Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Salad is super easy, a little spicy and full of fresh flavor. The 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. It's delicious served any time of year. But did you know that black-eyed peas are often associated with luck? They are said to offer good luck when eaten on New Year's Day. Let's serve with salad greens or tortilla chips and enjoy a little good luck any time of year.

Ingredients to have on hand
- black-eyed peas
- red wine vinegar
- hot sauce
- fresh cilantro
- green pepper
- red onion
Top Tips and FAQ
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 a bad thing, but I prefer the softer canned variety of black-eyed peas for this recipe.
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.
Olive Oil Please
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.
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.
The flavor combination is fantastic with tortilla chips and served as a dip.
That's why I also suggest ditching the lettuce greens and serving this with your favorite chips as an appetizer or snack. This recipe is a crowd pleaser every time I serve it.
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.
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.
More veggie packed ideas
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 some other veggie packed recipes that I think you'll enjoy.
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James Strange says
Easy and delicious.
Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
Thanks for the five star rating James! Glad you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
Liz says
I made this to eat for lunch last week and it was scrumptious!! It will go on my salad rotation---thank you!
Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
Wonderful, thanks Liz!
maureen calhoun says
Very Good! 🙂
Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
Wonderful! Thanks for the five star rating Maureen. I'm happy you enjoyed this recipe!!