Texas Black-Eyed Peas (Print Version)

Hearty Texas-style black-eyed peas with smoky bacon, jalapeños, and Rotel tomatoes simmered to creamy perfection.

# What You Need:

→ Legumes

01 - 1 pound dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and sorted

→ Meats

02 - 8 ounces thick-cut bacon, diced

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

03 - 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
06 - 2 cans (10 ounces each) Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained

→ Liquids

07 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
08 - 2 cups water

→ Spices & Seasonings

09 - 2 teaspoons chili powder
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1 teaspoon cumin
12 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
14 - 2 bay leaves

→ Optional Garnishes

15 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - Sliced green onions

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until crispy, approximately 6-8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
02 - Add the chopped onion and jalapeños to the pot. Sauté in the bacon fat for 4-5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
03 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic.
04 - Add the rinsed black-eyed peas, cooked bacon, Rotel tomatoes with juice, chicken broth, water, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, black pepper, salt, and bay leaves. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
05 - Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking.
06 - After 1 hour, test the peas for doneness. Simmer uncovered for an additional 20-30 minutes until the peas are creamy and the liquid has reduced to your desired consistency.
07 - Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed with additional salt and spices.
08 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro and sliced green onions if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • One pot, minimal hands-on time, and somehow tastes like you've been stirring it all day.
  • The smoky bacon and spicy jalapeños transform simple dried peas into something that feels both comforting and exciting.
  • Leftovers get better each day, so you're really making two dinners at once.
02 -
  • Don't skip sorting the dried peas; a tiny rock makes for a terrible chewing surprise and ruins the whole moment.
  • The peas need at least an hour of gentle heat to become creamy—you can't rush this, and high heat will make them tough and split unevenly.
03 -
  • Cook the bacon until it's almost burnt—you want maximum crispness and rendered fat, not floppy bacon in a pool of grease.
  • Keep the heat at a true simmer, not a rolling boil; aggressive heat breaks down the peas unevenly and makes the broth cloudy instead of silky.
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