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Black Eyed Pea Salad

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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 in a bowl ready for sharing.

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?

Corn cobs with corn kernels shaved off in a pie plate.    Chopped green bell pepper on a cutting board. Cooked black eyed peas in a bowl ready for making a fresh black eyed pea salad   Cherry tomatoes being chopped on a cutting board.  Black Eyed Pea Salad recipe in a bowl getting dressing poured over it.    Tossing Black Eyed Pea Salad in a big bowl.

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!

Black Eyed Pea Salad in a bowl being shared as a dip!

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

Black Eyed Pea Salad Recipe in a bowl ready for sharing.
Print Recipe

Black Eyed Pea Salad Recipe

Prep Time:25 minutes
Total Time:25 minutes
Servings:7 - 8 Servings
Calories:166kcal
Author:Traci York
Black Eyed Pea Salad Recipe is make ahead ready and packed with summer fresh veggies! Share this hearty salad as a side, lunch or appetizer; it's perfect as a light summer dinner. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free. 
*See blog post above recipe card for serving suggestions. Time above does not include time to cook black eyed peas.

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.

Notes

*Finding canned black-eyed peas that do not contain added meat can be challenging. If using canned, I like Eden Organic. Sub 1, 15 oz (425g) can for this recipe.
To DIY Black Eyed Peas: Soak 3/4 C (150g) dried Black-Eyed Peas for at least two hours or overnight, and drain. In a Dutch oven, cover peas with 1" of water, add 1/2 tsp salt, bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low and cook for about 25-35 minutes. They need to be firm, not mushy, so begin testing for doneness at about 25 minutes. Drain and cool before adding to the salad.
**Heat of jalapeños vary. Be sure to test the pepper for heat prior to adding it to the salad. I usually add a whole pepper, but have had a few where they were just too hot! Trust your tastebuds!
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 448mg | Potassium: 386mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 960IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg
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  1. What a delicious, fresh, and nutritious salad! What’s even better is that you can tweak the ingredients and it still turns out great. I don’t use oil, so I substituted lemon juice. I’m going to save the dressing recipe and use it with other combinations. Such a gem. I’ve prepared a number of your recipes and have loved each one! Thank you for posting!

    Reply

  2. 4 stars
    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!

    Reply

    • Hi Luanne! SO happy to hear! Thank you for your note and giving the salad a go! Another jalapeno sounds perfect.

      Reply

  4. 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!

    Reply

  6. 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!

    Reply

    • 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

      Reply