Easy Black Eyed Peas With Bacon Recipe
This Black-Eyed Peas for New Year's recipe is flavored with bacon, garlic, and thyme, for a savory, delicious soup that's said to bring luck and prosperity when eaten on New Year's Day!
January 1st is right around the corner, and in these parts, that means two things: New Year's resolutions and black-eyed peas! So why not combine the two in one scrumptious recipe? Say hello to the BEST Black-Eyed Peas for New Year's!
New Year's Luck from Black-Eyed Peas
In the south (and perhaps beyond? Please enlighten me!), eating a black-eyed peas recipe on New Year's Day supposedly brings you luck and prosperity in the coming year.
Now I'm not particularly superstitious, but I do love associating food with tradition and specific holidays, so I've been whipping up a pot of these amazingly delicious Black-Eyed Peas for New Year's for a number of years now.
However, I have a little confession. I don't actually like black-eyed peas. In fact, I've always kind of thought they taste like dirt (or what I would imagine dirt to taste like, since I don't eat dirt on a regular basis).
At least that was the case until this Black-Eyed Peas for New Year's recipe entered my life!
Ingredients
You see, when you cook otherwise-unexciting black-eyed peas with generous amounts of extremely flavorful ingredients, the legumes (they aren't actually peas, you see) soak up all of those flavors and transform into a bowl of goodness that black-eyed pea aficionados and haters alike would be enthusiastic to eat...not only on New Year's Day, but all year long!
So what does it take to make this recipe?
- Bacon. We already know that bacon could make just about anything taste good. So in my book, its use in this recipe is what elevates humble black-eyed peas from tolerable to outstanding.
- Garlic. Again, a flavor powerhouse...and one that helps give this New Year's Black-Eyed Peas recipe such amazing flavor. All of that to say, don't be stingy with the garlic here!
- Chicken stock. You could also use chicken broth or vegetable broth instead, if that's what you have on hand or prefer. I recommend using unsalted or low-sodium stock/broth to give you more control over the saltiness of this recipe. Using regular chicken stock (not unsalted) plus the bacon, your could find that your soup turns out perfectly seasoned or a bit too salty.
- Black-eyed peas. You have a few choices here. You can buy dried black-eyed peas and soak them yourself (scroll down for specific directions). Or you can buy pre-soaked black-eyed peas, which are often available in the produce section leading up to the New Year.
- Bay leaves, dried thyme, + freshly ground black pepper. I bet you can guess the reason behind these ingredients...for yet more flavor!
- Fresh chopped parsley. I find that cooking this New Year's black-eyed peas recipe with fresh parsley adds freshness and color to an otherwise savory, decadent soup. I like to garnish bowls with a little extra parsley for the same reason. If you don't have any fresh parsley, you may stir 3 tablespoons dried parsley into your simmering soup instead and simply skip the garnish.
How to Make New Year's Black-Eyed Peas
We've already established that you can't go wrong with savory black-eyed peas in a garlic and thyme-infused broth, studded with bacon and fresh parsley. But in addition to being extremely tasty, you won't believe how easy this recipe is to make!
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook, stirring regularly, until crispy. Drain all of the bacon grease from the pot except for 1 tablespoon.
- Add minced garlic to the reserved bacon grease in the pot and stir around for about a minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken stock and then stir in your pre-soaked black-eyed peas, bay leaves, thyme, fresh parsley, and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover.
- Cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until your black-eyed peas are tender.
And there you have it...a New Year's Black-Eyed Peas recipe to rival all others!
Cooking Note
If the liquid in your soup gets low before the peas are tender, add an additional 1 to 2 cups of chicken stock.
On the other hand, if you desire less liquid by the time peas are done, simmer the pot uncovered for 10 or so extra minutes to allow for some evaporation.
How to Soak Black-Eyed Peas for New Year's
It's easy to soak your own black-eyed peas, and there are two options for how long it will take...depending on how far you plan ahead. 😉
Regular Soak Method
Sort out any stones or shriveled/broken pieces, and then place the black-eyed peas in a large bowl. Cover with a couple inches of cool water. Allow to soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and proceed with the recipe.
Quick Soak Method
Put sorted beans in a large pot and cover with a couple inches of cool water. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and allow to soak for 1 hour. Drain and proceed with the recipe.
If you've never really fancied black-eyed pea recipes, I think this one will change your mind.
If you already traditionally eat them on New Year's Day, I think you will enjoy this new way to prepare them.
And if you've never before ingested a black-eyed pea -- or never eaten them for luck on New Year's -- I encourage you to give these BEST Black-Eyed Peas for New Year's a whirl!
In fact, if you try them on the 1st for a lucky and prosperous year, I'm pretty sure you will end up making them again and again...every New Year's Day or perhaps even the whole year through.
They're just that darn good. 🙂
Recipes for New Year's Eve
- Mini Cheese Ball Bites
- Cranberry Pomegranate Bellinis with Lime {Cocktails or Mocktails}
- Artichoke Bruschetta
- White Chocolate Cheesecake Fruit Dip
- 12 ounces bacon
- 2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic, about 4 large cloves
- 10 cups unsalted/low-sodium chicken stock, OR broth (plus additional, if necessary)
- 1 pound dried black-eyed peas, soaked* and drained
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 cups fresh parsley, chopped (plus additional, for garnish)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Using a pair of kitchen shears, snip bacon slices into 1-inch segments and place in pot (or chop with a knife on a cutting board). Cook, stirring often, until bacon is crispy. With a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour the bacon grease from the pot, reserving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.
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Add minced garlic to the pot and stir for 1 minute, or until fragrant and beginning to turn a light golden brown. Pour in chicken stock, black-eyed peas, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, pepper, and half of the cooked bacon pieces (refrigerate the other half of the bacon for now).
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Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until the black-eyed peas are tender. If the liquid gets too low before the peas are done, add an additional 1 to 2 cups of chicken stock. And if you desire less liquid by the time peas are done, simmer uncovered for 10 or so more minutes.
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Remove the bay leaves and serve the soup hot with the reserved bacon crumbles and additional fresh chopped parsley sprinkled on top.
*REGULAR SOAK METHOD: Sort out any stones and shriveled/broken pieces, and then place black-eyed peas in a large bowl and cover with a couple inches of cool water. Allow to soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain.
*QUICK SOAK METHOD: Put sorted beans in a large pot and cover with a couple inches of cool water. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to soak for 1 hour. Drain and proceed with recipe.
Around New Year's, you can also often find containers of pre-soaked black-eyed peas in the produce section.
Calories: 424 kcal | Carbohydrates: 40 g | Protein: 25 g | Fat: 20 g | Saturated Fat: 6 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8 g | Trans Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 28 mg | Sodium: 388 mg | Potassium: 1062 mg | Fiber: 7 g | Sugar: 4 g | Vitamin A: 1320 IU | Vitamin C: 22 mg | Calcium: 106 mg | Iron: 7 mg
This post was originally published on December 29, 2013, and updated on December 29, 2017, December 28, 2020, and December 28, 2021.
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Source: https://www.fivehearthome.com/black-eyed-peas-with-bacon-for-luck-on-new-years-day/
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