Black Eyed Pea Salad Recipe is make ahead ready and full of fresh corn and cherry tomatoes! Make with slow cooked Vegetarian Black Eyed Peas for the tastiest, hearty side salad, lunch or appetizer; it’s delicious as a light summer dinner. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.
Black Eyed Pea Salad for Summer!
Lingering summer days call for hearty, easy to make salads utilizing the season’s freshest veggies. Black eyed peas are a delicious way to boost protein in salads and they’re perfect partners with corn and tomatoes. Their creamy texture and earthy flavor is an added bonus!
Flavor packed and with a red wine, papkrika spiked vinaigrette, this fresh Black Eyed Pea Salad pairs with, Pulled Portobello BBQ Sandwiches or Zucchini Fritters, Veggie Chickpea Burgers and Vegan Crab Cakes with ease. But this salad doesn’t stop there. Enjoy it as a saladita spooned over grilled BBQ Cauliflower Bites, on avocado toast or enjoy it as an appetizer with tortilla chips to scoop up all the goodness! It’s delicious simply as is too.
Don’t ya just love salads that can do all these things?
Quick Guide: How to Make Black Eyed Peas Salad Recipe
Sweet corn, peppers, and cherry tomatoes play off the heat of the jalapeño and chiles. Red wine vinaigrette ties all the flavors together! In summary, here’s how to make this fresh black eyed pea salad (see recipe card below for details):
- First, either cook the black eyed peas, or use pre cooked. Transfer the peas to a large mixing bowl.
- Second, shuck the corn, then cut the niblets off. Toss the kernels into the mixing bowl.
- Third, chop the onions, bell pepper, tomatoes, jalapeño and cilantro. Transfer veggies and prepared chilis to the mixing bowl with the black eyed peas.
- Next, mix the vinaigrette.
- Last, dress the salad and toss!
Allow the black eyed pea salad to hang out in the fridge for at least an hour so the flavors can marry.
Love fresh summer salads? Try TEN Fresh Salad Recipes to Make This Summer!
A Few Recipe Tips
- How to Share: Enjoy Black Eyed Peas Salad as a side, dip with tortilla chips, or spooned over BBQ veggies! It’s really delicious over avocado toast too!
- Use slow cooked Vegetarian Black Eyed Peas or prepared (canned) in this recipe. See recipe card notes for how to cook black eyed peas from dry peas.
- Jalapeño heat can vary, so be sure to give it a taste-test before adding a full pepper. Remove the seeds and ribs to quiet the heat if needed.
- Use fresh corn right off the cob for the juiciest, sweetest black eyed pea salad.
- Pro Tip: to remove the niblets from the cob, place cob on end in a pie plate and slice down the cob, allowing the cob be your guide for cutting the kernels off the cob. The pie plate catches all the corn kernels making clean up a snap!
More Summer Salad Recipes to Love
- Panzanella Salad with Quinoa and Chickpeas
- Quinoa Summer Veggie Salad
- Chickpea Summer Salad with Creamy Dill Dressing
- Mango Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Chipotle Dressing
- Spinach Pecan Brown Rice Salad
Black Eyed Pea Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 2 1/4 C (375g) Black Eyed Peas cooked, drained, rinsed and cooled* (see note)
- 2 1/4 C (325g) Raw Corn Kernels from fresh corn, about two ears
- 1/2 C (90g) Green Bell Pepper diced small, about 1/2 pepper
- 1 C (180g) Red Bell Pepper diced small, about 1 pepper
- 1/2 C (75g) Purple Onion diced small, about 1/4 of a medium onion
- 1/4 C (50g) Prepared Green Chiles diced small, I like Hatch
- 1 Jalapeño seeded and white ribs removed** (see note)
- Fist Full of Fresh Cilantro stemmed removed, leaves chopped
- 2 1/2 C (400g) Cherry Tomatoes quartered, about 1 pint
- Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
For the Dressing:
- 2 Tbs Olive Oil
- 3 Tbs Red Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Whole Grain Spicy Mustard or Dijon Mustard
- 1 Tbs Fresh Garlic minced, about 1 large clove
- 1 tsp Salt or to taste
- 3/4 tsp Oregano dried
- 1/2 tsp Thyme dried
- 1/4 tsp Smoky Paprika hot or sweet
- Pinch of Cayenne Pepper optional - and for an added kick
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the peas, corn, green and red bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, chilis and cilantro. Set aside.
- In a lidded jar add the vinegar, oil, mustard, garlic, salt, oregano, thyme, paprika and cayenne pepper. Shake well until emulsified.
- Pour dressing over the salad and stir well to incorporate the ingredients. Fold in the tomatoes. Taste for seasoning adjustment and add in fresh ground pepper.
- Make at least one hour ahead if possible so the flavors can marry. Share as a main, side or as a dip with corn chips! Store in a lidded container for up to three days. The flavor will improve as the salad rests.
Went over very well at dinner tonight! Next time I think I will add more of the herbs and spices. Didn’t have the canned peppers, so I used another jalapeno. My portion, I sprinkled a little more red wine vinegar on it. Glad to find a recipe for fresh corn. I tend to buy extra ears!
Hi Luanne! SO happy to hear! Thank you for your note and giving the salad a go! Another jalapeno sounds perfect.
Your Black Eyed Pea Salad Looks Really Good Tracy… I am a big fan of Black Eyed Pea…
Eating ALL the salads this month. Everything is so gorgeous at the markets right now. Big salads are happening every day! Love that this one can be used like a salsa, too! Lovely update, Traci!
Same Liz! Spending as much time as I can at the Markets and garden… SO gorgeous! Thank you my dear :D
Trying your black eyed & corn salad!
WOooo! I hope you enjoy it!
This salad is my kind of salad. Packed with healthy, delicious, fresh veggies and just tossed in a light dressing! I like to pack my Texas Caviar or another one I will eventually share on the blog with cauliflower crumbles and a bit of broccoli and golden raisins that’s tossed in a light dressing too. I will definitely be adding this one to my list. Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful weekend!
Part of vacation fun is trying new things! I love it! Ooooh I saw your Texas Caviar post and it’s soooo good! Cauliflower crumbles with broccoli sounds sooo good! I love a good traveling salad. Looking forward to it Mary Ann! xo