Ingredients & Substitutions · 4 min read
How Long Should You Soak Black-Eyed Peas?
Black-eyed peas are thin-skinned and cook faster than most dried beans, so soaking is helpful but not mandatory.
Overnight soak (4 to 8 hours)
Cover with cold water by three inches and refrigerate. This gives the most even texture and cuts simmering time to roughly 45 minutes.
Quick soak (1 hour)
Bring the peas to a boil for 2 minutes, cover, remove from heat and rest 1 hour. Nearly as effective as an overnight soak.
No soak
Perfectly workable — just add 20 to 30 minutes of simmering and keep an eye on the liquid level.
When to salt
Salt near the end. Salting early can firm the skins, especially with older dried peas.