Made from scratch and tossed in a tangy and spicy vinaigrette dressing, this black-eyed pea salad is all sorts of delicious. Simple to make, it's a delicious side dish that is a real crowd pleaser!
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In the South, black-eyed peas are a part of the culture, especially on New Year's Day. Although blackeye peas can be eaten year-round, it's traditional to eat black-eyed peas on New Year's Day to bring prosperity throughout the year, and this black-eyed pea salad is a delicious way to enjoy them.
Now about this salad. I first had black-eyed pea salad on a trip to Nashville, TN at Hattie B's restaurant and I was hooked. I loved it so much that making it home was a must. My recipe is adapted from the version in the restaurant, but it differs slightly. I quick soak my beans in water and smoked paprika, and combine a vinaigrette made with two kinds of vinegar, jalapeños, scallions, and herbs.
This flavorful dish is a great make-ahead option. If it doesn't bring you wealth in the following year, it at least tastes really, really good!
Be sure to try my Vegan Blackeye Peas Recipe and BBQ Black-Eyed Pea Dip too!
How to make black eyed pea salad
- Gather your ingredients.
Create the vinaigrette
- Create the vinaigrette by combining extra virgin olive oil, white vinegar, malt vinegar, thyme, parsley, black pepper, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in diced red bell pepper, jalapeno peppers, scallions, and garlic clove. Cover and place in the refrigerator.
Cook the blackeye peas
- Place peas, smoked paprika, and water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Allow the peas to rigorously boil for 2 minutes. Then remove from heat and cover the pot. Allow it to sit for 1 hour.
- When ready to cook, place the pot over medium-heat and bring the pot of beans water to a simmer and cover. Cook covered for 20-45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the beans are tender, but not mushy. Remove from heat and drain the liquid from the beans. Place beans in a large bowl.
Combine
- Pour the vinaigrette over the hot beans and stir to combine. You can serve as is or allow to cool in the fridge before serving. Add additional salt and pepper to taste if needed. Serve and enjoy.
Can you make it ahead of time?
Yes! This black eyed pea salad is a great make ahead option. Once you have tossed the peas in the vinaigrette dressing, place them in the fridge to cool, once cooled, cover them with a lid or with plastic wrap and they will keep well from 3 to 5 days.
Can you make this salad with canned peas?
I much prefer the flavor and texture of making this salad from dried peas so by cooking them from scratch you get a much better finished product. It's worth the extra effort, I promise! If you are short on time then of course, canned beans are a good option. Drain and rinse them well before tossing them with the dressing.
Cooking the beans from scratch allows you to flavor the blackeye peas while they cook. I opted to use smoked paprika for cooking my blackeye peas. You could also add slices of bacon or cook your beans in broth rather than water.
What do you serve with it?
This salad is a great side dish that can easily be served up with almost any main meal. Chicken, ham, steak, and fish will all work great with this. You can even serve it up as a main dish by adding cooked chicken or leftover ham. Obviously, it's great to serve with collard greens and cornbread.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- You can make the vinaigrette 3 to 5 days ahead of time and keep it refrigerated.
- If you don't like spicy foods, you can omit the jalapeno and sub with green bell pepper. Add in more if you like it a bit spicier!
- Take care not to overcook the black eyed peas or they will become very soft and mushy.
More Side Dishes
Black Eyed Pea Salad
Ingredients
For the Vinaigrette:
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup white distilled Vinegar
- ¼ cup malt vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley minced
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 2 jalapeno peppers stems and seeds removed, and diced
- 2 scallions finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
For the Black Eyed Peas:
- 2 cups dried Blackeye peas
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 6 cups water or stock
Instructions
Create the vinaigrette
- Create the vinaigrette by combining extra virgin olive oil, white vinegar, malt vinegar, thyme, parsley, black pepper, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in red bell pepper, jalapeno peppers, scallions, and garlic clove. Cover and place in the refrigerator.
Cook the blackeye peas
- Place peas, smoked paprika, and water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Allow the peas to rigorously boil for 2 minutes. Then remove from heat and cover the pot. Allow it to sit for 1 hour.
- When ready to cook, place the pot over medium-heat and bring the pot of beans water to a simmer and cover. Cook covered for 20-45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the beans are tender, but not mushy. Remove from heat and drain the liquid from the beans. Place beans in a large bowl.
Combine
- Pour the vinaigrette over the hot beans and stir to combine. You can serve as is or allow to cool in the fridge before serving. Add additional salt and pepper to taste if needed. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- You can make the vinaigrette 3 to 5 days ahead of time and keep it refrigerated.
- If you don't like spicy foods, you can omit the jalapeno. Add in more if you like it a bit spicier!
- Take care not to overcook the black eyed peas or they will become very soft and mushy.
