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    Home » Recipes » Quick and Easy

    Modified: Jul 30, 2022 · Published: Dec 31, 2020 by Melinda O'Malley Keckler · This post may contain affiliate links · this blog generates income from ads.

    Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Salad

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Salad is super easy and full of fresh flavor. The black-eyed peas are coated with a vinaigrette-style dressing that's full of garlic and fresh cilantro. This is a classic Cowboy Caviar but served with salad greens for a crunchy and refreshing twist.

    Black-eyed pea salad in a bowl with lettuce greens.
    Bright and flavorful, this salad is a refreshing option to a traditional green salad.

    If you are a fan of refreshing side salads, here are a few more I think you'll enjoy. Old Fashioned Pea Salad is a family favorite, and so is Sweet Corn Pasta Salad and Chicken Curry Salad with Grapes which adds the savory flavor of chic

    Ingredients to have on hand

    • black-eyed peas
    • red wine vinegar
    • hot sauce
    • fresh cilantro
    • green pepper
    • red onion
    Diced onion, green pepper and cilantro on a cutting board.
    Chop the ingredients into very small pieces.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I use dry black-eyed peas instead of canned ones?


    I have done it that way, but the extra step of soaking the beans adds considerable time to the process.

    One other difference my family and I noticed when I used the dried black-eyed peas is the beans had a sturdier texture than those from the can.

    That's not bad, but I prefer the softer canned variety of black-eyed peas for this recipe.Black-eyed pea salad in a bowl with lettuce greens.

    Are black-eyed peas really peas?

    It's a little confusing, isn't it? Like a chickpea, it's a bean that's got pea in the name, but black-eyed peas are in fact a bean, or a legume. And like all legumes, these little "peas" are very nutritious.

    Salad ingredients in a bowl, not mixed together.
    This sure looks like clean eating.

    Use Olive Oil

    Some versions of Cowboy Caviar call for adding vegetable oil. But the olive oil used here will give your salad (or dip for those tortilla chips) a much lighter texture to the dressing and you'll notice the subtle taste of the olive oil too.

    Vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl with a whisk.
    There's plenty of fresh cilantro in this vinaigrette.

    Lucky Black-Eyed Peas

    I love the history behind the idea that eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day offers good luck for the entire year! Southern Living magazine has a great article about the origins of this long-held tradition.

    While it's one rooted in the southeast part of the country, according to the article, there is also some evidence that folks ate black-eyed peas for luck as early as 500 A.D.

    Serve with Salad Greens or Chips

    While salad looms large in the name of this recipe, it's essentially Cowboy Caviar or Texas Caviar tossed with leafy greens.

    Pro Tip: Ditch the lettuce greens and serve this with your favorite chips as an appetizer or snack. This recipe is a crowd-pleaser every time.

    Salad served as a dip with tortilla chips.
    No need for salsa when you serve this salad as an appetizer with tortilla chips.

    Hot and Spicy

    Call it a salad or Cowboy Caviar, but this recipe has some spicy kick to it.

    The good news is you can control the heat factor by using whichever brand of hot sauce your family or guests prefer. I like this one (plus the name is familiar!), plus the canned Rotel tomatoes have some green chilis and also add some heat to the end result.

    One can of tomatoes and a jar of hot sauce on a counter.
    You control the heat, based on the tomatoes and type of hot sauce.

    Cowboy Caviar Resting Time

    It's oh-so-tempting to mix this together and dig in right away, but it's important to let the flavors have a chance to "mingle."

    A little time in the refrigerator also gives the black-eyed peas time to soak up some of that delicious vinaigrette.

    I recommend at least two hours of refrigerator time before serving but overnight is ideal for bringing out the best flavor.

    Black-eyed pea salad in a bowl, from the side.
    Fresh and delicious every time!

    More Veggie-Packed Recipes

    This recipe is full of fresh veggies and of course, the black-eyed peas are full of fiber and protein so there are lots of great reasons why this is a good choice for your menu. Here are a few more sides that I think you'll love!

    1. Crunchy Cole Slaw
    2. English Pea Salad
    3. Refrigerator Pickles
    4. Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

    If you tried Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Salad or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below.

    Recipe

    Close shot of the salad ingredients.

    Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Salad

    This recipe is super easy, a little spicy and full of fresh flavor. It's delicious any time of year, but black-eyed peas are said to offer good luck when eaten on New Year's Day. For spicy soup with beans, try Black Bean and Soup Potato Soup.
    4.99 from 115 votes
    Print Rate Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
    Refrigerate to Combine Flavors: 2 hours hours
    Total Time: 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8 as a side dish
    Calories: 58kcal
    Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

    Ingredients 

    • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 3 tablespoons hot sauce
    • 3 tablespoons cilantro - fresh, chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic - crushed or pressed
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 3 15.5 ounce cans black-eyed peas - drained and rinsed, you'll need roughly 4 cups of black-eyed peas
    • 1 very small red onion - about ½ cup of diced onion
    • 1 10 ounce can original Rotel tomatoes, drained - or substitute with one large, diced tomato
    • 1 green pepper - diced into very small pieces
    • 6 cups lettuce greens - optional, if serving as a salad

    Instructions

    Make Vinaigrette

    • In a small bowl, whisk together the first six ingredients: red wine vinegar, olive oil, hot sauce, cilantro, garlic and salt, creating a vinaigrette.

    Combine Black-Eyed Peas and Veggies

    • Place the drained and rinsed black-eyed peas in a large bowl, add red onion, green pepper and one can of Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilis. As an option, you can substitute the canned tomatoes for one large fresh tomato, diced.
    • Add the vinaigrette ingredients from the small bowl to the black-eyed peas and other veggies and mix well.

    Refrigerate

    • Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours, or overnight.
    • Serve on top of lettuce greens in a large bowl or with tortilla chips for dipping.

    Notes

    A reminder, olive oil gives the dressing a much lighter texture than vegetable oil - which is commonly used to make Cowboy Cavier - and you'll notice the subtle taste of the olive oil too. Serve this alongside Easy Baked Orange Tofu for a tasty, meatless meal. 
    Calories: 58kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 421mgPotassium: 53mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 73IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg

    Please note, the nutrition details are estimated using a food database, so they’re just a rough estimate not an exact science.

    Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment below or @crinkledcookbook on Instagram, snap a photo and tag it #crinkledcookbook

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    Comments

      4.99 from 115 votes (112 ratings without comment)

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    1. James Strange says

      July 31, 2022 at 6:58 pm

      5 stars
      Easy and delicious.

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        August 01, 2022 at 5:06 pm

        Thanks for the five star rating James! Glad you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Liz says

      July 31, 2022 at 6:40 pm

      5 stars
      I made this to eat for lunch last week and it was scrumptious!! It will go on my salad rotation---thank you!

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        August 01, 2022 at 5:06 pm

        Wonderful, thanks Liz!

        Reply
    3. maureen calhoun says

      July 31, 2022 at 2:29 pm

      5 stars
      Very Good! 🙂

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        July 31, 2022 at 3:38 pm

        Wonderful! Thanks for the five star rating Maureen. I'm happy you enjoyed this recipe!!

        Reply

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