Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas

By Becky Hardin

Updated Nov 11, 2025

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These smoky, savory Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas are the perfect comfort food during the cool winter months. These little black and white beans are ready to cook without soaking, so I can easily pull this recipe together quickly. Delicious, healthy, and “lucky,” I like to serve these little legumes as a hearty one-pot meal or flavorful side dish.

Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Recipe

Southern cooks have made black-eyed peas in the winter for generations as their New Year’s tradition. According to the West African folklore adopted by southerners, these humble peas ward off trouble, attract luck, and bring prosperity for the coming year.

So, I have gracefully adopted this tradition of sharing black-eyed peas with friends and family to usher in a lucky New Year. If you haven’t joined in with us believers, there is no better time than now to try this hearty instant pot black eyed peas recipe. If you’re more of a crockpot person, I’ve also developed a crockpot black eyed peas recipe for you to try!

Tips for Beginners

• Make them vegetarian. Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth, omit the bacon and ham, and add ½ tsp of smoked paprika or use vegetarian bacon.
• Change the meat. Use 1 large or 2 small ham hocks. Remove the ham hocks, shred the meat, and return it to the instant pot at the end of cooking. Or, use sausage instead.
• Using old beans? You may need to extend the cooking time.
• Add some greens. For more vibrant peas, add kale or collard greens.
• For spicier black eyed peas. Add a dash of cayenne pepper to spice things up.

Recipe Card

Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas

4.75 from 4 votes

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 45 minutes mins

Servings: 6 people

Author: Becky Hardin

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Delicious, healthy, and lucky, these Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas are perfect as a hearty one-pot meal or flavorful side dish.

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Equipment

• Instant Pot

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 5 slices bacon chopped into small pieces
• ▢ ½ onion chopped
• ▢ 1 bell pepper chopped
• ▢ 1¼ tsp kosher salt divided
• ▢ ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• ▢ ½ tsp ground paprika
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1 cup diced ham
• ▢ 2 cups dried black eyed peas no need to soak, but sifted to remove any debris.
• ▢ 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth store-bought or homemade
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 2 cups cooked white rice or your favorite grain, for serving

Instructions 

• Heat the oil in the Instant Pot, using the Sauté setting.
  1 tbsp olive oil
• Once heated, add in the chopped bacon. Cook until the pieces are crispy.
  5 slices bacon
• Add in the onion, bell pepper, ¼ teaspoon of salt, pepper, and paprika.
  ½ onion, 1 bell pepper, 1¼ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper, ½ tsp ground paprika
• Cook for a few minutes until softened.
• Add in the garlic and ham and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  2 cloves garlic, 1 cup diced ham
• Stir in the black eyed peas.
  2 cups dried black eyed peas
• Pour in the chicken broth. Add in the bay leaves and 1 teaspoon of salt.
  4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 2 bay leaves
• Cover the Instant Pot. Press Cancel.
• Press the Pressure Cook or Manual button and set the timer for 20 minutes on high pressure.
• Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before releasing the pressure valve.
• Remove the bay leaves and give everything a stir. Don't let the beans sit in the instant pot on warm for very long, as they will get mushy.
• Serve as is or over rice or your favorite grain.
  2 cups cooked white rice

Calories: 334kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 22gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 807mgPotassium: 837mgFiber: 7gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 734IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 79mgIron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Step by Step

Cook the bacon: Heat 1 tbsp of oil in the Instant Pot, using the Sauté setting. Once hot, add 5 slices of chopped bacon and cook until the pieces are crispy.

Add the veggies and seasoning: Add ½ onion, 1 bell pepper, ¼ tsp of salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and ½ tsp paprika. Cook until the vegetables have softened.

Add the garlic, ham, and peas: Add 2 cloves of garlic and 1 cup of diced ham and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of black eyed peas.

Add the broth: Pour in 4 cups of chicken broth, 2 bay leaves, and a tsp of salt.

Cook the peas: Cover the Instant Pot. Press Cancel and then press the Pressure Cook or Manual button and set the timer for 20 minutes on high pressure.

Release: Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before releasing the pressure valve.

Remove the bay leaves: Remove the bay leaves and give everything a stir. Don’t let the beans sit in the instant pot on warm for very long, as they will get mushy.

Serve: Serve as is or over rice or your favorite grain. Enjoy!

How to Store

Store leftover instant pot black eyed peas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop in a large pot set over medium-low heat until warmed through.

Freeze instant pot black eyed peas in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve black eyed peas with garlic pull apart rolls to soak up all the soupy goodness. For a side dish, I’ll make something green like crispy garlic roasted asparagus and cilantro lime rice.