Simple, classic black-eyed peas and collard greens and ham is an amazing Southern comfort dinner that is sure to please everyone! It’s rich, full of flavor, and so easy to make – you’ll want to whip up this dish all the time!
Black-eyed peas with collard greens and ham are a hearty and savory Southern classic!
Black-eyed peas with collard greens and ham are a traditional Southern dish that’s been around for centuries! In the South, black-eyed peas with collard greens are a New Year’s tradition that is said to bring luck and prosperity in the coming year. It’s also incredibly delicious!
This recipe is simply seasoned to let the natural flavors shine, but it’s still full of flavor! In my version, I add lots of onion, garlic, and savory ham to season the black-eyed peas and greens.
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It’s a simple, delicious meal that’s so hearty and filling! Serve this dish with a side of freshly baked cornbread and you’ve got a meal that will impress any Southerner!
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe!
Super easy! I use pre-cooked ham and canned black-eyed peas to cut time and make this delicious recipe as simple and easy as possible!
Hearty and filling! This is a stick-to-your-ribs meal! It’s such a filling dish, full of fiber, protein, and nutrients!
Full of Southern flavor! This meal is packed full of southern flavor! It’s rich, savory, and oh-so-delicious.
🥘 Ingredients
Simple, tasty black-eyed peas with collards and ham are such an easy all-in-one dish. Keep these ingredients around and you can have this tasty meal anytime the mood strikes!
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil – I prefer extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for this recipe as it’s a little healthier than butter or other fats.
- 1 cup Onion – The onion should be chopped for this recipe! I like to use white or yellow onion here.
- 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic – A tablespoon of minced garlic is equivalent to 3 cloves. You can mince your own or use the store-bought stuff!
- 1 pound Collard Greens – The collard greens should be thoroughly rinsed, then the stems should be removed, and the greens roughly chopped (See Tips and Recipe Notes).
- 1 cup Cooked Ham – I like to use cubed ham for this recipe! You can also add in a meaty ham bone, or use chopped, crisped bacon instead.
- ½ teaspoon Salt & Pepper – You should season the greens and peas to taste here, according to your taste preferences!
- 2 cups Chicken Broth – You can also use water to braise your greens, but I prefer the flavor that comes with chicken broth!
- 31 ounces Black Eyed Peas – This is equivalent to 2 15.5-ounce cans of black-eyed peas. The peas should be drained and rinsed of their canning liquid.
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for ingredients, amounts & instructions!*
📖 Variations
Across the south, there are many different seasoning variations on this tasty dish! It can be seasoned in many ways, according to your taste preferences! Additions can include:
- Few dashes of hot pepper sauce or crushed red pepper
- A tablespoon (or more) of white or apple cider vinegar
- A tablespoon of yellow mustard
- A splash of Worcestershire sauce
- A pinch of sugar
- A turkey neck, ham hock, salt pork, or hog jowl (for traditional meat options) – *If using any of these, you’ll want to remove them before serving, as they are not meant to eat, only to flavor the dish.
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
Classic Southern black-eyed peas with collard greens and ham are a deliciously simple meal! I recommend using canned black-eyed peas instead of dried ones to make it so much easier!
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- Sauté. Start the black-eyed peas by preheating a large pot or Dutch oven with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add 1 cup of chopped onion and sauté for 5 minutes, or until it reaches your desired level of tenderness. Then, add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic. Sauté the garlic for about a minute or so, but don’t let it burn!
- Add greens. Next, stir in 1 pound of cleaned, chopped collards until coated with the oil, onions, and garlic, then cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Add Ham, Black Eyed Peas & Finish
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- Add ham. To the collards, add 1 cup of cooked ham, ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper (or according to taste), and 2 cups of chicken broth (or water). Then, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and let the collards and ham simmer for 25 minutes.
- Add black-eyed peas & serve. Once 25 minutes have passed, remove the cover, and stir in 31 ounces of drained and rinsed black-eyed peas. Then, return the cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Once done, remove your pot from the heat and serve immediately.
Simple, classic black-eyed peas with collard greens and ham are an all-inclusive dish that is good any time of year! I love to eat this meal on its own or served with a side of cornbread. It’s a Southern dish that’s going to fill you up – so come hungry! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- I prefer to use whole collard greens that I clean and cut myself instead of bagged, pre-cut collards! Packaged pre-cut collards always include the stem, which is tough and unpleasant to eat.
- If using bacon, use the leftover bacon fat to fry the onions and garlic instead of olive oil! It will be a delicious complement to the flavors!
- For extra flavor, sauté the cubed ham with the onions and garlic to brown the ham. This will give the dish another layer of delicious flavor!
- This recipe also makes a great soup! Simply add more chicken broth to your desired consistency! It makes a hearty, filling soup that’s so tasty!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Leftovers of my delicious black-eyed peas will keep for about 3 to 4 days! Make sure you store the peas and greens in an airtight container or plastic storage bag to ensure it has the best quality.
Freezing
You can also freeze the leftovers of this meal! The black-eyed peas should be kept in an airtight storage container or heavy-duty freezer storage bag.
The leftovers will keep for about 6 months this way, but I recommend eating them within 3 months for the freshest flavor.
Thaw frozen black-eyed peas with collard greens by leaving them in the fridge overnight.
Reheating Black-Eyed Peas with Collard Greens
Reheat black-eyed peas with collard greens one of two ways:
Pop them in the microwave until warm (about 2 minutes) or bake in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until heated through (about 15 minutes.)
🍽️ More Easy Dinner Recipes!
- Crockpot Cube Steak
- Bisquick Chicken and Dumplings
- Chicken a la King
- Dirty Rice
- Crockpot Chicken and Gravy
❓ FAQ
Sure! If you happen to have dried black-eyed peas, you can use them instead of canned. Be sure to soak and pre-cook according to package instructions before adding the black-eyed peas to the dish. The peas won’t cook properly otherwise!
To me, the easiest way to cut whole collard greens is to stack a few leaves, then use a sharp knife to slice around the stem. Discard the stems, then repeat until all the stems are removed from the collard greens.
Then, I cut the leaves in half lengthwise, stack the pieces of collards, and chop them into roughly 1-to-2-inch pieces! I like to slice my own collard greens because I can remove the stem completely, which isn’t my favorite to eat!
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📋 Recipe
Black Eyed Peas with Collard Greens and Ham
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 cup onion (chopped, white or yellow onion)
- 1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 1 lb collard greens (rinsed, stems removed, and chopped)
- 1 cup cooked ham (cubed, or use ham bone or crisped bacon)
- ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 2 cups chicken broth (or water)
- 31 oz black eyed peas (2 15.5 ounce cans, drained and rinsed)
Instructions
- Preheat a large pot or Dutch oven with the olive oil to medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, or until it reaches your desired level of tenderness. Add the garlic and saute for a minute more.2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 cup onion, 1 tablespoon garlic
- Stir in the cleaned, chopped collards until coated with the oil then cover and cook for 5 minutes.1 lb collard greens
- Add the ham, salt, pepper, and broth (or water) then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and allow to simmer for 25 minutes.1 cup cooked ham, 2 cups chicken broth, ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper
- Remove the cover and stir in the drained black eyed peas. Return the cover and cook an additional 10 minutes.31 oz black eyed peas
- Once done, remove from heat and serve immediately.
Equipment You May Need
Notes
- I prefer to use whole collard greens that I clean and cut myself instead of bagged, pre-cut collards! Packaged pre-cut collards always include the stem, which is tough and unpleasant to eat.
- If using bacon, use the leftover bacon fat to fry the onions and garlic instead of olive oil! It will be a delicious complement to the flavors!
- For extra flavor, sauté the cubed ham with the onions and garlic to brown the ham. This will give the dish another layer of delicious flavor!
- This recipe also makes a great soup! Simply add more chicken broth to your desired consistency! It makes a hearty, filling soup that’s so tasty!
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Freeze for up to 6 months, but use within the first 3 months for best quality.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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