I’m sure you’re wondering what to serve with black eyed peas for your New Year’s Day feast.
Well, you could always just serve them up plain with a side of rice or cornbread, but where’s the fun in that?
Check out our side ideas for black eyed peas below. We’ve got something for everyone, from vegan and gluten free dishes to hearty comfort food classics.
So get cooking and ring in the New Year with a belly full of good luck!
Here is a list of things to serve with black eyed peas.
1. Garlic sausage
This recipe calls for garlic sausage since it adds a lot of flavor without adding any fat. It can be prepared by simply chopping up fresh garlic cloves, mixing in salt and pepper, then wrapping them inside thin slices of chorizo.
Once wrapped, cook the mixture over medium heat until the chorizo releases its juices. Remove from heat once hot and serve immediately along with black eyed peas.
2. Smoked pork chops
Smoked pork chops add another layer of taste to this traditional favorite.
To prepare them, first boil four cups of water, add three tablespoons of sugar, and bring to a simmer. Rub pork loins with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place pork loins in large pot and cover with boiling water. Bring back to a boil, reduce to low, and cook for 2 hours.
After cooking time has elapsed, remove pork loins from pot and cool completely before slicing thinly. Serve sliced pork chop atop a bed of black eyed peas.
3. Chicken drumsticks
Chicken drumsticks are usually associated with Southern American cuisine, but they can easily replace other ingredients if you prefer to modify these recipes.
First, cut off the wing tips at the joint where the drumstick meets the thigh. Next, rinse chicken drumsticks thoroughly under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides of each drumstick with salt and pepper.
Heat skillet over medium heat and coat pan lightly with vegetable oil. Add drumsticks and sauté until golden brown (about 3 minutes per side). Serve warm.
4. Bacon
Bacon adds extra flavor to black eyed peas.
First, place bacon strips in small pieces in a skillet over high heat and allow to crisp and turn slightly darker in color. Flip frequently until desired degree of doneness is achieved.
Drain excess grease and set aside while preparing the rest of the meal.
Next, fry two chopped onions in a saucepan coated with 1 tablespoon of butter. Cover and let onions steam gently until softened. Next, stir in 4 cups of chicken broth, one 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, and 1/2 cup red wine vinegar.
Reduce heat to low and continue cooking for 45 minutes. Add reserved bacon and cooked black eyes peas. Cook covered for 10 more minutes.
Stir and enjoy!
5. Cornbread
Cornbread adds texture and moisture to black eyed pea soup. We recommend using cornmeal rather than flour because it provides better results.
Mix together half a cup of plain yellow cornmeal and one teaspoon baking powder. Then mix in one egg, one onion, half a cup milk, and one package cream cheese. Fold in one whipped egg white. Grease a muffin tin, fill each well, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.
Let cool and top with cheddar cheese before serving with black eyed peas.
6. Collard greens
Collard greens are often considered a healthy alternative to regular leafy greens, but they are delicious and nutritious too. This recipe uses collard greens instead of kale or spinach because the latter contain high amounts of oxalic acid.
To prepare, wash leaves in cold water and soak in salted ice water for 30 minutes. Remove leaves from ice bath and drain. Boil five quarts of water and drop in leaves. Simmer uncovered for 7-10 minutes depending on thickness of leaves.
Before removing from heat, add one bay leaf, one carrot slice, one celery stalk, one onion slice, one sprig thyme, and one sprig marjoram. Continue cooking until all leaves are tender.
Remove from heat, strain, and serve immediately.
7. Fried onions
Fried onions are a classic accompaniment to black eyed peas.
Simply preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Peel one large sweet onion and cut lengthwise into quarters. Rinse under cold water and shake off excess liquid.
Gently pat dry with clean kitchen towel and toss in seasoned flour. Deep fry in hot oil until crispy. Transfer to prepared cookie sheet and sprinkle with additional seasoning. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly toasted.
Serve warm.
