Black Eyed Peas and Rice

This is how to cook black eyed peas and rice in slow cooker with diced tomatoes, onions and bell peppers. Typically a New Years Day recipe that is supposed to bring you luck for the new year, but can be made year round with ham hocks.

You could start with dry black eyed peas soaked or canned would be a lot quicker. To make it more of a complete dinner I like to add ham hocks for a smoky flavor served alongside collard greens but anything goes.

Pre-Soaked Black Eyed Peas with Rice in Slow Cooker

You can make Crockpot black eyed peas and rice with a bag of beans from scratch with your diced tomatoes, peppers. Below we share how long to cook them soaked overnight, without soaking you’d follow our Crockpot Black Eyed Peas recipe first. You would need to soak them overnight, drain and follow the above directions.

This takes most of the day so by the time you combined with the grains it would be later in the evening before it would be done but possible.

Ingredient Notes

We shared here How Long to Cook Black Eyed Peas a number of different ways. In a Crock takes longer but it is a hands off way to make it in the morning and having your meal ready when you get home.

Can you use canned black eyed peas?

If you wanted the fastest possible you would want to follow our Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas and Ham steps. Made in a slow cooker as explained below you could decrease the cook time this way too to just 3 hours on low.

You will want to measure out your white rice when it is dry for the accurate measurement needed below. Remember that it will double in size at least and will be cooked separately for the best result, then combined at the end.

Can you use brown rice?

You could but it will take probably twice as long to get as tender as you’d like. Not an issue really as a longer time will just make everything else a bit softer but yes you could choose either one.

To add lots of flavor I like to add some Onion and minced garlic too. If you love bell peppers go ahead and choose your favorite color(s) to add into the mix. To add more veggies you could use our Black Eyed Peas and Cabbage recipe with same timing.

If you are going towards easy just use canned petite diced tomatoes for this. I actually prefer this over fresh so that you don’t have the tougher skins to contend with when eating.

For the necessary liquid I like vegetable broth or chicken works. Don’t use water as that doesn’t lend any flavor to the dish and it does need some help in that regard.

As far as seasonings go with a bit of smoked paprika and I like a bit of cumin for a nice touch too.

Slow Cooker Black Eyed Peas with Ham Hocks

I do recommend that you add some ham hocks to this. If you do choose to add meat with bones, add at the beginning and remove the ham hocks 30 minutes before serving. Dice meat off bones, discard bones and it’s a great way to add lots more flavor, but optional of course.

You could opt to cook them separately too. You could make the grains in a rice cooker or Crockpot white rice first, and then fold in the beans that were drained and rinsed, warmed on the stove at the end.

How to Make Spicy

A sprinkle of red pepper flakes is easiest. But if you have jalapeno powder I like that flavor better. Chili powder is popular but I don’t think it offers as much zing. Tobasco sauce works for heat. Sriracha will give it a bit of an Asian tweak.

Some people would refer to this as Slow Cooker Hoppin John. A term for New Year’s, but can be certainly enjoyed all year long. After the holidays to add protein you could dice up smoked turkey or ham and throw that in there too.