Black-Eyed Peas with Herbed Jasmine Rice and Sautéed Collards

This is a three-part plate that nourishes from the root up. Creamy, smoky black-eyed peas cooked low and slow in the Instant Pot, herbed jasmine rice with firm, separate grains, and a bright sauté of greens and root vegetables. Start the rice while the peas are pressure cooking and cook the greens while the rice rests, and dinner comes together in about an hour.

Mecca Lee

Black-Eyed Peas with Herbed Jasmine Rice and Sautéed Collards

A grounding three-part plant-based plate: creamy, smoky Instant Pot black-eyed peas simmered with soursop leaf and rosemary, firm herbed jasmine rice, and a bright sauté of collards, cabbage and root vegetables.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas

• 1 1/2 cups dried black-eyed peas rinsed
• 1 onion diced
• 1 cup rutabaga diced
• 1/2 cup tomato purée
• 3 cups vegetable broth of choice
• 3 cups lacinato kale chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 3 large soursop leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Herbed Jasmine Rice

• 2 cups jasmine rice rinsed until the water runs mostly clear
• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper diced
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
• 1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Sautéed Greens

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion sliced
• 1 red bell pepper sliced
• 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper minced (adjust to your heat preference)
• 1 cup rutabaga small-diced
• 1 golden beet small dice
• 1 lb organic collard greens cut into ribbons
• 2 cups green cabbage shredded
• 1 yellow squash sliced into half-moons
• 1 cup precooked TVP (textured vegetable protein)
• 1 tsp dried dill
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Equipment

• Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker
• Medium pot with lid
• Large skillet
• Fine mesh strainer

Method

 

Black-Eyed Peas

1. Add the black-eyed peas, onion, rutabaga, tomato purée, broth, kale, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, rosemary, soursop leaves, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to the Instant Pot. Stir to combine.
2. Seal and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally.
3. Remove the bay leaf, rosemary sprig, and soursop leaves. Stir well and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Herbed Jasmine Rice

1. Rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Rice is always rinsed. Drain well.
2. Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion, red pepper, parsley, lemon pepper seasoning, and black pepper and sauté about 4 minutes, until softened and fragrant.
3. Add the rinsed rice and stir to coat every grain in the oil and seasoning.
4. Add the water and bring to a boil. Boil uncovered until the water level drops just below the surface of the rice.
5. Cover the pot with foil, then set the lid on top (a tight-fitting lid alone works too). Reduce the heat to low and cook 7 to 10 minutes.
6. Turn the heat off and let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Sautéed Greens

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, red pepper, and scotch bonnet and sauté until fragrant and softened.
2. Add the rutabaga and golden beet with a splash of water. Cover and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the collards, cabbage, yellow squash, and TVP. Season with dill, salt, and pepper. Sauté uncovered until the collards are wilted and the squash is tender-crisp.

To Serve

1. Spoon the black-eyed peas over or beside a mound of herbed rice and finish with a generous side of sautéed greens.

Notes

• Start the rice while the peas are pressure cooking and cook the greens while the rice rests, and dinner comes together in about an hour.
• For firm, separate grains, I use less water than the package calls for, and I rinse the rice every time to remove surface starch.
• For less heat, add the scotch bonnet whole and remove it after cooking.
• Always remove the soursop leaves, rosemary, and bay leaf before serving.