Dutch Oven Black Eyed Peas with Bacon (Southern Favorite)
These Dutch oven Black Eyed Peas with Bacon are a classic Southern Style dish that can be enjoyed as a tasty side dish with roast ham for a memorable holiday meal or you can serve this dish as is since it’s hearty enough with bacon strips and topped with crumbled bacon.
Healthy, flavor-packed, and simple to make…these black eyed peas with bacon are just begging to be added to your meal planner!
DON’T I NEED TO SOAK THE BLACK EYED PEAS?
Yes, you should always soak any dried legumes used in recipes prior to cooking. This ensures that they are adequately cooked and don’t cause any digestive issues.
Some recipes that use slow cookers as the preferred cooking method don’t require you to pre-soak dried legumes since they’ll be cooked for a longer time.
STORAGE AND FREEZER TIPS
This dish can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop or in the oven, covered, still warm throughout.
WHAT DOES BLACK EYED PEAS WITH BACON PAIR WELL WITH?
This dish is great to serve with the following:
- Roast ham;
- Cornbread;
- Mashed potatoes;
- Collard greens;
- Rice; and
- Various veggies.
CAN I MAKE THIS RECIPE VEGETARIAN?
Absolutely! While I do love the added flavor and hearty addition of the bacon, you can simply omit the bacon to make this dish completely vegetarian.
IS THIS A SIDE DISH OR A MAIN MEAL?
Honestly, that’s totally up to you. It can easily be enjoyed as a side dish and served with roast ham during the holidays, otherwise consider serving it to the family as a hearty meal, especially if you decide to increase the amount of bacon or add in leftover holiday ham.
WHAT VARIATIONS CAN I MAKE TO THIS RECIPE?
- Make a meatier version of this dish by including some chopped pork sausage into the mix or even leftover chopped ham from the holidays.
- If you enjoy a kick of heat to your food, add in some cayenne pepper.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon. This recipe will still not be vegan-friendly though since it calls for butter.
TIPS FOR MAKING BLACK EYED PEAS WITH BACON
- This recipe makes a generous serving for 8. You can easily double the quantity if you have a large enough Dutch oven or only serve half and store the rest in the freezer for additional meals later on.
- While not stated in the recipe, make sure that you pre-soak your black eyed peas as part of the preparation for making this dish. You can easily do so the night before.
If you don’t have a Dutch oven, use a thick cast-iron Dutch oven pot with a lid that will withstand heat from the oven.
Dutch Black Eyed Peas with Bacon
Ingredients
Method
- Rinse and sort black-eyed peas. Place peas and bacon in a Dutch oven; add water to cover. Bring to a boil; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat; let soak, covered, 1 hour. Do not drain.
- In a cast-iron or other heavy skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in thyme.
- Stir into pea mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, until peas are tender, stirring occasionally, 30-40 minutes. Sprinkle with salt to taste. If desired, garnish with fresh thyme leaves and additional crumbled bacon.
