Vegan black eyed peas and collard greens

New Years Black Eyed Peas and Greens- all you need is 25 minutes to make this nutrient packed, plant-based meal that’s thought to bring good luck in the new year!

Hey party people! I hope you all had a nice holiday filled with love and lots of delicious food. Tell me, what did you have for dinner?

We enjoyed butternut squash lasagna for Christmas Eve and this vegetable bolognese for Christmas dinner. Between both of those carbolicious meals, a batch of these cookies, and a little bit of hot chocolate, it’s safe to say I’m about ready for that New Year detox. After a little New Years Eve champagne, of course. :)

But for New Years Day, we will definitely be eating some black eyed peas and greens! Peas for good luck and greens for good fortune. To be honest, I’m not a very superstitious person so I can’t say that I entirely believe that’s true. However, I’ll take any excuse to eat black eyed peas and I can’t think of a better way to start a new year than with a healthy servings of greens so it all works out.

New Years Black Eyed Peas and Greens Ingredients

The ingredient list is super basic because it’s a super basic meal. But don’t let that fool you! Served with a side of cornbread, it’s satisfying and perfectly delicious. Here’s what you need to make it.

• Oil- We need oil to sauté the vegetables and my go-to is avocado oil for it’s high smoke point and neutral flavor. You can use whatever kind of oil you like to cook with, dairy-free butter, or substitute a splash of broth if you want to make it oil-free.
• Onion and Garlic- This combo helps add flavor to the greens so don’t skip them! You can also use shallot or red onion in place of the yellow onion, if desired.
• Greens- Most greens tend to cook down a lot so we’re using 2 big bunches in this recipe. I prefer collards or swiss chard but kale is also a great option. You’ll want to remove any tough stems and chop them into bite size pieces. For the chard, I only cover and cook for about 3-5 minutes as they can get overly wilted pretty fast. Collards are heartier and are usually best around 5-7 minutes, while kale is somewhere in between. Either way, keep an eye on them as they cook for best results.
• Vegetable Broth- Adding a splash of broth to the greens and covering with a lid creates steam and cooks them in all of that delicious flavor. I always use Better Than Bouillon to cook my greens because I think it has the best flavor.
• Black Eyed Peas- Using canned black eyed peas makes this recipe come together super quick but you can cook your own from dried, if desired. You’ll need about 3 cups cooked peas in place of the cans.
• Lemon Juice- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds acidity and tang while also aiding in proper absorption of the iron in the peas and greens. It’s pretty much a necessity in my book.
• Crushed Red Pepper- Just a pinch of crushed red pepper adds a little pizazz but you can’t skip this if you like.

How to Make New Years Black Eyed Peas and Greens

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic then cook until fragrant.
2. Add the greens and vegetable broth. Cover and cook until wilted.
3. Add the cooked peas, fresh lemon juice and crushed red pepper. Cook until heated through.
4. Serve warm with a side of cornbread and let the good luck roll in!

If you buy precooked peas,  this only takes 25 minutes to throw together. It’s the perfect quick and nutritious meal to get you back on track after a looooong night. Cheers to a happy and healthy new year!

Want more black eyed peas? Be sure to check out my Mexican-inspired version of black eyed peas and greens!

New Years Black Eyed Peas and Greens

All you need is 20 minutes to make this nutrient packed, plant-based meal that's thought to bring good luck in the new year!

Servings: 4

• 2 tablespoons oil, I like avocado oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bundles of greens, about 5 cups, stem removed and chopped (collard greens, swiss chard, kale, etc.)
• ½-1 cup vegetable broth, I like Better Than Bouillon
• 2 15-ounce cans black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• salt & pepper , to taste

• In a large skillet, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes, until fragrant.

• To the skillet, add the greens and 1/2 cup vegetable broth. Cover with a lid and cook until greens start to wilt. The time will vary depending on the variety of greens you choose. Chard cooks in just a few minutes while kale takes a little longer and collards take the longest. Keep an eye on them as they cook, stirring intermittently and adding more broth, if needed.

• Once the greens are cooked, add the cooked black eyed peas. Stir and cook until heated through. Squeeze in the fresh lemon juice and sprinkle with crushed red pepper. Serve warm with salt & pepper (to taste) and enjoy!

Calories: 249kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 165mg, Potassium: 60mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 351IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 3mg

Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!

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