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Vegetarian Black-eyed Pea and Collard Green Stew {Instant Pot pressure cooker option}

Richly seasoned with onions, celery and garlic, a smoky tomato broth is the base for this hearty stew of black-eyed peas and collard greens. Make it quick and easy in your pressure cooker or Instant Pot!

Black eyed peas and collard greens in blue bowl with brown rim and spoon

With a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, you don’t need to soak the black-eyed peas beforehand. 16 minutes under pressure, and your black-eyed pea stew will be done and finished, ready to enjoy, in 40 minutes!

Click here to save this recipe for Black-eyed Pea and Collard Green Stew on Pinterest!

dried black-eyed peas

If you don’t have a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, it’s best to soak the black-eyed peas ahead of time. Then plan on 2 hours cooking time.

>>>> Want this stew even faster than quick? You can speed up the whole meal by using canned beans and/or frozen chopped collard greens. Canned black-eyed peas and frozen collards–easy-peasy!

Closeup shot of Black-eyed peas and greens stew in blue bowl

Enjoy this nourishing stew any time of the year, but be sure to ring in a lucky, weathy and healthy New Year with black-eyed peas and collard greens! 

Why eat black-eyed peas with collard greens on New Year’s Day?

Black-eyed peas with collard greens on New Year’s Day–it’s a Southern tradition dating back to the Civil War. The idea is that black-eyed peas symbolize coins–good luck and fortune, while the collard greens represent greenback dollar bills–money and wealth.

Tradition calls for some sort of pork, like bacon or ham, to symbolize a healthy new year. But this is a vegetarian blog, so … for a meatless stew, skip the pork. You can create the intention for a vibrant fit healthy body with sautéed chunks of pretend pork, sausage flavor!

sliced Gimme Lean imitation sausage "soysage"

How to cut collard green ribbons:

how to cut collard ribbons

collard greens washed and ready to cut

What if I don’t have collard greens?

Other leafy green vegetables, like kale or chard substitute well for the collards. As with collards, you want to strip the leaves from the stems and chop the leaves into ribbons or small squares. The kale will take a bit longer simmer to be tender. The chard, less time. And if using chard, be sure to include the stems. Just chop them and sauté along with the onions and celery.

black-eyed pea and collards in bowl --overhead shot

More black-eyed peas and greens recipes:

>>>> This recipe for Dirty Rice with Collards and Leeks gets rave reviews on Pinterest all the time.

>>>> When you stir cooked rice into the pot with the beans and greens, you make Hoppin’ John, another Southern US original. Alternatively you could simply spoon this thick stew over steamed brown rice–it’ll still earn the name Hoppin’ John.

What to serve with black-eyed peas and collards:

Hot cornbread or cheesy buttermilk cornbread muffins are a wonderful complement to flavorful beans and greens. 

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Nutrition information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. The numbers will vary based on the quantity consumed, brands used and any substitutions. The numbers do not include the imitation sausage.

This is an update of the Black-eyed Peas with Collard Greens I posted here in December 2013!

7 comments

  • Dennis Halloran

    Site looks great, you have the right camera set up Reply · 30 December, 2013

    • Letty

      Thanks Denny,
      The photos will be even better in 2014. Sending love for 2014! Reply · 31 December, 2013

  • I will be making a very similar dish tomorrow! Reply · 31 December, 2013

  • Michael

    When do you add the tomatoes? Reply · 1 January, 2019

    • oh my gosh Michael–thank you! You add them along with the water and spices. I fixed the recipe! Enjoy! Reply · 1 January, 2019

  • CJH

    Hi! You might want to add soaking time and the 2 HOUR SIMMER to the “40 minute” total time… Reply · 2 January, 2019

    • Thank you for the note–I appreciate your feedback and so updated the recipe to clarify times for pressure cooking, regular stove-top cooking, and if using canned black-eyed peas. Reply · 2 January, 2019

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