Black eyed peas and cabbage with frozen black eyed peas can be made on the stove like our Dutch Oven cabbage, but it’s even more delicious. Served as a side dish year round or as a good luck New Years recipe that’s a family favorite for most.
This easy black eyed peas recipe is easy to throw together and can go with any protein. Made on the stovetop it is done in under 30 minutes so you can get the rest of your meal ready at the same time if desired.
You can certainly use either defrosted from frozen or canned since either are precooked peas and a convenient option for enjoying this nutritious legume without the need for soaking and long cooking times.
We have a lot of cabbage recipes on our site. Once I hit 40 I loved it in all different forms, in all different ways. Of course it pairs well with corned beef but it really goes well with just about anything. Add legumes and you get a hearty dish that can be enjoyed as is y’all.
Ingredient Notes
To make things easier we are going to thaw some black eyed peas and use those. You could use canned and drained for the same timing too but I think those turn out a bit softer and I like a bit of a “bite” to them.
Green Cabbage head should be small, thinly sliced, or thick if you want them to remain somewhat firm.
I will typically slice a small onion to add in there for flavor and texture. It will get soft when you cook them in some olive oil (or avocado oil works too) as well as when it cooks with the other items so likely your kids won’t notice they are there. 😉
You do need a few cups of liquid. For this I like to use either vegetable broth or chicken flavor to add more yum. More will make this into a soup texture and less will become more of a unstuffed cabbage casserole of sorts.
To add flavor the seasonings I use always start with some minced garlic. That is always a must for us. In this case I also included some Smoked paprika, Cayenne pepper for a bit of heat as well as some salt and pepper to taste
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Add more salt, pepper, garlic powder or other spices according to your preference. Once everything is cooked to your liking, remove the skillet from heat. Serve the Black-eyed Peas and Cabbage hot.
While you can cook these from frozen black eyed peas directly, it’s a good idea to thaw them first to ensure more even cooking. You can thaw them by placing the frozen peas in the refrigerator overnight or by using the defrost function on your microwave.
Can you use canned black eyed peas?
Yes but you would want to drain the juice out first. Better yet I like to rinse just a bit with some cool water as well to get rid of the brownish color (which is not super appetizing to look at). Then you save time without the need to thaw from frozen.
Now if you wanted to make slow cooker cabbage you could throw these right in at the beginning, toss together and low and slow they will get tender together.
Can you add ham?
You could but in this case I would add it diced. If you had hocks I would instead follow our Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas and Ham Hock instructions because those take longer for the meat to pull away from the bone.
Variations and Substitutions
If you’d rather cook Black Eyed Peas and Rice as a meal you would want to cook separate from one another. This will achieve the best texture for each one, then folded together at the end when served will give you the duo you want.
A true Southern tradition served as is or with collard greens with it. You can in fact add a ham hock to either one of these to add meat and a smoky flavor to the dish.
How Long to Cook Black Eyed Peas and Cabbage
On the stove, saute veggies to soften a bit and then allow peas and cabbage to simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until they are as tender as you’d like. Cooking time may vary depending on the size of the peas, whether you thawed them beforehand or are using canned. Taste test to check for doneness. They should be soft but not mushy.
If you wanted to know How to Boil Cabbage separately we have instructions for you here. I get it, sometimes people don’t like their food to touch (my husband) so separately works too if you just. Whatever. 😉
How do you know when it is done?
It is all about texture. I mean everything you are adding is safe to eat as is really but neither are super appetizing that way. Instead you want to saute and then simmer and steam essentially until all ingredients are fork tender to your liking. Some like their veggies more mushy vs. firmer so adjust to your tastebuds.
Black Eyed Peas and Cabbage Recipe
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven or deep pot
- 1 cutting board
- 1 knife
Ingredients
- 2 cup black eyed peas, thawed from frozen, canned or soaked overnight and cooked to tender
- 1 head cabbage, small, thinly sliced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 cup vegetable broth, or chicken
- 1 pinch salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Thaw the frozen black-eyed peas if they're not already thawed. (could use canned and drained too) Slice the cabbage thinly, and chop the onion.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onion turns translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
- Stir in the smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Mix well to coat the onions and garlic with the spices. Add the thawed black-eyed peas and sliced cabbage to the skillet. Stir to combine everything evenly.
- Pour in the vegetable or chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet or pot, and let it simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until the black-eyed peas are tender and the cabbage is cooked through. Stir occasionally during this time.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Add more salt, pepper, or spices according to your preference. Once everything is cooked to your liking, remove the skillet from heat. Serve the Black-eyed Peas and Cabbage hot.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this because I had cabbage and black eyed peas in my frig. I followed the recipe as written and added extra paprika and cashews at the end because it needed more flavor and texture. I think this is a good recipe for these two ingredients.