Types of Field Peas: Our Comprehensive Guide

What Are Field Peas?

So what are field peas? They are technically beans and have little in common with green English peas. Field peas are cowpeas, so named because they were grown as a rotational crop in the fields instead of in kitchen gardens. Dozens of different types—what we now call heirloom selections—were grown in Southern communities that valued them for their flavor and ability to flourish in local conditions. Families and neighbors often saved the seeds and passed them down through the generations. We still have heirloom types in the South with charming, descriptive names such as Whippoorwill, Dimpled Brown Crowder, Turkey Craw, Washday, Red Ripper, and Old Timer.

Where To Find Them

Freshly harvested peas often stick close to home, unlike dried black-eyed peas that are shipped far and wide. The best sources for them are farmers’ markets, family gardens, and hometown grocery stores. A single shopping trip can reveal the tastiest treasures. As with summer tomatoes, locally grown, peak-of-season peas are hard to beat. The good news is that they freeze and keep well, so we can preserve the harvest.

What They Taste Like

Some markets sell field peas still in their colorful pods, but most do the shelling for us. Fresh peas cook quickly compared to dried peas and beans that must be soaked. Their flavor and texture range from delicate and vegetal to earthy and meaty, but they are usually lighter and less murky than dried black-eyed peas. (When dried is the only option, we can turn to one of the excellent Southern types, such as the iconic Sea Island red pea, the original used in Hoppin’ John.)

Many of us eat field peas for luck on January 1, but to limit them to a single winter day (or use only the ubiquitous black-eyed kind) is to miss out on their delightful versatility. All sorts of field peas are easy to find and love in the South. Lucky us.

Here are a few of our favorite types field peas and field pea recipes.

Crowder Peas

They got their name based on how they grow: tightly packed inside their pods. There are many different types of crowders, such as Calico and Blue Goose, but all of them become plump and creamy when cooked. Crowders are hearty but creamy and slightly sweet.

Purple Hull Peas

These pale peas with purple eyes (also called pink-eyed peas) grow in colorful green-and-purple pods. They darken to a light green when cooked. Purple hull peas are a creamier and milder-tasting alternative to the usual black-eyed peas.

Lady Peas

Sweet and tender lady peas remain creamy white or light green even after they have been cooked. And unlike other field peas, lady peas (also called Lady Cream peas) produce a clear, not cloudy, potlikker. True to their name, lady peas are said to have a more delicate flavor.

Zipper Peas

Zippers are large and vary in color from pale yellow to light brown. They are prized for their mild flavor and creamy texture. These are easy to shell too—the string on the pod acts like a zipper, hence the name.

Ways To Cook Your Peas

When you’re lucky enough to find field peas locally, try some of our tasty recipes. Each kind of field pea has its own qualities, but if you can’t find a specific pea mentioned in a recipe, enjoy what kind you can find locally. Most types of field peas are interchangeable.

Lemon juice, fresh herbs, and shallots make this salad light and bright. If you can’t find lady peas, stick to another variety with a delicate flavor, like purple hull, zipper, or pink-eye.

Chef Bryant Terry made smashed fried potatoes even more delicious with a summer relish of peas and corn. Any variety of field peas works well with this side.

This pasta salad is wonderfully fresh and can be customized with favorite herbs from the garden. Though you can use frozen peas, fresh field peas make it a true summer treat.

This rich and cheesy side calls for canned black-eyed peas, but you can substitute with cooked purple hull peas or crowders you picked up from the farmer’s market. Complete with Italian sausage and crescent roll dough, the casserole easily feeds a crowd.

This basic recipe works with any variety of field peas and is the quintessential Southern classic: a pot of peas simmered with ham hocks and onion, creating a rich, creamy broth.