These fast cooking Instant Pot black-eyed peas are cooked perfectly. No need to soak them in order to get deliciously tender beans in under 30 minutes! It’s the perfect New Year’s Day side dish.

Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas

These Instant Pot black-eyed peas turn out tender and perfectly cooked every single time. They are seasoned simply with just salt and pepper, so they’re very versatile and you can use them in so many different dishes.

This quick and easy recipe is such a breeze to make – you don’t even have to soak the beans when you make black eyed peas in the Instant Pot! Just add water and in 25 minutes you’ll have perfectly cooked black-eyed peas ready to go.

My favorite part is that you can easily spice up this recipe to help it match the flavors in the recipe you plan to use them in. These beans take on the flavors of spices so well, so feel free to add your favorite seasonings that will complement your meal.

This is an especially great recipe for New Year’s Day because black-eyed peas are thought to bring you good luck for the entire year if you eat them on January 1.

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Ingredients

Black-Eyed Peas: Even though they’re called peas, they’re technically a bean. They have an earthy flavor that’s slightly nutty. Depending on how they’re cooked, they can either be slightly firm or be creamy.

Water or Chicken Broth: This is what we’re using as the cooking liquid. If you’re going to use the black-eyed peas in something that has a lot of other flavors, using plain water is the better option. But if you want to add lots of savory flavor, chicken broth makes them very flavorful. I’d opt for a low-sodium version so that they don’t end up too salty.

Salt and Pepper: The salt enhances the flavors in the dish, and pepper adds a subtle heat that is delicious. 

Alternative Ingredients

• Spices: Feel free to adjust the spices based on how you plan to use the black-eyed peas after they’re cooked. Cumin, paprika, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, chili powder, rosemary, thyme, garlic, onion, or bay leaves would all be great flavor additions.
• Meat: Adding cooked bacon, diced ham, cooked and crumbled sausage, smoked turkey, or smoked ham hock would add lots of flavor to this dish.

How To Cook Black Eyed Peas In The Instant Pot

Add Ingredients to the Instant Pot: Combine the black-eyed peas, water or broth, salt, and pepper in your Instant Pot. (See the recipe card below for the full printable instructions.)

Program the Instant Pot: Close the lid of your Instant Pot and adjust the pressure release valve to the sealing position. Switch off the warm mode and set your Instant Pot to manual high pressure. Cook time is based on how tender you’d like your black-eyed peas to be.

Natural Release: After the cooking process is complete, let the pressure naturally release for a bit. Then switch the pressure release valve to the venting position to let out any remaining pressure.

Check Doneness: Open your Instant Pot carefully and test your black-eyed peas to see if they’ve reached your preferred level of doneness. If needed, season with additional salt and pepper to taste. See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.

Pro Tips

• Cook in Broth: If you want to season your black-eyed peas from the inside out with lots of depth of flavor, cook them in chicken broth or vegetable broth instead of water.
• Don’t Skip the Natural Release: Letting the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes is a super important step. It helps them finish cooking and become perfectly tender.

How Long Do You Cook Black-Eyed Peas In The Instant Pot?

It all depends on how tender you’d like them to be. It normally ranges anywhere from 8-10 minutes. 8 minutes will be a bit firmer, and if you like them really soft, you may even want to add a couple of extra minutes on and cook them for up to 12 minutes.

Why Are My Black-Eyed Peas Still Hard After Cooking?

• Old Beans: Old beans will take longer to cook. If you’ve had them stored in your pantry for a while, you’ll likely need to add a bit of cooking time.
• Hard Water: The higher mineral content in hard water can actually strengthen the cell walls of beans, which makes them more resistant to cooking and softening.
• Didn’t Cook Long Enough: They need sufficient cooking time in order to soften. You can always try to cook them for a couple more minutes under pressure to see if they get tender enough.
• Not Enough Cooking Liquid: If you use less liquid than the recipe calls for, there won’t be enough for them to absorb, which is needed for them to become tender.
• High Altitude: Cooking at high altitude affects the cooking time with the Instant Pot. If you’re cooking at high altitude, you’ll likely need to add some time for them to fully cook through.

Do Black-Eyed Peas Need To Be Soaked?

I prefer to soak black-eyed peas that I’m going to cook on the stove, but for this Instant Pot recipe you don’t need to soak them. Cooking them under pressure helps them become tender much more quickly. The benefit to soaking them is that it not only helps them cook more quickly, but it also makes them easier to digest.

What Is The Fastest Way To Soak Black-Eyed Peas?

The quick-soak method is the fastest way to soak black-eyed peas. Rinse the black-eyed peas, picking out any dirt or debris, then place them in a pot. Cover them with about 1-2” of water in the pot, then bring them to a boil. Let them boil for a couple of minutes, then remove them from the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and let them soak for 1 hour. Discard the cooking liquid and rinse them before continuing on with cooking them.

How To Use Black-Eyed Peas

These beans are so versatile and taste great in so many different dishes. From Hoppin’ John, to Cowboy Caviar, to Southern Black-Eyed Peas, to Black-Eyed Pea Salad, they’re a popular bean in many different dishes. Try adding them to soups or stews or to fresh green salads. They’re also great served with collard greens, seasoned rice, or with a side of Jiffy cornbread with creamed corn.

Storing And Freezing Instructions

Let them cool, then store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can store them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. The best way to freeze them is to spread them out on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, then freeze them while they’re separated, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container.

Keep In Touch

I’d love to hear what you thought of this recipe in the comments or on Instagram! @KeyToMyLime #KeyToMyLime

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Dinner Recipes

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out all of our other dinner recipes and side dishes. Some reader favorites are:

• How To Make Jiffy Cornbread Better
• Instant Pot Tomato Soup
• Instant Pot Ham
• Black Eyed Pea Salad
• Instant Pot Pork Loin
• Instant Pot Frozen Roast

I hope you love this simple Instant Pot black eyed peas recipe as much as I do! It’s such a quick and easy side dish.