If you are looking for a healthy and hearty meal, or need to feed a crowd on a budget, this black eyes peas recipe is ideal. Humble pantry ingredients get a flavorful makeover with onions, garlic, and bold Greek spices. Finished with citrus and a handful of fresh herbs!This vegan black eyed peas recipe is popular even among meat lovers!
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium heat till shimmering but not smoking. Add onions and garlic. Saute briefly until translucent and fragrant. Add bell peppers and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes, tossing regularly.
Now add diced tomatoes (with their juices), water, bay leaf, spices, salt and pepper. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Add in the black eyed peas. Boil for 5 minutes, then lower heat. Cover part-way and let simmer for 25 to 30 minutes (occasionally check to stir. If the black eyed pea stew looks too dry, add a tiny bit of water.)
Finally, stir in lemon juice and parsley.
To serve, transfer to bowls. Add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy with a side of warm Greek pita or on top of orzo, rice, or your favorite grain.
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Notes
Dry black eyed peas option: To make this recipe from scratch using dry black eyed peas, start with just over 1 heaping cup of dry black eyed peas. Soak them in plenty of water overnight or up to 6 hours. Cook them in a large pot, adding enough water to cover the black eyed peas by 4 inches. Let simmer for about 1 hour. Begin to check if they are soft and tender after 45 minutes. If the water simmers off too quickly, simply add more water to the pot.
Slow Cooker Method: Add the onions, garlic gloves, carrots, and bell peppers in the slow cooker. Add in the canned diced tomatoes, olive oil, water, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes, and black-eyed peas. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the slow cooker on low and simmer for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours or so. Finish with the lemon juice and parsley. (You can also use dry black-eyed peas in the slow cooker method without soaking the beans overnight! Just rinse them well and add them in the slow cooker and add an additional 1 cup of water to what the recipe states. The dry beans will have a good 8 hours to soften in the slow cooker).
Leftovers and Storage Instructions: Store in fridge in tight-lid containers for up to 1 week. You can also freeze for later use. Thaw overnight in the fridge.