A Nutritious and quick Black-Eyed Pea salad that tastes delicious when served at room temperature or chilled. A great Vegan and Gluten-Free option for summer picnics.
Until about a year or so ago, I have never cooked with black-eyed beans much. Lately, I have been making so many different dishes with it and it has become one of our favorite beans.
Why choose black-eyed peas?
A few things that I like about it when compared to other beans like chickpeas or rajma is that the black-eyed pea cooks quickly. It does not need a lot of soaking time and I can plan a recipe with it at the last minute and still cook it.
Black-eyed peas or beans belong to the legume family and are easily available. The bean is high in fiber, which is beneficial by keeping cholesterol levels in control and it also regulates the digestive system.
High-fiber foods, keep us feeling fuller for a longer time and hence is beneficial for people who are trying to shed some weight. Black-eyed peas also have a higher potassium level which helps regulate blood pressure.
Black-eyed beans are a good source of protein and they especially help vegetarians get their daily dose of protein. It is also low in fat and calories and can be a good ingredient to include in diet menus.
This recipe for black-eyed pea salad is very simple to make. I used whatever ingredients I had in my refrigerator for the salad. Include or exclude any ingredients that you prefer.
Ingredients needed
- Black-eyed peas – ¾ cup
- Onion – ¼ cup (finely chopped)
- Tomato – 1 small (deseeded and finely chopped)
- Carrot – ¼ cup (grated)
- Green chilies – 2 (finely chopped, optional)
- Peanuts – 3 tablespoon (roasted and crushed)
- Cilantro – 3 tablespoon (finely chopped)
- Lemon juice – 2 tablespoon or to taste
- Salt – to taste
- Pepper – to taste
Step-by-step process
- Soak the black-eyes peas for about an hour and then cook it in a pressure cooker with enough salt until just soft. It takes me only one whistle usually to cook the beans.
- Drain the beans and keep them in the colander.
- Chop the rest of the ingredients and add them to a bowl. You could also include raw mango, cucumber, and bell pepper if preferred in the salad. I have not used green chilies as I was serving them to my kids as well. So I increased the amount of pepper slightly.
- Add the drained beans to the mixture and toss it a few times to combine. Add salt, if needed, and lemon juice.
- Serve as is or chilled.
Expert Tips
- Make sure that you do not overcook the black-eyed peas. Overcooked beans do not taste good in salads.
- We could also add more vegetables to the black-eyed pea salad. I like adding cucumbers and corn as well at times.
- I like this salad best when served cold. This is a great salad to make for summer barbecues.
Frequently asked questions
Black-eyed peas usually do not require a lot of soaking time. That is one of the reasons why it is one of my favorites to cook with. I do however soak it in hot water for about 30 minutes to an hour. If short on time, just soak the beans in very hot water until you prep the rest of the ingredients and then cook.
I have made this salad a day ahead to take for picnics. Since the black-eyed pea salad has fresh vegetables, I would not refrigerate it for more than a couple of days.
Yes, we can freeze the cooked black-eyed peas for up to 6 months. Thaw it before using it in the recipe.
More black-eyed pea recipes
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Recipe
Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Colander
- bowl
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Black-eyed beans
- ¼ cup Onion finely chopped
- 1 small Tomato deseeded and finely chopped
- ¼ cup Carrot grated
- 2 Green chilies finely chopped, optional
- 3 tablespoon Peanuts roasted and crushed
- 3 tablespoon Cilantro finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice or to taste
- to taste Salt
- to taste Pepper
Instructions
- Soak the beans for about an hour and then cook it in a pressure cooker with enough salt until just soft. It takes me only one whistle usually to cook the beans.
- Drain the beans and keep it in the colander.
- Chop the rest of the ingredients and add it to a bowl. You could also include raw mango, cucumber and bell pepper if preferred in the salad. I have not used green chilies as I was serving it to my kids as well. So I increased the amount of pepper slightly.
- Add the drained beans to the mixture and toss it a few times to combine. Add salt, if needed and lemon juice.
- Serve as is or chilled.
Notes
- Make sure that you do not over cook the black eyed peas. Overcooked beans do not taste good in salads.
- We could also add more vegetables in the black eyed pea salad. I like adding cucumbers and corn as well at times.
- I like this salad best when served cold. This is a great salad to make for summer barbecues.
Natalie says
Beautiful salad. So nutritious and healthy. I will save this recipe and make it for lunch. Can't wait.
Swathi says
Black eyed peas salad looks delicious.
Julie says
I'm a huge fan of black-eyed peas too because of how quickly they cook. Your salad was a hit with my family. Such a tasty and simple recipe!
Angela says
I'm a huge fan of black eye peas, but I had not tried them prepared this way before. I absolutely love the recipe, can't wait to make it again!