Black Eyed Pea Salad Recipe
This black eyed pea salad is the perfect side dish or plant-based main meal!
I had never had black-eyed peas before making this recipe. The entire recipe was an exercise in learning new flavor affinities, and I loved it.
I learned, through my research, that black-eyed peas are considered one of the easiest beans to digest. That’s good news for me because I always seem to have one digestive issue or another. So I happily put this salad together and enjoyed its fresh flavor for lunch. It was wonderful!
How To Cook Black Eyed Peas
Black-eyed peas don’t necessarily have to be soaked before cooking. And in fact, will do better in a hot water bath than a cold one, if you really want to soak them. (You can find that technique here.)
- For 1 cup dry beans, use 3 cups of water or broth.
- 1 cup dry beans = about 3 cups cooked
Stovetop:
Rinse your beans and put them in a pot with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook with a slightly vented lid for about an hour.
Instant Pot:
Set Manual cook time to 20 minutes at high pressure. Allow for a 20-minute natural release, minimum.
What Do Black Eyed Peas Taste Like?
Black-eyed peas have a somewhat “earthy” flavor and depend somewhat heavily on the seasoning you add to them.
What do You Serve With Black Eyed Peas?
Whether you are serving them as a traditional new years dish or just as a side dish any time of year, black-eyed peas have some traditional sides that always pair well, namely…
- over polenta
- greens such as collard greens.
- cornbread (find a healthy recipe for cornbread here!)
- over grits
- over rice
- with a little liquid smoke added
- or even hot sauce
Black-eyed peas are traditionally cooked or served with pork, although I no longer eat meat, so that isn’t included in my recipe here.
Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
If you are interested in cooking your black-eyed peas in an Instant Pot from dry beans, add the water and beans to the insert, press the manual button, and adjust the time to 15 minutes at high pressure. Allow for a 20-minute natural release. Drain the beans, and continue making the salad.
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More Healthy Bean Recipes
Black Eyed Pea Salad Recipe
Black Eyed Pea Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup dry black eyed peas
- 1½ cups water
- 1 tbsp. fresh thyme (chopped fine – or more, to taste)
- ¼ cup chopped tomatoes (I removed the seeds, but you don’t have to)
- ¼ cup chopped red bell pepper (chopped small to fine)
- ¼ cup chopped red onions (chopped small to fine)
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook the black eyed peas to package directions. You can also cook them in an Instant Pot at high pressure for 10 minutes with a 20 minute natural release.
- Once the beans are cooked, let them cool.
- Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and stir well to combine.
- Season with salt and extra fresh thyme as needed.