Southern-style boiled cowpeas
Southern-style boiled cowpeas, often called 'purple hull peas' or 'black-eyed peas' depending on the variety, is a classic comfort food from the American South. The dish typically features cowpeas simmered with smoked meat like ham hocks or bacon, onions, and simple seasonings until tender. It's a staple of soul food and country cooking, often served alongside cornbread and greens.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This dish is a good source of plant-based protein and complex carbohydrates, with very little fat unless cooked with fatty meats. A single serving provides a hearty dose of fiber, folate, and minerals like potassium and iron, with a calorie range of approximately 200-300 kcal.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 250 kcal |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Carbs | 40 g |
| Fat | 4 g |
| Fiber | 10 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Sodium | 480 mg |
| Folate | 256 mcg |
| Potassium | 450 mg |
| Iron | 3.2 mg |
| Magnesium | 80 mg |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.4 mg |
| Zinc | 2.1 mg |
| Manganese | 0.9 mg |
| Phosphorus | 180 mg |
Per 1 cup (240 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Cowpeas are a historically significant crop in the Southern U.S., valued for their ability to fix nitrogen in the soil, which helped sustain agriculture. Nutritionally, they are a complete protein when paired with a grain like cornbread, making this a traditionally balanced and economical meal.
