I've Been Eating This Meal Since Childhood, And It's The Perfect Budget-Friendly Comfort Recipe You'll Want To Make All Winter Long
My mom's simple recipe from the '90s is perfect to ring in the new year.
Growing up, my mom's black-eyed peas were the unofficial start of the new year in our house. I remember ladling big spoonfuls into bowls while my mom reminded us that black-eyed peas bring good luck for the year ahead. Did it work? Who knows, because we never skipped a year to find out! Every New Year’s Day, without fail, my mom's beans simmered low and slow on the stove in the simplest way possible with just black-eyed peas, chicken stock, salt and pepper, and a little bacon. Nothing fancy, nothing extra. But they obviously made their mark since I am still making them now, 30-plus years later, for my own family.
Now that I’m a mom, one of my favorite things to do is take those quiet, nostalgic recipes from my childhood and breathe just a little new life into them without changing the heart of the dish. So I set out to recreate my mom’s black-eyed peas, but with my own additions. My wish for this dish is to become one that my kids know well and associate with warmth, steadiness, and new beginnings the way I did.
My mom’s original version is perfect in its simplicity, and my recreation is built on the same foundation — dried black-eyed peas and a pot of broth — but I layered in aromatics, spices, and deeply flavored sausage to give the dish more body. It still tastes like home, but with the volume turned up.
And the best part? Black-eyed peas are honestly one of the most forgiving legumes out there. Unlike a lot of dried beans, they don’t need an overnight soak. A quick rinse and a short simmer is all they ask for. They cook quickly, hold their shape beautifully, and, like most bean dishes, get even better after sitting in the fridge overnight. If you’re a leftovers person (hi, welcome), this is your dream comfort food!
Here's what you'll need to make it:
STEP 1: Rinse the black-eyed peas and then soak them in cold water for two to three hours. In a large heavy pan over medium heat, cook the bacon and sausage until crisp. Remove and set aside, leaving the drippings.
STEP 2: Add the onion and celery to the pot and sauté until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant.
STEP 3: Add the Creole seasoning, oregano, thyme, and bay leaf and stir. Once combined, add the chicken stock.
STEP 4: Add the black-eyed peas back into the pot and bring everything to a simmer. Add the bacon and sausage and continue to simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the black-eyed peas are tender. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
In the end, this dish is, of course, more than a pot of beans — it’s a little thread that ties my childhood to my kids’ childhood. It’s a tradition, a memory in the making, and the kind of comfort meal that I hope they’ll carry with them as they grow and move through the world to share with the ones they love.
For more recipes that'll warm you up this winter, download the free Tasty app — no subscription required.
