Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/27/22
Tested by
Lauryn Bodden
headshot for associate food editor Lauryn Bodden
Tested by Lauryn Bodden
Lauryn is Food Editor for The Spruce Eats, creating recipes and cooking guides for all palates and expertise.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens

The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Black-eyed peas and collard greens are a New Year's Day staple in the American South, where the peas represent coins and the greens represent paper money. As the saying goes, "Eat poor on New Year's, and eat fat the rest of the year." While they might be a sign of good fortune for the upcoming months, there's no reason why you shouldn't enjoy black-eyed peas and collard greens throughout the year. It can even be frozen in airtight containers for up to three months and enjoyed whenever the craving strikes.

However, to make them right, it can take a while. Using a slow cooker lets you go about your daily business while the food simmers away. You don't even need to soak the beans overnight! These crock pot black-eyed peas and collard greens make a fabulous meal with baked cornbread and a salad.

"This is an ultra soothing recipe for wintertime. Make sure you don't waste the bacon fat! I cooked the onions in the fat, then added it all to the cooker." —Lauryn Bodden

Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds collard greens

  • 8 ounces bacon, diced

  • 1 large onion, coarsely chopped

  • 1 pound dried black-eyed peas, sorted and rinsed

  • 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

  • 4 cups low-sodium or unsalted chicken stock, more as needed

  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

  • 2 large dried bay leaves

  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens ingredients

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  2. Cut thick stems from the collards and slice the leaves into 1/2-inch crosswise ribbons (you can use the stems, if desired; cut into 1/4-inch crosswise pieces). In a large bowl or salad spinner, wash the collards with several changes of water until grit-free. Set aside.

    collard greens in a bowl

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  3. Sauté the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until cooked through but not crisp. Remove the bacon to paper towels to drain, leaving the fat behind. 

    bacon in a skillet

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  4. Add the onion to the skillet and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.

    onions in a skillet

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  5. Combine the bacon, onions, beans, garlic, chicken stock, tomato paste, vinegar, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes in a slow cooker. The liquid should cover the top of the beans (add more stock or water as needed).

    Combine the beans, bacon, onions, garlic, chicken stock, tomato paste, vinegar, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes in the slow cooker

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  6. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 hours.

    black-eyed peas cooking in a slow cooker

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  7. Add the collard ribbons and the stems, if using, to the slow cooker. Cover and continue to cook until the collards are tender, about 1 hour more.

    greens added to the slow cooker

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  8. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and black pepper to taste, and serve.

    Slow Cooker Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

Tips

  • Although black-eyed peas and collard greens make for a perfectly satisfying meal on their own, you can also go whole-hog on Southern cuisine by serving it as a component of a bigger meal.
  • Cornbread is a traditional part of a beans-and-greens meal, playing into the theme of fortune—its color signifies gold. However, biscuits also make for a solid bread option for soaking up the liquid of the main dish.
  • Other options for sides for black-eyed peas and collard greens include sliced fresh tomatoes, grits (with or without added cheddar cheese), macaroni and cheese, or any form of potato—roasted, baked, boiled, mashed, or au gratin.

Recipe Variations

  • Make this recipe vegetarian by eliminating the meat and replacing the chicken stock with vegetable stock. Add a teaspoon or two of smoked paprika to infused the beans and greens with extra flavor.
  • Not a fan of collard greens? Make the recipe with kale or Swiss chard instead. It's hearty enough to stand up to the long cooking time.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
522 Calories
16g Fat
60g Carbs
39g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 522
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 20%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 46mg 15%
Sodium 774mg 34%
Total Carbohydrate 60g 22%
Dietary Fiber 15g 53%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 39g
Vitamin C 33mg 164%
Calcium 320mg 25%
Iron 9mg 49%
Potassium 1387mg 30%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)