old way of cooking them was amazing!!! Definitely doing this from now on every year! Thank you so much for posting!
Chuck says
Greetings from a frozen boston..this was a perfect project for me ..and i only wanted to say its missing one thing….beer. Im telling ya lol..huuuuge difference lol…red stripe here but play with it lol…ROLL TIDE
Janna says
Thanks for the tip on the beer! And Roll Tide from Alabama!
Warren Rountree says
I grew up on Black Eyed Peas. Adding the sausage is something new too me.
Renee Beck says
After I soaked them can they stay in there longer wirh the water or do i have to finished putting everything in them and start cooking them
Sara says
After they’re soaked, drain off the water and proceed with the recipe. There’s a video at the bottom of this post you can watch to see what to do!
Renee says
I’m a lil confused do i soaked the peas for 4 hours before putting the onions, bell pepper and garlic or do i do it all at one one no soaking before.
Sara says
You soak the peas, then use the peas after they’re soaked in the recipe. There’s a short video at the bottom of this post that you can watch to see how the recipe is made, the peas are soaked before they go into the crock pot!
Jessica Vargas says
I can’t eat bell peppers. Any suggestions on a substitute? Thanks.
Sara says
You can use celery instead!
LaTrice says
I found your blog on Pinterest and pinned this recipe. It’s been a tradition to prepare black eyed peas for the new year in my family, and I want it to continue. I can’t wait to start the new year on a positive note!!! 🙂
Sara says
Thanks LaTrice, hope you enjoy and happy 2018!!
Carol snowden says
How would the cook time change if using fresh black eyed peas?
Sara says
I would try cooking it for 3-4 hours on high, then test to see if they’re tender. You can always add more time after that if needed.
Diane Wilkins says
Yum! I love black eyed peas. Your recipe looks super simple and delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Louise Bishop says
That is one recipe I could get into. I have always loved ham and beans!
Pam says
We are from Georgia so we always eat black eyed peas on New Year for luck. This recipe sounds tasty.
Theresa says
That’s definitely a meal to start the new year off right! What a hearty and delicious combination of flavors. I love that it is made in the crockpot too to save on time and less mess.
travel blogger says
Yum! Thanks for the great recipe. This will be perfect to toss in the crock pot for New Year’s day. Good tip for the black eyed peas. I wouldn’t have known to soak them.
Carol Cassara says
It looks delightful and I appreciate the tips that you shared so we can cook it perfectly. I love slow cooker recipes because they’re easy and the flavor becomes really lovely. Thanks for the recipe!
CLaudia k says
I’ve never had black eyed peas. Sounds like an easy and delicious side dish to make over the holidays.
Tracy @ Ascending Butterfly says
I haven’t had black eyed peas in AGES, I love this combo with the Polish Sausage, I have the Sausage on hand, but not the Black Eyed Peas, I should definitely get some before New Year’s Eve!
Stacie says
I love this recipe! We have black eyed pea and ham every year for luck. This is such an easy way to make it!
Bill Sweeney says
Ringing in the New Year with black-eyed peas for dinner is an age-old tradition that’s been passed down from my mom. She says it’s to bring good luck and prosperity in the coming year. I like your recipe with ham, pepper and onions!
Christie says
There’s something wonderful about black-eyed peas! I like your version with ham included. We usually do Italian sweet sausage in ours!