• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Dianne's Vegan Kitchen

Vegan Health & Lifestyle Coach

  • Home
  • Meet Dianne
  • Health Coaching
    • Testimonials
  • Cooking Classes
  • Events
  • Recipes
  • Healthy Living
  • Cookbooks
    • Eating Vegan
    • The Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook
  • Work with Me
    • Coaching and Classes
    • Partner with Me

Black Eyed Pea Chili

December 13, 2020 By Dianne 2 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet
Black Eyed Pea Chili with text overlay
two bowls of chili overhead with text overlay
close up of Black Eyed Pea Chili with text overlay

Black Eyed Pea Chili collards and sour cream with text overlay

Black Eyed Pea Chili is coziness in a bowl, and it’s sure to warm you up on cold winter evenings. This recipe from The Plant-Based Slow Cooker by Robin Robertson was inspired by the Southern dishes Hoppin’ John and dirty rice. Hoppin’ John is said to bring luck and prosperity in the year ahead, so be sure you have a bowl on New Year’s Day. This easy slow cooker recipe is vegan with a gluten-free option.

close up of chili

Black Eyed Pea Chili

When it comes to chili, black beans and pinto beans reign supreme, but pretty much any type of bean will do. The black eyed pea proves my point deliciously in this recipe for Happy New Year Chili from Robin Roberson’s cookbook The Plant-Based Slow Cooker.

According to Southern folklore, black eyed peas are said to bring prosperity and luck to the year ahead, so you should eat them first thing on New Year’s Day. To quote Michael Scott, “I’m not superstitious, but I’m a little bit stitious,” so this is one tradition I like to adhere to. Collard greens make your peas even more lucky, so I like to cook them up to serve with my meal.

beans, tempeh, rice, stock, tomatoes, onion, peppers, seasonings, and garlic

How to Make Black Eyed Pea Chili

This recipe is super easy to make! The vegetables are sautéed on the stovetop before adding them to the slow cooker to soften them. It also helps to take the pungent bite out of the onion.

Instant Pot with chili

  • First you sauté the onion, garlic, celery, and chili in a medium pan for 5 minutes.
  • Then you add the tomato paste, bell pepper, tempeh, chili powder, cumin, and thyme and cook for 2 minutes longer.
  • Next you place the mixture in your slow cooker along with the rice, black-eyed peas, tomatoes, vegetable stock, and salt and pepper.
  • You cook your chili on low for 4 to 6 hours.
  • Serve your chili with dairy-free sour cream and hot sauce. It’s delicious with a side of Robin’s braised collards.

Happy New Year Chili close up with tobasco, sour cream, and collards

How to Customize Your Black Eyed Pea Chili

  • If you follow a gluten-free diet, make sure your tempeh is gluten-free.
  • To make your chili soy free, you can use seitan in the place of tempeh.
  • You can use vegan sausages in the place of tempeh, too.

the plant-based slow cooker cookbook

The Plant-Based Slow Cooker

I love slow cooked meals. There’s something so comforting about having a meal waiting for me at mealtime. And that’s why I love Robin Robertson’s slow cooker cookbooks. The Plant-Based Slow Cooker is an updated and revised version of her book Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker.

Robin starts the book everything you always wanted to know about slow cooking but were afraid to ask. She includes info on slow cooker sizes and cooking times, tips for slow-cooking success, and slow cooker troubleshooting advice

two bowls of chili overhead

Although Instant Pots do include a slow cooker function, Robin recommends against it, because they don’t function the same way slow cookers do. I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that I donated my slow cooker once I received an Instant Pot, so I DO use it for slow cooking. I’m happy to report that this recipe did work well in it. (I now wish I hadn’t gotten rid of it, but my kitchen was overflowing with too many small appliances.)

close up of chili

And, of course, The Plant-Based Slow Cooker is loaded with recipes! In fact, it has 225, so you’ll find a recipe for just about any type of meal you have a hankering for here. I loved the Happy New Year Chili, and I can’t wait to try the Wine Braised Seitan and Crimini Mushrooms, Chestnut and Apple-Stuffed Squash, and Maple-Dijon Glazed Root Vegetables.

In addition to recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks, Robin has included breads. Did you know that you can slow cook bread? I didn’t! Until now. I have my eye on the Chai-Spiced Breakfast Bread. There’s also a chapter dedicated to pantry basics that aren’t made in a slow cooker, such as Cashew Sour Cream, Cheesy Sauce, and Tofu Chorizo.

two bowls of chili with The Plant-Based Slow Cooker cookbook

Chapters in The Plant-Based Slow Cooker Include:

  • Slow Cooker Basics
  • Snacks and Appetizers
  • Soups that Satisfy
  • Stews and Chili
  • Beans and Grains
  • Pasta for Dinner
  • Hearty Main Dishes
  • Simply Stuffed
  • Vegetable Love
  • Condiments from the Crock
  • Don’t Forget Dessert
  • Breakfast and Breads
  • Hot Drinks
  • Not from the Crock

two bowls of Black Eyed Pea Chili

If you have a slow cooker and want to add more plant-based foods into your meal rotation, this book is for you!

two bowls of chili

Black Eyed Pea Chili square
5 from 1 vote
Print

Happy New Year Chili

Inspired by two Southern specialties, dirty rice and Hoppin’ John, this chili is a great way tobegin the New Year. It’s ideal accompanied by collards. To mellow the flavorof the tempeh, steam it for 15 minutes before using it in the recipe. Instead of tempeh, youmay substitute 1 to 2 cups (255 to 510 g) finely chopped seitan (which would make the chilisoy-free) or sliced plant-based sausage.

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword black eyed pea chili
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Yields 6 servings
Calories 263 kcal
Author Robin Robertson

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) water or 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 celery rib chopped
  • 1 fresh hot chile seeded and minced (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste
  • 1 small green bell pepper seeded and chopped
  • 8 ounces (225 g) tempeh chopped or crumbled
  • 2 tablespoons (15 g) chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 cup (97.5 g) raw long-grain brown rice
  • 3 cups (510 g) cooked black-eyed peas or 2 (15-ounce or 425 g) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (28-ounce) (794 g) can diced tomatoes with their juices
  • 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable broth or water
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • dairy-free sour cream for serving
  • Tabasco sauce for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat the water or oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery, and chile (if using) and saut. until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, bell pepper, tempeh, chili powder, cumin, and thyme and cook for 2 minutes longer.

  2. Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker. Add the rice, black-eyed peas, tomatoes and their juices, and broth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cover and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours.

  3. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Serve hot, offering cashew sour cream and Tabasco at the table.

Recipe Notes

Reprinted with permission from The Plant-Based Slow Cooker by Robin Robertson.

Black Eyed Pea Chili square

More Black Eyed Pea Recipes Include:

  • Hoppin’ John Burgers 
  • Vegan Hoppin’ John
  • Hoppin’ John Casserole
  • Tofu Scramble 

More Recipes from Robin Robertson Include:

  • Chickpea Piccata
  • Cheesy Primavera Mac
  • Coconut Curry Noodles
  • Roasted Cauliflower Piccata

I have a copy of The Plant-Based Slow Cooker for one lucky winner! Follow the instructions below to enter. U.S. residents only please. Good luck!

Black Eyed Pea Chili horizontal

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Vegan Books, Vegan Holiday Recipes, Vegan Main Dish Recipes, Vegan Slow Cooker Recipes, Vegan Soup and Stew Recipes Tagged With: bell pepper, black eyed peas, diced tomatoes, rice

About Dianne

Dianne Wenz is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, and Plant-Based Chef, as well as the author of Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook.

Previous Post: « Pan Seared Brussels Sprouts
Next Post: Vegan Hoppin’ John »

Reader Interactions

   

Comments

  1. Gail says

    December 19, 2020 at 2:04 AM

    I don’t even like chili, but the Black eyed pea chili looks amazing, and I can’t wait to make it! I’m such a huge fan of Robin’s. I’d love to add this book to my collection. Thank you for the giveaway.

    Reply
  2. Cassandra D says

    December 20, 2020 at 8:29 PM

    5 stars
    Shredded lime chicken tacos.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Search Site

About Me

Dianne Wenz

Hi! I'm Dianne Wenz and I am a Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, Plant-Based Chef, and cookbook author. I offer group and individual nutrition and lifestyle coaching programs to people across the U.S., and I teach cooking classes in Northern New Jersey. Contact me today to learn more and to schedule a complimentary breakthrough session!

Follow Me

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on InstagramFollow Us on PinterestFollow Us on RSSFollow Us on E-mail

Now Available!

Eating Vegan

Now Available!

FOLLOW ME FOR UPDATES

* indicates required



Footer

Disclaimer

Information on this website should not be interpreted as medical advice. Consult your physician for any medical conditions you may need assistance with.

Privacy Policy

See the Dianne's Vegan Kitchen privacy policy.

Note

Blog posts may contain affiliate links. Purchases made through my affiliate programs help me keep this website running. Products may have been given to me free for review, but the opinions expressed on this website are my own.

Copyright

All content Copyright © Dianne Wenz. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission is strictly prohibited.

Subscribe to My Newsletter

* indicates required

© Dianne Wenz. All rights reserved.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkRead more