Black Eyed Pea Salad

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.

Blackeyed peas salad in a bowl with spoon on the side

Table of Contents show

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:

a collage of images showing how to make the recipe

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 is the perfect accompaniment for everything from your Thanksgiving meal to New Year’s Day celebrations to summer BBQ parties to 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.

black eyed pea tomato salad garnished with parsley with spoons on the side

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

Is black-eyed peas good for you?

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.

Are canned black-eyed peas already cooked?

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!

Do you rinse canned black-eyed peas?

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 Healthy 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.

Hello Friend! I’m Aysegul but you can call me “Ice.” I’m the cook/recipe-tester/photographer behind this site.

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