Southern Purple Hull Peas
The best Southern purple hull peas recipe you’ll come across. You’ll be surprised how simple it is to get great flavor from these Southern beauties with just a few simple ingredients. Stovetop, InstantPot and Slow-Cooker instructions included.
DID YOU KNOW? A bushel of peas is 32 quarts.
2025 Update – more locations have been added for “where to buy fresh purple hull peas”
Difference between purple hull and black-eyed peas
- The creamy texture and flavor is a bit different from its cousin, the black-eyed pea. Whenever possible, get some purple hulls and freeze them for later! Southern purple hull peas are in season in June so get a bushel and freeze them for later.
- Also called “cow peas,” “pink-eye peas” or “field” peas, the black-eyed and purple hull are cousins. Black eyes are pale in color and have a dark black “eye”, where purple hulls are a little greener in color and have a tiny pink ring around their purple eye.
- There are several varieties and, depending upon where you live, they may be called different names. Over the years, pea crops have co-mingled, so it’s not uncommon to find a variety grown and served together on a Southern dinner table.
- While both are delicious, black-eyes are pale white and have a somewhat grainy texture. Some claim they’re not quite as flavorful as their pink-eyed, purple cousin.
Being a native Texan, I’ve spent many a summer sitting on my Grandmother’s porch shelling peas. Nowdays, pea farmers have machinery for shelling, but there’s nothing like the memory of shelling peas in the heat of the Texas summer!
Ingredients
Sometimes, simple is better. With a few basic seasonings, you can use this purple hull pea recipe for just about any type of Southern pea and it will be delicious! You can use this recipe for all kinds of peas including black eyed peas and lady cream peas. If you’re craving more Southern cooking, check out how to season and cook Southern greens – collard greens or turnip greens!
Two or three slices of bacon, onion and garlic powder, chicken broth or water, salt & pepper..oh… and some peas, of course! And don’t forget the skillet cornbread!
My Grandmother used to add a few slices of okra to her purple hull peas! That addition makes a nice side dish!
Southern Purple Hull Peas Recipe Overview
This is a quick overview – see recipe card below for details
Most Southerner’s season their peas with cooked bacon, a smoked ham hock or smoked turkey leg.
- If you’re using bacon, cook it in a big stock pot first; you can either remove the bacon pieces or leave them in the pot, but definitely leave grease in the pot; if you’re using a ham hock, put it in with the rest of the ingredients then
- Add peas, water/broth, onion and garlic powder and bring to boil for 10-minutes
- Reduce heat to low; cover and cook
- Season with salt and pepper last
When I make these, I cook and season frozen Southern peas the same way as fresh, but rinse the frozen ones prior to adding them to the stockpot in order to remove any ice crystals.
Purple Hull Recipe tips
- Seasonings – Southern cooks usually put a salty piece of pork in the water or broth while they’re cooking, such as a smoked ham hock, bacon, fatback or ham. Add a little salt, pepper and garlic and/or onion powder and allow the delicious flavor to shine!
- Garlic and Onion – you can saute diced onion and minced garlic with the bacon if you don’t have garlic powder or onion powder:)
- Liquid – I highly recommend using chicken broth/stock or vegetable broth/stock. But if you don’t have either, use water. Just make sure you have enough liquid to cover the purple hull peas by about 2″-inches.
Different methods for cooking peas
If you’re lucky enough to have fresh, cooking them is a breeze! Now days, most farmers mechanically shell their crops, but if yours are still in their shells, you’ll want to shell and rinse them first.
Stove Top Method (recommended)
By far, the most popular method of cooking peas is on the stovetop. Here’s how:
- Shell and rinse
- Add them to a large stockpot with your choice of meat (bacon, ham hock, fatback, ham),
- Fill the stockpot with water or chicken broth and bring to a rolling boil. (If a foam forms early in the cooking process, don’t worry! It’s just water soluble proteins released from the peas. You can either scoop it off or leave it–it will seep back into the pot.)
- Reduce heat to low, cover and allow to cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours; be sure to check the liquid level and add more if needed
- Season with salt, pepper and a little garlic and/or onion powder
Slow Cooker Method
Add all ingredients into crock pot and cook on low 5-6 hours. Double check the liquid level frequently.
InstantPot Method
Place fresh peas, 2 1/2 cups of water or broth and seasonings in instant pot. Set timer to Manual for 20 minutes; allow steam to release. (total time=about 40 minutes)
Freezing and Storage
Store fresh and frozen cooked peas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Freezer: Freezing Fresh, Uncooked Peas
If you buy fresh,shelled peas and want to freeze them, you’ll need to blanch them first.
- Wash shelled peas and bring a pot of water to boil
- Blanch in water for 2 minutes then place them in a bowl of ice cold water until they are no longer warm
- Drain and place them in airtight plastic bags; don’t fill the bag all the way up; leave about 2 inches of space
- Reduce air in bag, zip the bag, label the package with the date, and place in the freezer
- Store up to 6 months
Southern purple hull peas are in season from June – September
Where to purchase purple hull peas
You can usually find fresh purple hulls at a local farmer’s market; however, if you don’t live near one, here are a few resources for ordering: (2025 update)
- Farmer’s Market of Grapevine: Grapevine, Texas
- Ed Lester Farms: Coushatta, Louisiana
- Sides Pea Farm: Canton, Texas
- Old Town Market: Flower Mound, Texas
Since we’re talking Southern peas, if you’re in the Southeast, you’ve probably heard of Greasy Cut Short Beans…Debi at Quiche My Grits has a wonderful recipe and article about how to season and cook these beauties! Be sure to check it out!
Related recipes:
- How to Season and Cook Southern Greens – collard, turnip and mustard
- Restaurant Quality Fried Catfish
- No Beer Batter Fish ‘n Chips
- Chicken Fried Steak
- Mom’s Homemade Meatloaf
- Southern Skillet Cornbread
- Southern English Pea Salad
- Hoppin’ John
- 25 Cheap and Easy Recipes
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- Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe
- Speckled Butter Beans
- Southern Green Baby Lima Beans
Southern Purple Hull Peas
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs. purple hull peas shelled and hulled
- 7 cups chicken broth , or water
- 1 smoked ham hock, or 2-3 slices of bacon (optional: see recipe notes)
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse and drain fresh or frozen peas1½ lbs. purple hull peas
- If using bacon, cook bacon in large stockpot1 smoked ham hock, or 2-3 slices of bacon
- Add peas and water or broth to the stockpot with the bacon and grease; add enough liquid to cover peas7 cups chicken broth
- If using ham hock, add it to the pot now; add garlic and onion powder¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Bring to boil for 10 minutes; if a foam appears, either scrape it off or leave it; (it will dissolve)
- Cover, reduce heat to low; allow to cook for 1½-2 hours
- Once tender, season with salt and pepper to taste; remove from heat and allow to sit for about 10 minutes; If you want to add okra, do it now: bring the pot back up to a rolling boil, add okra, allow to boil for 2-5 minutes: cover and allow to rest for 15 minsalt & pepper to taste
- Serve with cornbread and sliced tomatoes
Notes
- Rinse first
- You can substitute chicken or vegetable broth for water
- Store fresh and frozen cooked peas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
- If you want to freeze cooked peas, use a freezer-storage container and store them up to six months.
- Rinse shelled peas and bring a pot of water to boil
- Blanch peas in water for 2 minutes then place them in a bowl of ice cold water until they are no longer warm
- Drain and dry; place in airtight plastic bags; don’t fill the bag all the way up; leave about 2 inches of space
- Reduce air in bag, zip the bag, label the package with the date, and place in the freezer
- Store up to 6 months
- Vegetarian/Vegan: use vegetable broth or water, add a few splashes of Liquid Smoke® as a substitute for the meat flavor
- Add Fresh or Frozen Okra:
- Okra and Southern Peas go great together and many cooks add okra
- Bring the cooked peas back to a boil
- Add whole or chopped, fresh or frozen okra
- Allow to boil 2-5 minutes until okra is tender
- NOTE: okra is a thickening agent; after adding the okra, you might want to add more liquid
- Hoppin’ John:
Nutrition Estimate
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How much okra would you add to this recipe?
Well, I love okra, and I usually add one pint – cut into small pieces. Also, okra is a natural thickening agent, so if you have leftover peas and okra, you might have to add a little water or chicken broth upon reheating.