{Instant Pot} Black-Eyed Peas

Jana here with another Instant Pot recipe!  I have been trying to buy more dried beans, rather than canned. Like many other things, they are a better value, and can be healthier.  Once I have cooked the dry beans, I like to portion them into glass jars, and freeze them for future meals. I use mason jars for this, or other glass jars that I save from foods like salsa or pickles. Using a funnel will make pouring the beans into the jars a much easier process. Also, make sure to leave plenty of empty space at the top of your jar to allow for expansion once the beans are frozen.  I also like to put a label on the lid of the jar so I remember what exactly is in the jar. While soaking beans ahead of time is optimal, I typically forget to do that. So my recipe below will be for unsoaked beans. This is a base recipe, but you could easily add in some chopped ham, or chopped onion!

{Instant Pot} Black-Eyed Peas

1 pound dried black-eyed peas
6.5 cups water  (or chicken broth)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

1. Rinse the dried beans, and place in the Instant Pot. Add enough water to cover, plus 1-2 inches.
Season with salt and pepper.

2. Put the lid in place, and make sure the top knob is turned to "sealing". Set on Manual mode for 20 minutes.* Once they have cooked, use Natural Release before opening.

3. At this point, I like to taste the beans, and add seasonings from there. Sometimes, I add in a packet of real bacon pieces, or 1/2 cup cooked/crumbled bacon. I also like to add spices such as paprika, thyme, garlic and onion powder. If you are unsure about amounts of each seasoning, start with 1/2 teaspoon, and go from there.

*I find that people's preferred softness for beans can vary quite a bit. The suggested 20 minutes cook time is a middle of the road approach. If you know you prefer a very soft bean, I would suggest going to 25 minutes. Likewise, if you prefer a firmer bean, I would decrease to 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Printable Version