This recipe for Black-Eyed Peas in the Instant Pot will have you gobbling up the South’s favorite legume. Bake a skillet of cornbread and serve them both with other veggies or meat for a perfectly Southern meal.

Black-eyed peas are definitely a Southern favorite and with this recipe using the Instant Pot, you might find yourself making them quite often.
Typically, dried black-eyed peas have to be soaked overnight for at least 8 hours before cooking; however, using an Instant Pot to pressure cook them eliminates that need.
How To Cook Black-Eyed Peas in the Instant Pot
To cook black-eyed peas in the Instant Pot, you need the following:
- 2 tablespoons of oil (I prefer avocado, but olive oil works fine, too),
- 1 cup of chopped onion,
- cooked bacon or ham for flavoring,
- 2 cups of dried black-eyed peas,
- a teaspoon of salt,
- 5 cups of water.

Be sure to pick through the black-eyed peas to make sure that there aren’t any pebbles or unwanted items. (It is an agricultural item and things do happen to get picked up unintentionally.
Once you have all of your ingredients ready, select SAUTE on your Instant Pot. Drizzle a couple of tablespoons of oil into the pot. Add the diced onion and saute for a few minutes until the onions begin to soften.

Next, turn the Instant Pot off for a moment. Add the dried peas, water, and ham or bacon, and salt. Put the Instant Pot lid on and turn the knob on top to close. Select Pressure Cook (or Manual) and set the time for 16 minutes.
Once the peas have finished pressure cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 8 – 10 minutes. At that point, you can manually release the pressure by turning the valve to Vent.
Black-Eyed Peas In the Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 cup ham cooked and cubed or chopped
- 2 cups dried black-eyed peas
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 cups water
Instructions
- Select SAUTE on the Instant Pot. Drizzle a couple of tablespoons of oil into the pot. Add the diced onion and saute for a few minutes until the onions begin to soften.
- Turn the Instant Pot off. Add the dried peas, water, ham, and salt. Put the Instant Pot lid on and turn the knob on top to close. Select Pressure Cook (or Manual) and set the time for 16 minutes.
- Once the peas have finished pressure cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 8 – 10 minutes. At that point, you can manually release the pressure by turning the valve to Vent.
Video
Nutrition

About Black-Eyed Peas
Black-eyed peas are notorious for being “buggy.” I know that’s probably not something that you want to hear, but it is something that you need to know, especially if you are like me and prefer organic food.
One way of keeping the little critters from showing up is to refrigerate or freeze your black-eyed peas.
Freezing or refrigerating black-eyed peas is recommended on bags of Geechie Boy Mill Black-Eyed Peas. While not technically organic, the Geechie Boy Mill peas have no added preservatives or chemicals. I discovered the brand at Whole Foods and am totally impressed. (By the way, this is not a sponsored post and not endorsed by Geechie Boy Mill.)

Margaret
Wednesday 3rd of February 2021
These are great. When exploring more beans to cook,I found "field peas" at the big box store (no free ad here). Trusting they weren't the same as what I know as "field corn," corn raise for animals,I bought them. Had to search to learn that BEPeas are a form of field peas. I don't think I used Black-eyes Peas field peas. The ones i have look like what are "crowder peas." Are they the same as BEPeas? Interested to learn more. Especially after eating this recipe. Thank you for sharing it.
Margaret
Friday 12th of February 2021
@Lynda, ah, thank you.
Lynda
Wednesday 3rd of February 2021
You're welcome.
I had to look that up. They are similar, but not the same.
"Crowder peas are from the same family as black-eyed peas and cowpeas. They are legumes, which is a plant with pods which contain edible seeds."
ALICE R BENNETT-MORAN
Friday 1st of January 2021
I just made these, added some spices because we wanted Hoppin John version. 17 minutes, 10-15 minutes natural release and BINGO it was perfect. AND I doubled the recipe, and my cooker did not explode LOL.
LDW
Friday 1st of January 2021
Yum! 😋 Fantastic recipe!
Mike Faulkner
Friday 1st of January 2021
It turned out good - thank you! I used Bacon Drippings for oil and a couple of strips of Streak-O-Lean Since I cooked it hours earlier- next time I would pressure cook less time ...