May 23, 2017
(last updated February 19, 2022) 
These peanutty stewed black-eyed peas & collard greens are smoky, spicy, and nutty. They make for a super nutritious, easy vegan meal!
This was one of those dishes I really didn’t intend to share. It was born of necessity in the form of a mason jar full of black-eyed peas that I’d been meaning for ages to use up. When I had the thought to add a big heaping scoop of peanut butter to the stew at the end, I suspected it would go one of two ways: either it would be delicious, or it would be ruinous.
Well, I think it’s delicious. And I always feel a special fondness for recipes that came together unexpectedly or involved a culinary leap of faith. With that I’m mind, I couldn’t help but share these simple, slightly offbeat, peanutty stewed black-eyed peas and collard greens.
I guess I had a good precedent for this soup in the form of my yam and peanut stew with kale, which is a longtime favorite. But the real reason I added PB was the fact that I’ve always thought that black-eyed peas have a slightly peanutty flavor and scent—something I was reminded of as the beans were simmering. Not sure if this is in my head or not! Peanuts are legumes, after all, so perhaps these two are cousins.
The recipe is super simple: it’s really just onion and garlic, smoked paprika and chili, beans, and peanut butter. You won’t need to do much as the beans simmer, and at the end, you simply make a slurry with your PB, add it to the pot, and allow your collards to cook down. The flavor is smoky, savory, and (of course) unmistakably nutty. I think a squeeze of lime and generous dash of hot sauce make it all the better.
Peanutty Stewed Black-Eyed Peas & Collard Greens
Author –Yields: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil (or another neutral vegetable oil)
- 1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound dry black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and drained
- 1 tablespoon ground chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 1/4 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 6 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (substitute sunflower seed butter)
- 1 large bunch collard greens, stemmed and sliced into thin ribbons
- Juice of 1 large lime
- Cayenne pepper to taste
- Cooked millet, rice, or another whole grain of choice, for serving
- Hot sauce, for serving
- Roasted and chopped peanuts, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil or water in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the onion is clear and soft (if you’re using water to saute, add more by the tablespoon if the onion starts to stick). Add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the black-eyed peas, chili, paprika, salt, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover. Cook for 60-75 minutes, or until the black-eyed peas are completely tender.
- Transfer 1/2 cup of the liquid from the pot to a small bowl. Add the peanut butter and whisk it all together to make a slurry. Add the slurry back to the pot. If you wish, use an immersion blender to blend up some of the beans; alternately, you can transfer 2-3 cups beans to a standing blender, blend till smooth, and transfer them back to the pot. (This is totally up to you; I like for some of the beans to be pureed, but it’s nice to leave them all whole, too!)
- Add the collard greens to the pot. Stir them in well (it’ll take a while for them to wilt into the soup), then cover and cook for another 10-12 minutes, or until the greens are tender. Stir in the lime juice, then add cayenne pepper and extra salt as needed.
- To serve the stewed beans, scoop them over your favorite cooked grain (or toast), with a squeeze of lemon, a dash of hot sauce, and chopped peanuts, if you like.
Notes
Leftovers will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. They can be frozen for up to 8 weeks.
The beans are great over toast, brown rice, or quinoa, but my favorite way to serve them this week has been with millet. The slight sweetness of the millet seems to play nicely with the nuttiness and heat of the stew (especially if you have a heavy hand with the cayenne). You could also pair the beans with some brown rice and stuff them into a vegan burrito!
As I was cooking, I thought about how great black-eyed peas are–and how underutilized in my kitchen. They’re full of nutrition: packed with protein, fiber, Vitamin B6, magnesium, and iron. Thanks to the combination of beans and collards here, the stew serves up about a quarter of your RDA of iron per serving. It’s a great dish to whip up if you’re working to optimize your iron consumption as a vegan (and if you are, this post might be useful, too).
I’d hoped that the end of my spring term would suddenly open up a lot of cooking time, but I’ve quickly realized that the first half of my summer will be pretty full. So, here’s to big batches of food and plenty of packed lunches. If you’re not trying to have leftovers, you can definitely cut this recipe in half. Enjoy the stew, friends, and I’ll be checking in at the end of the week with an easy, last-minute Memorial Day dish for sharing!
xo
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Categories: Recipes,
Grains, Greens, and Beans,
Stews
Method: One Pot, Stovetop
Dietary Preferences: Gluten Free, No Oil, Soy Free, Vegan
Recipe Features: 30 Minute or Less, Meal Prep, Quick & Easy
Method: One Pot, Stovetop
Dietary Preferences: Gluten Free, No Oil, Soy Free, Vegan
Recipe Features: 30 Minute or Less, Meal Prep, Quick & Easy
Leave a Comment
Delicious! Followed the recipe closely, but I did forget all about the lime juice – darn. It was great anyway, served over rice, with lots of Louisiana hot sauce. Three of my five kids liked it, which is good enough 🙂 Next time, I will remember the lime juice, and serve it over millet.
Hey Eric! I love that three of your crew enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for sharing 🙂
This was a fun twist on black eyed peas and greens! I will definitely make this one again. Very hearty and satisfying meal. Thank you!
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, Rachel!
I just made this. It’s pretty darn good. I used what I had on hand as I was just looking for a black eye pea recipe. I had fresh spinach, so I used that instead of the collard greens. I also only had a red bell pepper, which worked out just fine. I prefer red to green anyway. I added the bay leaf with all the other spices and water as it seems she forgot to add that to the list. I didn’t end up pureeing any of it out of sheer laziness. The only thing I’d change next time, is that I’ll probably add a little more peanut butter because I love the stuff and would appreciate more of a flavor of it. I’d also add the bell pepper later because they turned to mush. Other than that, this worked out really well and I’ll definitely be making it again in the future.
Yummmm! This southern girl is salivating! Any idea if we can sub in almond butter? 🙂
Hi Lauren! I think the peanut butter will probably add more flavor, but almond butter (especially a roasted variety) is a good substitute, too. And it will certainly create the creaminess that the PB contributes to 🙂 I hope you enjoy it.
Gena, this is my ultimate comfort food! I adore black eyed peas and eat them regularly. Paired with sweet/spicy totally flips my switch! I can’t wait to whip this up! Best to you during a full early summer!
Julia beat me to it but this sounds like a southern trifecta! I’m absolutely going to make this next week.
Yum this looks so delicious!!!
Izzy | Pinch of delight
I loveeeee the idea of this dish! Adding peanut butter to savoury foods is delicious, and this recipe has pretty much everything I love in it. Sending hugs. xo
I too have some sad black-eyed peas in my pantry, what a creative way to use them up! I really like the addition of peanut butter, and collard greens are so underrated. Can’t wait to try this!
You must be channeling your inner Deep Southerner! Peanuts, black-eyed peas, “collards” remind me of my father who grew up in Tuskegee, Alabama. These three ingredients are all very popular and common in the deep south. Happily you’ve combined them in a way that is MUCH healthier and more appealing. Thank you, this looks yummy!