Southern Fresh White Acre Peas

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Southern Fresh White Acre Peas are a real Southern delicacy and one that brings to mind warm summer days and farmers’ markets overflowing with fresh vegetables.

Quick and easy to make, white acres, sometimes called acre peas, are one of the most delicate southern peas and have a mild, creamy, earthy flavor. They pair well with most main dishes and, like most legumes, are full of protein.

Southern peas in a white bowl topped with parsley.

Every summer, I eagerly await the first fresh White Acre Peas of the season and can’t wait to get home and prepare this southern-style recipe.

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Ingredient Notes:
Step by Step Directions:
Recipe FAQs:
Sharon’s Tips:
More Southern Pea Recipes:
📋 Recipe:

Ingredient Notes:

A bag of white acre peas, an onion and a ham hock.

You will need the following ingredients:

Fresh or frozen shelled white acre peas
Smoked ham hock, a piece of ham or bacon
Onion and garlic
Kosher salt, ground black pepper
Bacon grease or olive oil
Optional, fresh parsley for garnish

Step by Step Directions:

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 to seven minutes. Next, 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 use, peas, water, kosher salt, and pepper. Add more water to cover the legumes by at least an inch. Turn the heat up until the water come to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and let the legumes simmer for about 20-25 minutes. Taste a few to check for seasoning and to see if they are done. If not, continue cooking for a few more minutes.

Cooking Southern peas with a ham hock in a saucepan.

Garnish with fresh parsley if desired, and serve immediately!

A white bowl full of peas resting on a kitchen towel.

Recipe FAQs:

What to serve with them?

My favorite summer meal is fresh peas, sliced ripe summer tomatoes, and creamed corn, with either a side of homemade cornbread or hoecakes, aka cornmeal pancakes!

What are they?

Depending on where you live, you may be wondering what in the world I’m talking about. For example, peas in the South are entirely different from the English Peas that many of you might be familiar with.

There are many varieties of Southern peas, including the most common, black-eyed peas, etc.

All are legumes, and all are delicious. Some peas, like black-eyed and crowded, are a little more earthy, while white acre and lady peas are more petite and have a more delicate taste.

Can they be frozen?

White acres freeze well, and when they become available, I usually try to buy at least a gallon and freeze them. First, however, they must be blanched, stopping the action of naturally occurring enzymes that help them ripen.

How to blanch them?

To blanch peas, you add them to boiling water, cook for one and a half minutes and then immediately plunge them into an ice-water bath to stop the cooking process. Once the legumes have drained and cooled, they can be stored in the freezer in plastic bags for several months.

Sharon’s Tips:

For the ham hock, you can substitute salt pork, bacon, or leftover ham.
If you don’t want to use pork, you can substitute a package of dry ham flavored concentrate made by Goya for the pork products.
Cooked acre peas can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. They can also be frozen.
The fresher your legumes are, and the smaller they are, the less time they will need to cook.

More Southern Pea Recipes:

If you like recipes like this, you might also be interested in my recipes for:

White acre peas are versatile, and they are the featured ingredient in Southern Hoppin John and are most often eaten in the South on New Year’s Day.

They are also delicious in my Tomato Salad with White Acre Peas, Southern White Acre Pea Succotash, and Best Ever Southern Caviar Dip.

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📋 Recipe:

Sharon Rigsby

Southern Fresh White Acre Peas are a true Southern delicacy and one that brings to mind hot summer days and farmers markets overflowing with fresh vegetables.

4.50 from 8 votes

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Southern

Servings servings

Calories 288 kcal

Ingredients

▢ 3 cups fresh or frozen shelled white acre peas
▢ 3 cups water
▢ 1 smoked ham hock can substitute ¼ lb salt pork, o r¼ lb leftover ham
▢ ½ cup minced onion
▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
▢ 1 tablespoon bacon grease can substitute olive oil
▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
▢ fresh parsley for garnish optional

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 to seven 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, 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 the water come to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and let the peas simmer for about 20-25 minutes. Taste a few to check for seasoning and to see if they are done. If not continue cooking for a few more minutes.
Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately!

Notes

You can substitute salt pork, bacon, or leftover ham for the ham hock.
If you don’t want to use pork, you can substitute a package of dry ham flavored concentrate made by Goya for the pork products.
Cooked white acres can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. They can also be frozen.
The fresher your legumes are, and the smaller they are, the less time they will need to cook.

Nutrition

Calories: 288kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 29gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 310mgPotassium: 634mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 82IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 72mgIron: 3mg

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