Spicy Black-Eyed Peas With Tomatoes and Peppers

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 04/18/22
Spicy Black-Eyed Peas With Tomatoes

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 42 mins
Total: 57 mins
Servings: 8 servings

Tomatoes, bacon, onions, and a variety of peppers flavor these delicious black-eyed peas. The dish is made with canned black-eyed peas, so it's a snap to prepare.

Whether you make this dish for a traditional New Year's Day dinner or as a side dish for an everyday meal, it is sure to please. Serve the peas with wedges of freshly baked cornbread for a fabulous meal.

You control the spiciness of this dish. Add some chopped jalapeño peppers for more heat, or add a little extra cayenne to the mixture.

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Ingredients

  • 8 ounces bacon, about 8 to 10 strips, diced

  • 3 (15-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, undrained

  • 2 large onions, chopped

  • 1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper

  • 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

  • 2 cups chopped celery

  • 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans diced tomatoes

  •  1 (4-ounce) can mild green chile peppers, chopped

  • 3 tablespoons pickled jalapeño pepper, or to taste, chopped

  • Kosher salt, to taste, optional

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste, optional

  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. In a large, heavy skillet or saute pan, cook the bacon until fat has rendered.

  2. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a large Dutch oven or stockpot; stir in 3 cans of black-eyed peas.

  3. To the bacon drippings in the skillet add the chopped onions, green and red pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring until the onion is translucent and the vegetables are tender.

  4. Transfer the cooked onion and pepper mixture to the Dutch oven and then add the diced tomatoes, chopped mild chile peppers and chopped jalapeño peppers, if using.

  5. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.

  6. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper, if desired, for spicier peas.

  7. Serve these delicious spicy peas hot with freshly baked cornbread.

Recipe Variations

  • You may substitute three 10-ounce cans of diced tomatoes with green chile peppers (mild or hot) or two 14.5-ounce cans of zesty chili style tomatoes for the two cans of diced tomatoes, and omit the can of chopped mild green chile peppers.
  • If desired, use fresh finely chopped jalapeño pepper in place of the pickled jalapeño peppers.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
306 Calories
11g Fat
34g Carbs
19g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 306
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 15%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 28mg 9%
Sodium 1202mg 52%
Total Carbohydrate 34g 12%
Dietary Fiber 9g 32%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 19g
Vitamin C 60mg 298%
Calcium 101mg 8%
Iron 3mg 17%
Potassium 849mg 18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)