Black-Eyed Peas & Collard Greens
Dec 29, 2023, Updated Mar 17, 2025
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I grew up eating black-eyed peas (often from a can) on New Year’s Day. My mom always paired it with cooked cabbage and said it would bring us good luck for the year. I’m not the most superstitious of folks around, but I am a sucker for traditions … so this one always stuck with me.
This year I’ve created a more grown-up take on Black-Eyed Peas & Collard Greens, which is loaded with smoked, spicy flavors. It’s a vegan version and is Plant-Based Whole30 compatible, which makes for a great jump-start to meal planning for anyone signing up to do a January round of the plant-based program.
You can eat these peas and greens on their own, or pair them with a baked potato or the protein of your choice. On their own, they are so very delicious, if I do say so myself.
Black-Eyed Peas & Collard Greens
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dried Black-Eyed Peas
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups warm water
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon red chile powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1 bunch collard greens, about 6-8 cups
Instructions
- Rinse and sort peas and add to a large pot with 8 cups cold water. Soak 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse beans and set aside.
- In a large pot, add olive oil and diced onion. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until translucent. Add in bell pepper and garlic, cooking for another minute.
- Add the rest of the ingredients – except for the collard greens – to the pot. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 1 hour with a lid tilted.
- Meanwhile, remove stems from the collard greens and discard. Chop leafy green parts into roughly 2-inch pieces and set aside.
- Once peas have cooked for an hour, stir in the greens. Simmer without the lid for another 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has cooked off and peas have reached desired tenderness.
- Remove bay leaves from the pot. Adjust salt, as needed. Serve peas and greens for the ultimate good luck. Store leftovers, cooled to room temperature, in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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