Black-Eyed Pea Cornbread

This Black-Eyed Pea Cornbread is flavor packed! It’s perfect for serving as a side dish with any of your Southern favorites, or alongside a heaping helping of collard greens for your traditional New Year’s Day meal.

Ingredients to Make Black-Eyed Pea Cornbread Recipe

Black-eyed peas are a Southern tradition served on New Year’s Day in the South. They’re usually served with a side of tender collards with the paring thought to bring prosperity for the new year. There’s absolutely no reason you can’t serve and enjoy black-eyed peas at other meals, and this cornbread casserole is a tasty option. Ingredients to make Southern Style Black Eyed Pea Cornbread: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

Cornmeal: Self rising yellow cornmeal already has leavening added, so there’s no need to add more.
Black Eyed Peas: Canned fully cooked black eyed peas.
Sugar: Granulated sugar for balancing the savory flavor.
Sausage: Chorizo sausage OR spicy breakfast sausage, casings removed.
Vegetables: Onion, poblano pepper and red bell pepper expand the flavor profile.
Oil: Vegetable oil or melted butter for moisture.
Spices: Seasoned salt, granulated garlic or garlic powder.
Cream Corn: Creamed Corn adds to the flavor of the cornbread and gives it a tender crumb.
Sour Cream: Sour cream gives the batter a creamy texture.
Whole Eggs: Large eggs bind the batter.
Chiles: Green chillies for a hint of spice. You can use mild, medium or hot.
Cheese: Shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

how-do-you-make-black-eyed-peas-cornbread

How to Make the BEST Black-Eyed Pea Cornbread Recipe

Heat Oven and Prepare Dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13×9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Sauté Chorizo with Vegetables: Cook the sausage, onion, poblano pepper and red bell pepper over medium-high heat until no pink remains and the vegetables have softened. Drain grease.
Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl combine cornmeal, sugar, seasoned salt and granulated garlic with a whisk.
Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl whisk together the cream style corn, sour cream, oil, eggs and green chiles.
Combine: Make a well in the center of the sifted cornmeal mixture adding the wet ingredients. Stir to combine.
Mix-Ins: To the batter add the sausage, black eyed peas and cheddar cheese. Stir to combine.
Transfer to Dish: Pour the cornbread mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
Oven: Bake per the recipe until a toothpick inserted into the center shows moist crumbs.
Serve: Let stand for a few minutes, then cut into squares and serve.

Tips for Making Black Eyed Pea Cornbread

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need to Make Southern Black-Eyed Peas Cornbread: Large bowl, medium bowl, measuring cups, measuring spoons, whisk, cheese grater, skillet. large spoon or rubber spatula.
Use Freshly Grated Cheese: Pre-shredded cheese purchased at the grocery store is a terrific time saver and has its place in cooking. That said, it’s drier, and the flavor isn’t quite the same as freshly grated cheese. Grate your own cheese for the most moist and flavorful cornbread.
How to Serve: Serve this cornbread as a side dish with black eyed pea soup, brunswick stew, baked ham, meatloaf, Southern fried chicken, collard greens or any of your Southern favorites!

Recipe Variations

Cornmeal: You can use two 8.5 oz boxes of Jiffy corn muffin mix in place of self- rising cornmeal. When doing so, omit the granulated sugar, as well.
Homemade Self-Rising Cornmeal: For this recipe use 3 cups plain cornmeal adding 1 tablespoon of baking powder, 2 teaspoons of baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt. The ratio of leavening to cornmeal can vary from recipe to recipe, but this is how to convert it for this cornbread casserole.
Peppers: You can use green bell pepper in place of poblano pepper for less spice or use jalapeno pepper in place of poblano pepper.
Cheese: You could use colby jack cheese, gruyere cheese or pepper jack cheese in place of cheddar cheese.
Sour Cream: You can replace sour cream with buttermilk.

Storage and Leftovers

Leftovers: Store Black Eyed Pea Cornbread Casserole in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat in single servings in the microwave or covered with foil in a 350°F oven just until heated through.
Freezer: You can freeze this cornbread for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat just before serving.

More Easy Cornbread Recipes to Make

Hot Water Cornbread is an oldie but goodie.
Chili Chorizo Cornbread is packed with flavor.
Broccoli Cheese Cornbread will have the family eating their vegetables and loving it!
Old fashioned Crackling Cornbread made in a cast iron skillet.
Easy Cornbread Casserole is a cross between cornbread and corn pudding.
Chicken Taco Green Chile Cornbread is served topped with your favorite taco toppings.
Pulled Pork Stuffed Cornbread stretches leftovers into a tasty side dish.
Honey Pecan Cornbread Bites for Martha White.

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