Slow Cooker Black Eyed Peas

Slow Cooker black eyed peas are the perfect after holiday no- cooking and no-baking dish! Using up your left over ham or turkey, this “hoppin john” recipe is a dump and go! Full of delicious Southern flavors like deep spices and garlic, you can serve flavorful black eyed peas right over rice or with corn bread.

Slow Cooker Black Eyed Peas

These slow cooker black eyed peas are a great balance of spices and a wonderful way to cook without the work! Simple dump and go, slow cooker recipes make everything SO incredibly easy. What I love about these flavorful beans is that they are a great side or a great full time dinner dish and quite filling. No need to open a can to make super fresh black eyed peas. 

This dish is also great to use up left over ham or turkey from the holidays and is a good fit for a few days after Thanksgiving or Christmas!

Ingredient list

• 1 bag, 16 oz, dry black eyed peas
• 6 cups water
• 3 bouillon cubes, crushed
• onion, diced (1)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• red bell pepper, diced (1)
• jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced (1)
• 1 cup chopped ham
• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 1-1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

RELATED RECIPES: Black Eyed Pea Salad (Cold), Crock Pot Ham and Green Beans, Cowboy Caviar

SERVE ON: A bed of white rice or skillet cornbread

How to make Hoppin John

Add all ingredients, including water, to a slow cooker and mix well, incorporating all the spices.

Heat black eyed peas (beans) on high for approx 6 hours or until beans are tender (start checking at hour 6).

Mix well before serving over rice!

Instead of Ham use… 

After the holidays so many people have left over ham, so throwing that in the slow cooker (like I did) is a great way to use the rest of that.

Plus black eyed peas are good luck for the new year, so you can get a jump on that! All that said, if ham is not your jam, try: 

• Ground Beef
• Sausage
• Bacon
• Left over Turkey

Common Black Eyed Peas Recipe Questions

• Are Black Eyed Peas a Bean or a Pea? Black eyed peas are a “cowpea” and are actually a bean! 
• Do you have to rinse the black eyed peas before cooking?  You do not have to rinse or precook the beans prior to the slow cooker.
• Why are black eyed peas considered good luck? Black eyed peas are considered good luck because they are supposed to represent coins with collard greens representing money and corn bread representing “gold”.
• What is “Hoppin John” ? Hoppin John typically has black eyed peas, pork, and rice and very common in the South . Many people believe its named this way because of a guy nick named “Hoppin John” who used to sell black eyed peas and rice on the streets of Charleston, SC. You can read more about the history here.

More Amazing Southern Side Dishes to Sink your Teeth into!

Need more southern dish recipes? 

1. Fried Corn Fritters with Honey –  Crispy and golden, fresh sweet corn fritters also make a great appetizer keeping you full until the real meal gets served up. 
2. Sweet Corn Casserole – Sweet corn casserole combines creamed corn into a southern homemade side dish easily done from scratch.
3. Southern Style Green Beans and Bacon –  Southern Style Green Beans with fresh green beans and crispy bacon is a flawless side dish for any meal. Do not wait for the holidays to enjoy this mouth watering, tender and perfect vegetable side dish.
4. Cinnamon Southern Style Apples – Cinnamon Southern Fried Apples with pecans, a delicious savory and sweet side dish that can also be served for breakfast. Coated in delicious brown sugar and pecans, every bite is perfection!