Made from scratch and tossed in an irresistible vinaigrette dressing, this black-eyed pea salad is all sorts of delicious. Simple to make, it's a side dish that is a real crowd pleaser!

Like a pea salad in a bowl with a spoon lifting it up

You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!

Tanya holding a bowl of black eyed peas, smiling

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 at home was a must.

My recipe is adapted from the restaurant's version, but it differs slightly. I quickly soak my beans in water and smoked paprika, then combine them with a vinaigrette made with two kinds of vinegar, jalapeños, scallions, and herbs.

In the South, black-eyed peas are part of the culture, especially on New Year's Day, for a little luck and prosperity. But this salad is too good to save for one day a year. I make it all spring and summer for cookouts and potlucks. If it doesn't bring you wealth, at least it tastes really, really good.

As someone who loves black-eyed peas, I have a few other recipes for you to try, like my Black-Eyed Pea Recipe and BBQ Black-Eyed Pea Dip.

Happy Cooking,

Tanya

Black-Eyed Pea Salad at a Glance

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes (includes the quick soak)
Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Serves: 8
Best For: Cookouts, potlucks, New Year's Day, make-ahead sides

A Quick Look at the Ingredients

Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

For the Vinaigrette

Extra virgin olive oil - The base of the dressing.
White distilled vinegar and malt vinegar - Two vinegars give the dressing more depth than one. Malt vinegar brings a little something extra. If you don't have malt vinegar, apple cider vinegar works as a substitute.
Fresh thyme and parsley, red bell pepper, jalapeño, green onions, and garlic.
Black pepper and kosher salt

For the Black-Eyed Peas

Dried black-eyed peas - I cook these from scratch. It's worth it. If you prefer a quicker version, you can use canned beans. I'd suggest 2 15-oz cans, drained.
Smoked paprika - Cooked right into the peas so they have flavor before they ever hit the dressing. Smoked paprika adds a touch of smokiness to our beans.
Water or stock - Stock if you want a little more flavor in the peas, but honestly, for this recipe, water works just fine.

Ingredients for black eyed pea salad on table.

How to make black-eyed pea salad

Make the vinaigrette

Combine the olive oil, white vinegar, malt vinegar, thyme, parsley, black pepper, and salt in a large bowl and whisk. Stir in the diced red bell pepper, jalapeño, green onions, and garlic. Cover and refrigerate while you cook the peas.

vinaigrette for the black eyed pea salad in bowl

Cook the black-eyed peas

Place the peas, smoked paprika, and water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Let them boil hard for 2 minutes, then remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 1 hour.

Set the pot back over medium heat, bring to a simmer, and cover. Cook for 20 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peas are tender but not mushy. Drain and add to a large bowl.

Spoon lifting cooked black eyed peas out of the pot.

cooked black eyed peas in collander being drained by Tanya

Combine

Pour the vinaigrette over the hot peas and stir. Serve right away or chill first. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

Serving Suggestions

This is a great side for almost any main. It's right at home next to collard greens and cornbread, and it goes with grilled chicken, ham, steak, or fish. You can also turn it into a light meal on its own by stirring in leftover chopped chicken or ham.

Can you make it ahead of time?

Yes, and you should. Toss the peas with the dressing, let them cool, then cover and refrigerate. It keeps well for 3 to 5 days, and the flavor only gets better as it sits. You can also make just the vinaigrette up to 5 days ahead and keep it in the fridge until you're ready.

Tanya's Top Tips

Toss the peas while they're hot. Hot peas soak up the dressing better than cold ones. Don't wait.
Don't overcook the peas. Pull them while they're tender but still hold their shape. Mushy peas make a sad salad.
Make it ahead. This is one of those dishes that's better on day two, so it's perfect for prepping before a cookout.
Taste at the end. Salt depends on whether you used water or stock. Always taste before serving.

Tanya holding a spoon with the peas on it

More Side Dishes You Might Like

Southern Style Macaroni Salad - Creamy, mayo-based, with bacon and a diced apple that ties it all together.
Potato Salad - The classic cookout side.

Tanya Harris

Black-Eyed Pea Salad Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Made from scratch and tossed in a tangy 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!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 45

Total Time 1 55

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Calories: 274

Video

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 green onions finely chopped
1 garlic clove minced

For the Black Eyed Peas:

2 cups dried Black-eye 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, green onions, and garlic clove. Cover and place in the refrigerator.

Cook the black-eye 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 274kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 10gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 599mgPotassium: 543mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1001IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 4mg

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.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Post was originally published on November 22nd, 2021. It has been updated with new photos and information.

Comments

5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)