If you are in need of inspiration for bean salad recipes, you are in for a treat, because here at FPL headquarters we love beans and use them regularly in our salads. If you are a fan of this cold black eyed pea salad, it is likely that you might also like our Texas Caviar (aka Cowboy Caviar) Corn Salad with Black Beans, Quinoa Black Bean Salad, and 5 Bean Salad.
This festive and healthy salad is extra fun to make on New Year’s Day alongside my other New Year’s Eve recipes, as tradition holds that eating salad with black eyed peas brings good luck and prosperity. But it can also be served as a crowd-pleasing dish for game days, potlucks, picnics, or your next barbecue served as a side dish or dip with tortilla chips.
Ingredients
You’ll need two sets of simple, everyday ingredients for this versatile, year-round black eyed peas salad that is sure to impress!
- For the salad dressing, I am using my lemon balsamic vinegar dressing. For that, you will need balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, minced garlic, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- To make the salad, gather canned black eyed peas (15 ounce cans), cherry tomatoes, English cucumber, celery rib, a red bell pepper, fresh or canned corn, red onion, and fresh herbs (italian parsley or cilantro).
Substitutions
- Onion: Not everyone prefers the flavor of red onion (or has one on hand). Instead, substitute green onions for a more mild flavor with an equally great crunch! Or, for a sweeter flavor, substitute with a Vidalia onion (sweet onion).
- Dressing: If you don’t have balsamic vinegar on hand for the black-eyed peas dressing, you can use red wine vinegar instead.
- Corn: Fresh corn is great in this salad, but if it is not in season, you can use canned corn or even thawed frozen corn instead.
- Hot sauce: For my spice-loving friends, add a dash of hot sauce for a great way to kick up the flavors in this recipe!
- Cook your own black eyed peas: While using a can of beans is convenient, you can use dried black eyed peas and cook them yourself. Here is a helpful guide on how to cook black-eyed peas.
How to Make This Recipe?
Making this recipe for black eyed peas tomato salad couldn’t be easier. With a quick whisk of the dressing ingredients and a gentle toss of the veggies, you’ll have this vibrant salad on the table in no time! Simply:
- Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, freshly squeezed lemon juice, minced garlic, and salt and black pepper with a whisk. As you’re whisking, slowly pour in the extra-virgin olive oil and keep whisking until the mixture looks smooth and the ingredients are fully incorporated. Set aside.
- Assemble the salad: Grab a large bowl and add in your salad ingredients: black-eyed peas, fresh tomatoes, cucumber, celery, red peppers, corn, red onion, and chopped fresh parsley or cilantro.
- Add the dressing: Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss it gently until just combined.
- Season: Top with additional chopped fresh parsley or cilantro. Give it a taste and season it with more salt and black pepper, if necessary.
- Rest: If time permits, let the salad rest overnight or at least for a few hours. A marinated black eyed pea salad tastes the best!
- Serve: You can serve the salad alone at room temperature or with tortilla chips on the side.
How to Make Ahead & Store Leftovers
- Make ahead: If you know you’re going to be short on time, you can make this recipe in advance. Simply make the salad and cover it with stretch film or store in an airtight container. Keep in the fridge overnight or until you’re ready to serve.
- Storage: You can store the leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy it for up to four days. Be sure to give it a toss and season it with salt and pepper before serving.
What Goes Well With This Salad?
This easy black-eyed pea salad with corn is a year-round favorite and makes the perfect Thanksgiving vegetable side dish, as well as a great addition to New Year’s Day celebrations, summer BBQs, and simple weeknight dinners. Here are some serving suggestions:
- Make it an easy recipe: Simply serve this black-eyed pea and corn and red onion salad by itself or with some tortilla chips for a carefree snack or easy side dish!
- Pair it with your favorite main dishes: This delicious salad is the perfect simple side dish to complete a holiday meal, like my Instant Pot Pot Roast or my Roasted Cornish Hens (here are some other Cornish Hen pairings!). If you’re more in the mood for a simple weeknight dinner, serve this salad alongside my Vegetable Beef Soup, Baked Chicken Breasts, or my delicious Air Fried Drumsticks.
- Serve with grilled meat and veggies: The fresh and bright flavors of this black pea salad pair perfectly with my Grilled Mahi Mahi, Grilled Shrimp Kabobs, or Grilled Flank Steak.
Variations
Whether you are a Greek food connoisseur or can’t get enough of Mexican cuisine, you can change up this Southern salad to suit whatever flavor your heart desires! There are so many different ways, but here are some suggestions:
- Make it Mexican: Add jalapeño and cilantro and top with my Chili Lime Vinaigrette. You can even make black eyed pea salad with Rotel.
- Give it a Greek/Mediterranean flair: For a Mediterranean black eyed pea salad or a black eyed pea salad Greek version, toss in a cup of crumbled feta cheese and top with chopped fresh mint and fresh dill.
- Try an African black eyed pea salad: Layer the salad over a base of basmati rice and substitute the lemon juice for lime juice.
FAQs
Black-eyed peas, which are technically beans, are a great source of plant-based protein. They also provide a high amount of fiber, which helps you feel full throughout the day, stabilize your blood pressure, and improve your heart health.
Canned black-eyed peas are pre-cooked and are safe to eat from the can. This recipe, in fact, is a canned black-eyed peas salad recipe. Easy peasy!
It’s best to rinse canned black-eyed peas under cold water before use to remove excess liquid and salt from the can.
Other Bean Salads You Might Also Like
Everyone loves this black-eyed pea salad’s Southern versions, such as those made by Pioneer Woman, Delicious Miss Brown, Southern Living, and Hattie B’s, but I hope you give my version a try. In my opinion, it gives those famous ones a run for their money! If you can’t get enough of this blackeyed pea salad, here are some other bean salad recipes you need to try!
- Southwest Quinoa Salad
- Quinoa Black Bean Salad
- Southwest Chicken Avocado Salad
- Can’t get enough? Check out our collection of Easy Summer Salads and Spring Salad Ideas
If you try this Black-Eyed Pea Salad recipe or any other salad recipes on Foolproof Living, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It is a great help to others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.
Diet Key
This Recipe is:
Black Eyed Pea Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For The Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 clove garlic , peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
For The Salad:
- 2 cans black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced
- 1 English cucumber, (medium-size ) cut into small pieces (approximately 1 to 1 ½ cups)
- 1 celery rib, sliced thinly
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1 cup corn, fresh, canned or thawed from frozen
- ½ cup red onion, finely diced
- ½ cup Italian Parsley or cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- To make the vinaigrette, whisk together balsamic vinegar, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. While still whisking, slowly add the extra-virgin olive oil and continue whisking until fully incorporated and smooth. Set it aside.
- To assemble the salad: Place black-eyed peas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, celery, bell pepper, corn, and red onion in a bowl.
- Drizzle the salad with the dressing. Add the parsley. Give it a toss.
- Taste for seasoning and add more, if necessary. If you have the time, let it rest for at least four hours or preferably overnight.
- Serve by itself, as a side dish, or with tortilla chips as a dip.
Video
Notes
- Make ahead: This is a terrific make ahead salad that gets better as it sits. I highly recommend making it a day ahead, covering it with stretch fil, and keeping it in the fridge overnight or until you’re ready to serve.
- Storage: You can store the leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy it for up to four days. Be sure to give it a toss and season it with salt and pepper before serving.
- Change it up: I used my Lemon Balsamic Vinegar to make this salad, but if you want to change it up, you can also make it with my Chili Lime Dressing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is a beautiful, bright, crunchy dish—beautiful in a glass bowl! I think it’s worth the effort to make the beans from dried so that they are firm (not mushy).
For the dressing, I used lime instead of lemon and added the tiniest amounts of Italian herbs, cumin and more olive oil. I marinated just the black-eyed peas and toss everything together close to serving time.
I am happy to hear that you liked it Kristen. Thanks for coming by!
I made the dish as a vegan dish for my niece for a family dinner and everyone but especially my niece really liked it.
I am happy to hear that everyone in your family liked this Black eyed peas salad, Tonita.
Thanks for coming by, sharing your experience and taking the time to leave a review.
This is an excellent salad. I changed the vegetable ingredients a bit based on what I had on hand but the dressing was the same. I served it to my family and was happy to see them enjoy it but wished there was more left for me for the next day!
That makes me so happy, Krista. Thanks for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.
Very nice salad!
I am thrilled to hear that you liked it Marina!
Thanks for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.
Very good and easy
I am happy to hear that you liked it Natalie.
Thanks for coming by and taking the time to leave a review. Cheers!
This is absolutely delicious! I didn’t have a red onion so used a small shallot and 3 scallions — otherwise followed the recipe exactly. It was perfect! It’s going to be my annual New Year’s “black-eyed peas for luck” dish.
This is music to my ears Leno.
Thanks for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.
I truly love your recipes you made my Christmas, we are in Minnesota in the middle of a blizzard and water pipes frozen , but looking at your recipes truly made this most blessed Christmas Thank you
Happy to hear that Cynthia. Thanks for coming by!