Cajun black-eyed peas and greens stew (Instant Pot and stovetop instructions)

***Updated with vegetarian version. Original recipe at the end***

I was a bad Southerner--I never liked black-eyed peas growing up. But when I found myself with a lot of leftover kale in my fridge last week at the same time I ran across this recipe on one of my favorite food sites, Serious Eats, I decided to cook them for the first time. Because I always have to tweak things, I added my own spin using my Cajun intuition. Honestly, I was not expecting that much from this recipe--it was just a way to use up some ingredients on the cheap. But this turned out amazing! Like my new favorite Cajun-ish dish AMAZING! For me, what makes this so delicious is cooking the beans until they are creamy, then getting a fresh pop from the greens and vinegar. This dish really is greater than the sum of its parts, and such a healthy staple to have on hand in the freezer. Eat it on New Years Day and Southern tradition says that it will bring you money and luck!


Vegetarian Cajun Black-Eyed Peas and Greens Stew
3 T butter or margarine, divided
2 (1/2 lb) Tofurky Andouille sausages or Field Roast vegan chipotle sausages, sliced

1 large onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
1 T minced garlic
2 t Tony Chachere's seasoning (This is the Cajun seasoning salt blend that almost everyone in Louisiana uses. You can find it at grocery stores nationwide, and you will not regret your $3 purchase! You'll use it on everything.)
2 t vegan Worcestershire sauce

2 t Better than Bouillon "no chicken" or veggie flavor

1 t liquid smoke
1 pound dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
5 cups water

1/2 t salt
2 bay leaves
10 or 15 oz can tomatoes with green chilies
1 bunch kale, chard, or collard greens, about 10-12 oz, stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
2 T apple cider vinegar (optional)
Tabasco sauce (optional)

Stovetop instructions
Saute sausage in 1 T butter or margarine until nearly blackened, then set aside. Lightly caramelize onion, celery, pepper, and garlic. Add remaining ingredients except remaining butter, tomatoes, greens, vinegar, and Tabasco. Simmer, partially covered, until beans start to fall apart and become creamy, about 1.5 hours. Add tomatoes once beans are cooked to your liking (they slow down the bean cooking if added before). If using collard greens, add at the start of cooking. If using chard or kale, add immediately after finishing cooking. These greens are delicate enough that they will wilt just the right amount while still retaining a bit of fresh flavor and texture. Add vinegar and Tabasco sauce if using and remaining butter or margarine. Adding more butter at the end is a French technique (of course it is!) that makes a sauce creamier.

Instant Pot or pressure cooker instructions:
Use the saute feature to saute sausage and veggies as per stovetop instructions. Add remaining ingredients except remaining butter, tomatoes, vinegar, and Tabasco. If using collard greens, add them now, but if using chard or kale, reserve until the end. Set the Instant Pot to Beans/Chili for 35 minutes. Use quick release. Add tomatoes (they slow down the bean cooking time if added before). If using chard or kale, add immediately after finishing cooking. Add vinegar and Tabasco sauce if using and remaining butter.

Original Cajun Black-Eyed Peas and Greens Stew with Meat
4 ounces bacon (about 4 or 5 strips), cut into small pieces
12 ounces andouille sausage, cut into bite-sized slices

1 large onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced (optional)
1 large green bell pepper, diced
1 T minced garlic
2 t Tony Chachere's seasoning (This is the Cajun seasoning salt blend that almost everyone in Louisiana uses. You can find it at grocery stores nationwide, and you will not regret your $3 purchase! You'll use it on everything.)
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1 pound dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
1 quart chicken stock, plus 1-2 cups water
2 bay leaves
15 oz can tomatoes with green chilies
1 bunch kale, chard, or collard greens, about 10-12 oz, stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
3 T apple cider vinegar
Tabasco sauce (optional)

Stovetop instructions
Cook bacon until crisp. Set aside, and pour away all but 2 T of grease. Saute sausage until nearly blackened, then set aside. Lightly caramelize onion, celery (if using), pepper, and garlic. Add remaining ingredients except tomatoes, greens, vinegar, and Tabasco. Simmer, partially covered, until beans start to fall apart and become creamy, about 1.5 hours. Add tomatoes once beans are cooked to your liking (they slow down the bean cooking if added before). If using collard greens, add at the start of cooking. If using chard or kale, add immediately after finishing cooking. These greens are delicate enough that they will wilt just the right amount while still retaining a bit of fresh flavor and texture. Add vinegar and Tabasco sauce if using.

Instant Pot or pressure cooker instructions:
Using the saute feature to saute meat and veggies as per stovetop instructions. Add remaining ingredients except tomatoes, vinegar, and Tabasco. If using collard greens, add them now, but if using chard or kale, reserve until the end. Set the Instant Pot to Beans/Chili for 35 minutes. Use quick release. Add tomatoes (they slow down the bean cooking time if added before). If using chard or kale, add immediately after finishing cooking. Add vinegar and Tabasco sauce if using.