Black-Eyed Pea Collard Greens (Printable)

Comforting Southern stew with black-eyed peas, collard greens, and smoky spices, ideal for chilly days.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 large carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
07 - 1 bunch collard greens (about 10 ounces), stems removed, leaves chopped
08 - 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juices

→ Legumes

09 - 3 cups cooked black-eyed peas (or 2 cans, drained and rinsed)

→ Liquids

10 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
11 - 1 cup water

→ Spices and Seasonings

12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
15 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
16 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
17 - 2 bay leaves
18 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, celery, and jalapeño if using. Sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until softened and fragrant.
02 - Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until aromatic. Stir in smoked paprika, dried thyme, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute more to bloom the spices.
03 - Add chopped collard greens and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes until they begin to wilt and soften.
04 - Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices, black-eyed peas, vegetable broth, water, and bay leaves. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
05 - Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until collard greens are tender and flavors are well developed.
06 - Remove bay leaves from the stew. Stir in apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Ladle the stew into bowls and serve hot. Accompany with cornbread if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like it simmered for hours, but comes together in about ninety minutes, which is basically magic on a weeknight.
  • One pot means less cleanup, more time to actually enjoy the food and the people eating it with you.
  • The combination of earthiness from the peas and slight bitterness from the greens creates something so much more interesting than either ingredient alone.
02 -
  • Don't skip removing the bay leaves before serving, because biting into one is genuinely unpleasant and everyone remembers it.
  • The stew tastes even better the next day when all the flavors have settled in together, so this is actually a perfect make-ahead dish.
  • If your collards seem tough after the initial cooking time, give them another five to ten minutes—not all bunches are the same age or thickness.
03 -
  • If you want that richer, smokier flavor some versions have, dice up four ounces of smoked turkey or ham and sauté it with your vegetables at the beginning—the rendered fat will add incredible depth.
  • Taste and adjust your salt at the very end rather than at the beginning, because the broth reduces and concentrates, so you don't want to oversalt early on.
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