Southern Field Peas and Snaps Recipe (Old-Fashioned & Easy)

Name: Southern Field Peas and Snaps (Easy Old-Fashioned Recipe)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 3 cups fresh shelled field peas, (with snaps if you can get them); 3 cups water; 1 smoked ham hock, (Can substitute ¼ lb salt pork or leftover ham. * See the complete list of substitutions in the post. ); ½ cup onion (minced ); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tablespoon bacon grease (can substitute olive oil); ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; Optional (fresh parsley chopped for garnish)

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Fresh Southern field peas and snaps, simmered about 20 minutes with a ham hock, onion, and garlic, are one of the South’s great summer suppers - creamy, earthy little peas in a smoky pot likker that begs for cornbread. If you can get them fresh from a farmers’ market right now, in the height of pea season, this easy old-fashioned recipe is all they need.

Cooked field peas with snaps in a bowl with a spoon.

Quick look at the recipe

Ready in: 25 minutes | Serves: 4 | Difficulty: Easy | Make-Ahead Friendly: Yes |

If you didn’t grow up with field peas, you might never have tasted these creamy morsels infused with flavor from the pork seasoning. I hope to change that with this post - and if you’re wondering about those flat green pods in my photos, those are the snaps, and I’ll explain them below.

Here is what you need to make this recipe for Field Peas with Snaps

You can find the complete list of ingredients with measurements below in the recipe card.

Fresh field peas and snaps for Easy Peasy Southern Field Peas

Field peas with snaps: Fresh is best, and during the summer, farmers’ markets in the South have them in abundance. I always buy a bushel that has been shelled at a time, and if they don’t have any snaps, ask that some be thrown in. They freeze really well, so I always have some on hand year-round.
Olive oil or bacon grease: Used to sauté the onion and garlic.
Onion and garlic: Add great flavor.
Ham hock, salt pork, bacon, leftover ham, or even smoked turkey or pork chops: Flavor bombs that are what give Southern peas their delicious flavor.
Salt and pepper: Season and highlight all of the other flavors.

Recipe variations

If you don’t want to use pork, you can substitute a package of Goya’s dry, ham-flavored concentrate. You can often find it in the Mexican food section of your grocery store.
For an extra bit of flavor, I sometimes add a teaspoon or so of Better than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base to the water. They also have a ham flavor, but I have never tried it.

Here’s how I prepare fresh field peas with snaps

Add bacon grease or olive oil to a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat. Once the pan is hot, add the onion and sauté for about six minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Watch the garlic carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn.

Cooking onion bits in a saucepan in olive oil.

Add the ham hock or whatever pork product you are using, the peas, and, if you have snaps, break them into one-inch pieces and add them right along with the peas; they cook in the same amount of time. Then add water, kosher salt, and pepper. Add more water, if necessary, to cover the peas by at least an inch, and turn the heat up until it comes to a boil.

Ham hock and peas cooking in liquid in a saucepan.

Reduce the heat to low and let them simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. Taste a few to check for seasoning and see if the peas are tender, starting at about 15 minutes. If not, continue cooking for a few more minutes. The fresher your peas are and the smaller they are, the less time they will need to cook.

Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately!

Close up shot of a large bowl of cooked cowpeas.

What to serve with field peas and snaps

My favorite summer meal is fresh field peas, tomato pie, and fresh creamed corn, with either a side of Southern cornbread or hoecakes!

Field peas also pair beautifully with most entrées and can be used to make another of my favorite summer side dishes, Southern pea salad, which is perfect for backyard barbecues or potluck suppers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are field peas?

In the South, ‘field peas’ refers to any number of cowpea varieties, like Zipper, Crowder, Purple Hull, Pink Lady, and White Acre peas. They’re not related to green English peas - different taste, different texture, different plant. Black-eyed peas are the most familiar member of the family. Cowpeas thrive in our hot, sandy soil, and in summer, the farmers’ markets overflow with them. This recipe works for every variety; only the cooking time varies slightly.

What are snaps?

Snaps are the immature pods of the same pea plant, too young to shell, so you snap them into pieces and cook them right along with the peas - that’s the classic dish called field peas and snaps. They add a fresh green-bean note and a little texture. When my peas come with snaps mixed in, I consider it a bonus, not a problem. And, if they don’t and they still have some unshelled ones, I ask them to throw a handful in.

How long do field peas with snaps take to cook?

Fresh field peas simmer in about 20 minutes; start tasting at 15. The fresher and smaller they are, the faster they cook. Frozen peas go straight into the pot without thawing and take a few minutes longer. Dried field peas are a different project - they need to be soaked first and take considerably more time.

Do you have to soak field peas with snaps?

Fresh field peas do not need to be soaked. If you purchase dried peas, they will need to be soaked before cooking them.

How to blanch and freeze field peas?

Fresh peas should be refrigerated and used within a few days of purchase. However, they freeze well and, if you can’t cook them right away, you should blanch and freeze them. To blanch, add them to boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and immediately place them in a large bowl of water and ice to stop the cooking process. Once they are cool, drain and package them in plastic freezer bags or airtight containers and place them in the freezer. They will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months-no need to thaw before cooking them.

What’s the difference between Southern and English peas?

Field peas, which are legumes, are not the same as green round English peas. They have completely different tastes and textures, and they are not even related.

Are field peas and black-eyed peas the same?

Black-eyed peas are probably the most common type of field pea or cowpea. Other field peas include zipper, crowder, red ripper, white acre, and purple hull.

Sharon’s tips

If you don’t want to use pork, you can substitute a package of dry, ham-flavored concentrate made by Goya. You can often find it in the Mexican food section of your grocery store.
Leftovers should be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. They can be heated up in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove, and they can be frozen with no loss in quality.
I like to add my leftovers to Southern pea salad, or use them to make my famous redneck caviar, and I always substitute them for the lima beans in succotash.
Fresh peas are always the best. But if that isn’t an option, you can sometimes find them frozen. I have also seen them packaged in a vacuum-sealed container in the refrigerated veggie section in the grocery store. I don’t recommend canned, but the Margaret Holmes brand is the best.

More recipes with Southern peas, that I know you will love

Here is a link to all of my Southern Pea recipes if you would like more menu ideas.

Join the conversation

Have a question about this recipe? Leave a comment below, and I’ll do my best to help. If you make it, I’d also love to hear how it turned out for you. Please leave a rating and a comment. Your tips, substitutions, and serving ideas may help other readers too!

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A large gray bowl full of southern peas and snaps on a cloth napkin.

Southern Field Peas and Snaps (Easy Old-Fashioned Recipe)

Sharon Rigsby

Field peas with snaps are a true old-fashioned Southern delicacy, and my recipe for Southern Field Peas, with its full-flavored, earthy goodness, is as simple as it is tasty.

5 from 10 votes

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Southern

Servings servings

Calories 203 kcal

Ingredients

▢ 3 cups fresh shelled field peas, with snaps if you can get them
▢ 3 cups water
▢ 1 smoked ham hock, Can substitute ¼ lb salt pork or leftover ham. * See the complete list of substitutions in the post.
▢ ½ cup onion minced
▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
▢ 1 tablespoon bacon grease can substitute olive oil
▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
▢ Optional fresh parsley chopped for garnish

Instructions

Add bacon grease or olive oil to a medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat. Once the pan is hot, add the onion and saute for about six minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Watch the garlic carefully to make sure it doesn't burn.
Add the ham hock or whatever pork product you are using, the peas, and, if you have snaps, break them into one-inch pieces and add them right along with the peas; they cook in the same amount of time. Then add water, kosher salt, and pepper. Add more water, if necessary, to cover the peas by at least an inch, and turn the heat up until it comes to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. At about 15 minutes, taste a few to check for seasoning and to see if they are done.
If not, continue cooking for a few more minutes. The fresher and smaller the peas are, the less time they will need to cook.
Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately!

Notes

If you don’t want to use pork, you can substitute a package of dry, ham-flavored concentrate made by Goya. You can often find it in the Mexican food section of your grocery store.
Leftovers should be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. They can be heated up in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove, and they can be frozen with no loss in quality.
I like to add my leftovers to Southern pea salad, or use them to make my famous redneck caviar, and I always substitute them for the lima beans in succotash.
Fresh peas are always the best. But if that isn’t an option, you can sometimes find them frozen. I have also seen them packaged in a vacuum-sealed container in the refrigerated veggie section in the grocery store. I don’t recommend canned, but the Margaret Holmes brand is the best.

Nutrition

Calories: 203kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 7gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 535mgPotassium: 574mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1100IUVitamin C: 4.1mgCalcium: 160mgIron: 1.6mg

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Comments

5 from 10 votes (4 ratings without comment)