Simple, a little spicy with over the top texture and flavor! This vegetarian black eyed peas recipe is a one pot meal featuring dried black eyed peas, okra, tomatoes, Cajun seasonings and collard greens, on the table in about an hour. Short on time? Use canned (cooked) black eyed peas to save about about 40 minutes! It’s hearty, a little spicy, satisfying and freezer friendly. This recipe is also vegan and gluten free.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: “This was great! I’m always in search of vegetarian recipes the family enjoys. This one is a keeper! My husband made a point of saying he really liked it. Thanks!”
A Hearty Black Eyed Pea Stew That’s Not Just for New Years
Black eyed peas are an economical, hearty and delicious ingredient for year round enjoyment. Full of flavor and texture, this ingredient is always in my pantry and one I employ often, also seen in this reader favorite Harissa Stewed Black Eyed Peas recipe and my Hoppin John Stew.
For this recipe, you’ll never miss the meat typically added in southern black eyed pea recipes. Cajun spices, veggies, garlic and fire roasted tomatoes are the main flavor builders in this hearty stew.
This Recipe Is
- hearty and satisfying
- not *too* spicy, and adjustable to taste
- cook the black eyed peas slow, or use convenient canned black eyed peas.
If you love recipes with black eyed peas, you’ll enjoy this tasty and hearty recipe.
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How to Make Cajun Stewed Black Eyed Peas
step by step
About the Key Ingredients
- Holy Trinity: in Creole and Cajun cuisine, onion, bell pepper and celery is considered the “holy trinity.” It’s the foundation for many classic recipes.
- Okra: my recipe calls for fresh or frozen okra. It ads wonderful texture and mild flavor. It’s cooked long enough so its mucilaginous texture isn’t noticeable.
- Black Eyed Peas: you can use soaked overnight, dried black-eyed peas or canned black-eyed peas (look for vegetarian) or pre-cooked Slow Cooked Black Eyed Peas in this recipe. If using dried, be sure to give them a soak overnight – although soaking isn’t necessary, it reduces cooking time slightly.
- Collard Greens: a delicious green to incorporate into your food rotation. Raw, they’re a sturdy thick green with a texture similar to kale but even heftier. Cooked, they become tender yet still hold their structure
- Liquid Smoke: for a vegetarian smoky flavor, this is my secret ingredient. Liquid Smoke offers a subtle yet effective stand in for any smoky flavor meat could deliver. Look for a brand with the simplest ingredients (and ones you can pronounce).
Time Saving Tip: if using precooked black eyed peas instead of dry, add them to the pot just before stirring in the tomatoes, collards and okra. Using pre-cooked black eyed peas saves about 40 minutes of cook time.
Traci’s Tips
- Share With: cornbread or white or brown rice. Try my Buttery Sourdough Cornbread, Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread or Gluten Free Cornbread is a delicious side with this recipe.
- Adjust Spicy to Taste: looking for more spice? Add a bit more cajun seasoning during cooking and share Tabasco on the side, for those who want to douse on a little more spice.
- Cajun Seasoning? I like Emeril’s Homemade Essence.
Cajun Stewed Black Eyed Peas and Greens
Servings:5 – 6 Servings
Calories:244kcal
**Advance Prep Recommended** The dried black eyed peas should be soaked overnight, but there are other options (see notes!). Simple with over the top texture and flavor in Cajun Stewed Black Eyed Peas with Greens; a one pot meal featuring the "holy trinity," Cajun seasoning, tomatoes, okra and collard greens. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and easily gluten free. *See notes for using unsoaked peas and/or for cutting down on cook time using precooked or canned peas instead of dried.There's a bit of overlap with prep and cook time in this recipe, so I lumped prep/cook all into one hour. The one hour time frame still allows time to whip up some rice or cornbread!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (185 grams) Dried Black Eyed Peas soaked overnight, *see notes if using precooked black-eyed peas or unsoaked dry peas
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil like olive oil
- 1 cup (120 grams) Red Onion about 1 medium
- 1 cup (125 grams) Green Bell Pepper about 1 medium
- 1/2 cup (75 grams) Celery about 2 sticks
- 1 tablespoon Garlic minced, about 2 large cloves
- 1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning spice blend, add an additional 1/2 Tbs for extra spicy
- 1 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 3 1/2 cups (785 grams) Water
- 1 1/2 cups (411 grams) Fire Roasted Tomatoes one can
- 4 cups (220 grams) Collard Greens destemmed, chopped into bite size pieces and packed, about 1 bunch
- 3 cups (275 grams) Okra fresh or frozen, if frozen this is 1, 10 oz bag
- 1/2 Lemon juiced
- Parsley chopped for garnish
Instructions
- In a 5 quart stock pot or Dutch oven, heat oil to shimmering. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally on medium-low or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, until fragrant. Stir in cajun seasoning, salt, and tomato paste, stirring to coat the veggies for one minute. Add the dried (and soaked – see note** for unsoaked) black-eyed peas, and water. Bring to a boil, then turn down to low to simmer. Place a lid on the pot and cook for about 40 minutes OR until the peas are tender. If using precooked black eyed peas, use about 2 cups / 260 grams, drain peas, reduce water to about 1 cup, skip cooking for 40 minutes and continue on with the recipe.
- To the black eyed peas, stir in the tomatoes and all their juices, collard greens (in two batches if needed), and okra. Cook, lid on, on low for about 15-20 minutes, OR until the okra and collards are tender. Stir in a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste for seasoning adjustment (collards and black eyed peas can take on quite a bit of salt. I tend to add a pinch more than the 1 tsp here, but adjust to your taste). Garnish with parsley. Share with brown or white rice or cornbread!
- Store in a lidded container for up to three days in the refrigerator, or up to three weeks in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge and gently rewarm stovetop.
Notes
*To reduce cook time: Use canned or precooked Slow Cooked Black-Eyed Peas in this recipe – about 2 C. The cook time can be reduced by about 40 minutes! After cooking the veggies and spices and adding only 1 C of water, stir in the cooked black eyed peas then continue with the recipe.
If Using Unsoaked Dry Black Eyed Peas: simply simmer the peas about 10 minutes longer, until tender, before adding the tomatoes, collards and okra.
Fresh or Frozen Okra? Use fresh or frozen okra in this recipe. If using frozen, sort out the tough ends and discard them.
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 682mg | Potassium: 906mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 3899IU | Vitamin C: 60mg | Calcium: 243mg | Iron: 5mg
Made It? Leave a comment below! The most helpful comment may include recipe rating, feedback, any modifications and/or helping other commenters. On Instagram? Take a snap of your make and share, tagging @VanillaAndBean #VanillaAndBean!
Snowed in & cooking 🧑🍳 your recipe I added chunk ham, smoked sausage & when I add okra gonna add 🦐!😱. Thanks for sharing. The off the chain cook.
These black-eyed peas were fantastic. I loved the spiciness of the peas and the added nutrition of the okra. I didn’t add the collard greens or parsley. (I was going to use spinach but forgot.) This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Hi Helen! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go! SO happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe… I love the texture of the okra in this recipe :D
This was great! I’m always in search of vegetarian recipes the family enjoys. This one is a keeper! My husband made a point of saying he really liked it. Thanks!
Hi Cindy! Thank you for your note and rating! SO happy to hear you and your husband enjoyed the recipe.
I made this recipe last weekend and it was delicious.
Hi Debbie! Thank you for your note! So happy to hear you enjoyed the stew!