black-eyed peas
A cream-colored legume with a distinctive black spot on one side, earthy and slightly nutty in flavor; a Southern US staple traditionally eaten with greens and cornbread for luck on New Year's Day. Unlike many dried beans, they don't need soaking before cooking and cook relatively quickly from dry.
Buying guidance
Canned black-eyed peas are fully cooked and ready to use straight from the can; check the label for sodium since brands vary widely. Dried black-eyed peas should look uniformly cream-colored without excessive wrinkling or a large share of split peas, both signs of age that lengthen cooking time and give uneven texture.
Substitutions
- Field peas or crowder peas -- close relatives with a similar earthy flavor and quick cook time.
- Pinto beans -- longer cooking from dried, milder flavor, similar size.
- Chickpeas -- firmer texture and nuttier flavor; holds its shape well in soups and stews.
Tips & common mistakes
Their thinner skin and smaller size mean black-eyed peas go from tender to mushy faster than most dried beans, whether canned or cooked from dry -- check them a few minutes before the time a recipe suggests, especially if they're headed into a dish that will simmer further afterward.
Storage
Dried black-eyed peas that have been sitting in a pantry for a year or more may never soften fully no matter how long they simmer, since dried beans slowly lose moisture and toughen with age -- buy them in amounts you'll use within several months rather than stocking up far ahead.