Crockpot Black Eyed Peas with Bacon is a hearty comforting dinner recipe. Serve this with rice or Southern Buttermilk Cornbread and you have a complete meal.
Black eyed peas is believed to fill your year with new hope and good luck especially if you eat it on the New Year's Day. In our home we usually serve this with traditional Ham, along with any particular greens such as collard greens.
For a Vegan Alternative try: Vegan Southern Black Eyed Peas
For a Tex-Mex Alternative try: Tex Mex Black Eyed Peas and Rice Casserole with Roasted Garlic

I would suggest you to soak your black eyed peas overnight or for at least 8 hours. Or else you won't get the texture that you are looking for.
But, if you were to make this exact same recipe in the Instant Pot then you'd be good even without soaking your beans.
See this article where I have shared how to soak and cook beans in the crock pot or instant pot or microwave or rice cooker or stove top.
I like my black eyed peas spicy or else they taste bland and just like beans. Therefore I like to add in a tablespoon of my homemade cajun seasoning for added taste and flavor.

More Southern Recipes you might like
- Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe
- Southern Fried Okra in Air Fryer
- Southern Smothered Sour Cream Chicken
- Instant Pot Southern Peach Cobbler
- Broccoli Rice Casserole
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Ingredients
If you want to have black eyed peas that doesn't taste just like beans then you have to add in some spices.
- Black eyed peas (soaked for 8 hours or overnight)
- Onions
- Can of diced tomatoes
- finely minced cloves of garlic
- cajun seasoning
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ground cumin
- cayenne pepper
- chicken broth
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- STEP 1: Add everything in the slow cooker
Add black eyed peas, onions, can of diced tomatoes, minced garlic, cajun seasoning, salt, freshly ground black pepper, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, and chicken broth in the slow cooker.
- STEP 2: Cook in Slow Cooker
Cook for 3-4 hours on high in the slow cooker.
- STEP 3: Stir in Bacon
Stir in crispy cooked bacon and serve with chopped celery.

Do Black Eyed Peas needs to be soaked?
Yes. I prefer soaking my black eyed peas for best texture and taste. Many people have asked me this question where all they want to do is just throw in dry beans in the crockpot.
But, trust me don't do that. Even if you cook your black eyed peas for 8 hours in the slow cooker the peas still won't be soft.
Can you put peas in slow cooker?
Yes. You can definitely cook black eyed peas in the slow cooker. In fact, if you want to cook any other beans such as chickpeas or kidney beans you can do that in the slow cooker as well.
See this recipe for Crock-Pot Black Bean and Quinoa Chili and Slow Cooker Lentil Chili
Can you cook black-eyed peas too long?
Yes. If you are using soaked black eyed peas then you don't need to cook it for so long.
And if you do cook it long enough then you run the risk of beans getting mushy.

Substitutions
- Celery and Carrots - You can add some chopped celery and carrots while making the black eyed peas in the crockpot.
- Jalapenõs - For more heat and added flavor you can add in some chopped jalapenõs.
- Ketchup - If you want more tangy tomato-y flavor then you can add in some ketchup.
- Honey - If you feel this recipe needs honey then you can add a tablespoon of honey.
Variations
- Spicy - Some like it spicy and some don't. If you prefer more heat you can add in a generous amount of crushed red pepper flakes. If you don't prefer spicy then you can simply half the amount of cayenne pepper.
- Seasonings - These are just beans and they will soak in as many flavors you want them to. So you can make any of the following seasoning mix and add that in.
- Homemade Poultry Seasoning - pretty popular around the holidays
- Homemade Meatloaf Seasoning - perfect for meatloaf and also for this recipe
- Italian Seasoning (You Already Have The Ingredients On Hand)
- Homemade Fajita Seasoning
- Homemade Taco Seasoning
- Andouille Sausages - If you want you can sauté andouille sausages separately and then add it to your crock pot black-eyed peas recipe.
Top Tips:
- Don't add dry black eyed peas into the slow cooker. It will still be hard after 8 hours of slow cooking.
- Don't add Ham and Bacon together in one dish. I personally didn't like combining both in one recipe.
More Recipes you might like
- Turkey Chili in a Crockpot
- Chickpea and Pumpkin Curry in Crockpot
- Crockpot Buffalo Ranch Chicken (5-ingredient)
- Apple Butternut Squash Chicken in Crockpot
Recipe
Crockpot Black Eyed Peas with Bacon
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups black eyed peas soaked, drained, and rinsed
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ground black pepper
- salt
- 4-5 cups low sodium chicken broth
- crispy fried bacon for garnish
- chopped green onions for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add black-eyed peas to the slow cooker and pour water to cover few inches. Soak for 8 hours. (Don't turn the slow cooker on just allow them to soak)
- Drain the water next morning.
- Add black eyed peas, yellow onion, garlic, can of diced tomatoes, cajun seasoning, dried oregano, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, salt in the slow cooker. Pour in 4-5 cups of low sodium chicken broth and stir lightly.
- Cover with a lid and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or on LOW for 6 hours.
- Make Crispy fried bacon right before serving. Garnish with crispy bacon and chopped green onions. Serve right away with cornbread or rice.
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