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No Soak Black Eyed Peas Recipe

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This No Soak Black Eyed Peas recipe should be titled “Go ahead and forget to soak!” Because in about 90 minutes you have a cooked pot of “lucky” beans for New Year’s Day. So, grab your cornbread and dive in! Vegetarian-friendly recipe!

This Black Eyed Peas New Year's recipe is ready in a few hours! #hoppinjohn #newyearsday #goodluckfood #nosoak #blackeyedpeas #bakedbeans #instantpot

No Soak Black Eyed Peas Recipe

I can’t tell you how many years I’ve successfully met my black eyed pea quota on New Year’s Day because of this no-soak recipe.

It’s not that I don’t plan, I’ve just learned that soaking really isn’t necessary.

You can have a pot of hearty, nutritious, black eyed peas in front of you, in 60-90 minutes of deciding to make it.

The main ingredients for this recipe are dried black eyed peas, (optional) ham, and a few pantry ingredients, all of which are available at most grocery stores.

Why do we eat black eyed peas on New Year’s Day?

Eating black eyed peas (Hoppin’ John) on New Year’s Day is a Southern tradition that’s believed to bring luck and prosperity in the coming year.

I’m not superstitious, but I’ll take all the luck I can get.

I happen to also love great food and an excuse to see people on the first day of the new year.

Do Black Eyed Peas have to soak overnight?

Nope. This blogpost is dedicated to anyone who likes to forgot to soak, or just doesn’t want to.

I’ve listed three methods to cook black eyed peas in under two hours: on the stove, in the oven, or in an Instant Pot.

This Black Eyed Peas New Year's recipe is ready in a few hours! #hoppinjohn #newyearsday #goodluckfood #nosoak #blackeyedpeas #bakedbeans #instantpot

How to cook black eyed peas in the oven without soaking

  1. place everything (except cooked ham) into a heavy, lidded, 3 or 4 quart pot
  2. cover and place in 375° preheated oven
  3. check it after an hour (it might actually be ready)
  4. add more cooking time in 15 minute intervals (if needed)
  5. add diced, cooked ham (optional)

Grab the full recipe below

How to cook black eyed peas in the Instant Pot without soaking

  1. add all ingredients (except cooked ham) to a 6 quart instant pot
  2. close / lock lid and set manual pressure cooker button to +20
  3. step away from the Instant Pot…and get stuff done
  4. when cook cycle is done, allow 10 minute natural pressure release
  5. stir in diced, cooked ham (optional)
  6. serve warm

Grab the full recipe below

How to cook black eyed peas on the stove without soaking

  1. add all ingredients (except cooked ham) to a 3 or 4 quart dutch oven
  2. add enough water to cover 1″ or 2″ above surface of ingredients
  3. cook over medium high heat until it reaches a boil for about 5 minutes
  4. reduce heat and simmer for 90 minutes up to 2 hours until beans are soft
  5. add diced, cooked ham (optional)
  6. keep warm until ready to serve

Grab the full recipe below

Black Eyed Peas Recipe Ingredients

  • dried Black Eyed Peas
  • dried onion flakes
  • salt and pepper
  • bay leaf
  • water
  • (optional) cooked ham

Tools I use for this recipe

This Black Eyed Peas New Year's recipe is ready in a few hours! #hoppinjohn #newyearsday #goodluckfood #nosoak #blackeyedpeas #bakedbeans #instantpot

How do you serve black eyed peas?

Black eyed peas are often served with collard greens and cornbread. I do love beans and greens…and I simply gotta get my cornbread recipe up on the blog, guys!

You could also serve them with quinoa, or rice, as is more traditional with Hoppin’ John.

Need other black eyed peas recipes?

Check out my Black Eyed Pea Salad that’s very similar to cowboy caviar.

These Black Eyed Brownies are gluten free, baby! They’re a lower carb option to the famous black bean brownies.

This Black Eyed Peas New Year's recipe is ready in a few hours! #hoppinjohn #newyearsday #goodluckfood #nosoak #blackeyedpeas #bakedbeans #instantpot

No soak? No joke! This Black Eyed Peas recipe is ready in a few hours! #hoppinjohn #newyearsday #goodluckfood #nosoak #blackeyedpeas #bakedbeans #instantpot
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5 from 20 votes

No-Soak Black Eyed Peas Recipe with Ham

Savory black-eyed peas recipe made with a few pantry ingredients. No soak recipe that's ready in 90 minutes in the oven or 45 minutes in the Instant Pot.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 6 1-cup servings
Calories 112kcal
Author Traci Antonovich

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Black Eyed Peas rinsed and sorted
  • 1/4 cup Dried Onion Flakes
  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt
  • Black Pepper
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 6-8 cups Water
  • 1/3 lb cooked Ham diced

Instructions

Hands-free Oven Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 375°
  • In a 3-quart, heavy soup pot (with lid), combine BLACK-EYED PEAS, DRIED ONION, SALT, PEPPER, and BAY LEAF.
  • Add enough WATER to cover 3” over the surface of beans (about 6 cups water).
  • Cover and bake for 60 minutes.
  • Carefully remove pot to stir in diced HAM; Note: if water level has fallen below bean surface, add enough to slightly cover beans.
  • Return covered pot to oven for 15-30 minutes until beans are fully cooked; carefully remove when done.

Instant Pot Instructions:

  • Add BLACK-EYED PEAS, DRIED ONION, SALT, PEPPER, BAY LEAF, and 6 cups WATER to a 6 quart instant pot.
  • Close / lock lid.
  • Press Manual > High Pressure, and set timer for + 20
  • When Instant Pot cycle ends, leave it alone for 10 minutes; then turn pressure knob to “venting” position to release all steam.
  • Unlock and remove lid; (optional) add DICED HAM.
  • If you add ham, turn Instant Pot to "saute" mode and allow ham to warm through (about 5 minutes), stirring as needed.
  • Serve warm.

Stove top instructions:

  • Add all ingredients (except cooked ham) to a 3 or 4 quart dutch oven.
  • Add enough water to cover 1" or 2" above surface of ingredients.
  • Cook over medium high heat until it reaches a rolling boil for about 5 minutes.
  • Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 90 minutes up to 2 hours, until beans are soft.
  • Add diced, cooked ham (optional).
  • Keep warm until ready to serve.
  • Note: If you want a deeper, smokier ham flavor, add a 1/4 lb ham hock or ham shank to this recipe at the beginning of the cook cycle. Then, remove it at the end of the cook cycle. Remove any bone pieces that may have broken off into the beans during cooking.

RECIPE NOTES

Yield: 6 cups
Serving size: 1 cup
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy and are estimates based on unbranded ingredients acquired from a nutrition database. For accurate calculations, please refer to brand packaging information and consult your nutritionist.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
No-Soak Black Eyed Peas Recipe with Ham
Amount Per Serving (0.5 cup)
Calories 112 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 18mg6%
Sodium 694mg30%
Potassium 268mg8%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 9IU0%
Vitamin C 8mg10%
Calcium 27mg3%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Did you make this recipe? Tag me!Mention @thekitchengirl or tag #thekitchengirl
Traci Antonovich
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Traci Antonovich

Recipe author and food photographer at The Kitchen Girl
I'm on a mission to help you eat healthy AND save money through simple, everyday recipes, product reviews, and budget-friendly kitchen tips.
Traci Antonovich
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Comments

  1. Rosalee says

    04/26/2019 at 3:02 pm


    I fixed them stove top in an enamel coated cast iron sauce pan, large.
    I used 1/2cup with a 10oz can of chicken broth and McCormick garlic/herb mix (no salt).
    I watched them carefully after they began to simmer and had to add abit more liquid (water only).
    They were finished in an hour.
    I set them aside while I fixed a large mixed green salad to accompany them. I also
    served the peas with a slice of blueberry corn bread.
    What a marvelous lunch😁
    They were amazing.
    So delicious and so simple to fix.

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      04/27/2019 at 8:54 am

      So glad to hear it Rosalee! Yep, stove method is great too for these. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experience…much appreciated! 🙂

  2. Tina says

    01/13/2019 at 5:49 am


    So many options to start the New Year, love it! I never knew that I could cook dried black-eyed peas so quickly in the oven. I love that you presented all three methods in this post, and will definitely be trying all of them.

    Reply

  3. Marisa Franca says

    01/05/2019 at 8:02 am


    I’ve always wanted to make black eyed peas but I thought that it would take too long to do. Your tips certainly make the whole dish very doable. It may not be New Years but I’m making the black eyed peas this weekend. We already have the ham.

    Reply

  4. Carmy says

    01/02/2019 at 6:19 pm


    I love black eyed peas but don’t love soaking! This is a great recipe – I love not having to soak and it’s a delicious way to start off the new year. I can’t wait to try this.

    Reply

  5. Debra says

    01/02/2019 at 5:49 pm


    I have never made black eyed peas. I admit, I have been intimidated. You give so many options that all seem so manageable. This is going to be the year I give them a try! THank you.

    Reply

  6. Dana says

    01/02/2019 at 9:05 am


    Why don’t you just “@” me, Traci! I am notorious for forgetting to soak beans, haha! Which is why I usually just opt for canned beans. Because DERP. But look at this. This sounds so cozy and warm and filling. I had no idea about this tradition! We have a new NYE tradition (pajamas and takeout Chinese, haha), but for the following day, we need a tradition. But I’m not waiting a whole year until I make these 😉

    Reply

  7. Daniela says

    12/30/2018 at 1:37 pm


    Yum! I love black eyed peas, but I have always been afraid to make them at home because I thought they were super time consuming to cook. Now I know that’s not true! I can’t wait to make a big batch and eat them throughout the winter.

    Reply

  8. Tracy says

    12/29/2018 at 3:28 pm


    Oh my gosh THANK YOU! This is always what happens to me, I think of wanting to make black eyed peas, but I want them now, I never have the foresight! My daughter LOVES black eyed peas too, which we discovered New Years day this year! Definitely making them again for her this New Years day and now I don’t have to worry about soaking them!

    Reply

  9. Gloria says

    12/27/2018 at 2:09 pm


    I love lentils, legumes, beans. This looks like a delicious recipe, and perfect to start some healthy eating in 2019!! I will pick some up next time I am in the grocery store.

    Reply

  10. Lisa says

    12/27/2018 at 8:38 am


    Traci – I’m with you — I’ll take all the luck I can get. I make hoppin’ john every year for our New Year’s dinner — but I usually buy a few bags of frozen black eyed peas — because I always forget to soak. Now I know I can do this the day of without the forethought. That’s a boon to me. This Hoppin’ John looks like a great way to start off the New Year. Wishing you good health and prosperity in 2019!

    Reply

  11. Tracy Wilkinson says

    12/26/2018 at 7:35 am

    Planning on cooking them for the first time in the instant pot. Any reason not to add the ham in during the cooking process to infuse flavor? I’ve always cooked on the stove top with the ham in it.

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      12/26/2018 at 8:21 am

      Hi Tracy, I’ve done this too, but I find that the ham can overcook and become dry. To avoid this, I either add the cooked ham at the end like the recipe suggests, or start the recipe with a ham shank, then remove it after cooking, and add cooked ham to the finished product, which gives the beans a stronger ham flavor. Hope this helps, and thanks so much for hanging out on my page! 🙂

  12. Shinta Simon says

    10/29/2018 at 12:52 pm


    How interesting, I never knew about this New Year ‘s day tradition! And this technique too. I usually presoak my beans, but this method is new to me. I’d love to give it a try sometime. I can imagine all the flavour from the spices would have infused the beans in the oven. It does sound delicious.

    Reply

  13. Gabi says

    10/29/2018 at 9:01 am


    I love the simplicity of this fiber rich recipe, just pop it in the oven and forget it for a while… What do you think Traci, could you use any type of beans for this recipe?

    Reply

  14. Katherine Hackworthy says

    10/29/2018 at 8:46 am


    Such an easy recipe to make a hearty and tasty dish, filled with good luck too. It would be easy to adapt to a vegetarian version too. Ideal for the days you do not want to be cooking in the kitchen for hours on end.

    Reply

  15. Lisa Bynum says

    10/29/2018 at 8:29 am


    We eat black-eyed peas year round in my house, but definitely on New Year’s Day too. I need all the luck I can get, right? Pinning this for later, but at some point I ALWAYS forget to soak the beans.

    Reply

  21. Kasey says

    10/25/2018 at 10:41 am


    Delicious recipe! I didn’t know this was a tradition for some on New Years, very fascinating! thanks for a quick and tasty recipe

    Reply

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