Tex Mex Black Eyed Pea (Printable Version)

Southwestern casserole with black-eyed peas, smoky bacon, spinach, tomatoes, rice, and melted cheddar cheese.

# Ingredient List:

→ Meats

01 - 6 slices bacon, chopped

→ Grains

02 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked

→ Vegetables & Legumes

03 - 1 (15 oz) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
04 - 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
05 - 1 (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
06 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

08 - 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

→ Liquids & Seasonings

09 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - Salt and pepper, to taste
14 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
03 - Drain excess bacon fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan. Add olive oil if needed. Sauté the onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
04 - Stir in the rice, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add the Rotel tomatoes with juices, chicken broth, black-eyed peas, spinach, and cooked bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well and bring to a simmer.
06 - Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased 9x13-inch casserole dish.
07 - Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
08 - Remove foil, stir gently, and sprinkle 1.5 cups cheddar cheese over the top.
09 - Bake uncovered for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
10 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with remaining cheddar cheese, if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour once you realize that most of the work happens in one skillet before it slides into the oven.
  • The bacon fat does the heavy lifting for flavor, so you're not standing over the stove adding layers of spice.
  • Leftovers taste even better, which means this is the kind of dish that rewards meal prep or feeding unexpected guests.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned black-eyed peas unless you want the casserole to taste starchy and gluey rather than creamy and balanced.
  • The Rotel liquid is not a garnish—it's essential moisture that keeps the rice from turning into a dense brick, so pour every bit of it in.
  • If your oven runs hot, check the casserole at the 20-minute mark because some ovens will finish the rice before the full 25 minutes, and you don't want it falling apart.
03 -
  • Toast the uncooked rice in the bacon fat before adding liquid—this one minute of attention prevents the rice from becoming gummy and gives it a subtle nutty undertone.
  • Use sharp cheddar, not mild, because it holds its flavor through the long bake and doesn't disappear into the other ingredients the way mild cheese does.
  • The foil covering in the first half of baking traps steam and prevents the top layer from drying out while the rice underneath is still absorbing liquid, which is why you can't skip this step.
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