Blackeye Pea Salad Recipe (2024)

Blackeye Pea Salad is quick and easy and so full of flavor. This simple Blackeye Pea Salad, also known as Redneck or Texas Caviar, is super scrumptious and perfect for an easy side dish or appetizer.

I’m not sure about other parts of the country, but we sure do like black-eyed peas here in the South. They are hard to resist when you see them on a menu at our local meat and three, and you can always find a can in our pantry for a dependable and tasty side dish. We enjoy them on New Year’s day in Hoppin’ John and any other day of the year seasoned with pork and accompanied with cornbread. (Side note, is it blackeye, black-eye or black eye? I see all versions. It’s blackeye on my can of beans, so I’m going with that.)

Anyway, regardless how you spell them, we do like the peas with the black eyes any way you can prepare them. This super easy Blackeye Pea Salad uses them straight out of the can for a salad filled with flavor that is perfect as a side or served with corn or tortilla chips for a party dip. As I said, Blackeye Pea Salad is a simple side dish, or appetizer that is a nutritional choice that is full of flavor. It can be quite addicting, to say the least, and fairly light in the calorie department too, which is always a good thing.

How to Make Blackeye Pea Salad

A few simple ingredients are all that is needed for this recipe: blackeye peas, purple/red onion, green onion, yellow bell pepper, cilantro, rice wine or white wine vinegar, canola oil, brown sugar, salt and pepper. The process is pretty simple. Basically, a bunch of chopping, a little mixing, and that’s it! And with bright, happy colors like the ones in this recipe, chopping and cutting can be therapeutic.

Onceall of the chopping and mixing is done, you can serve it right away, or refrigerate and let everything mingle a bit until ready to serve. Personally, the salad does seem to taste better when it’s been given time to warm up a bit instead of straight out of the fridge.As an appetizer this saladis traditionally served with chips for dipping, but we also enjoy it with celery or cucumber for a lighter bite.

This recipe is a basic rendition of an old favorite. You canalways add or substitute other types of peppers, onions or herbs. Maybe spice it up with a jalapeno, poblano or banana peppers for a bit of akick?However you mix it, this Blackeye Pea Saladrecipe is one to keep in your repertoire of quick and easy dishes. And it doesn’t hurt that it is yummytoo!

Check out these easy bean recipes to add to your menus:

• Grilled Potato and Cannellini Bean Salad
• Italian Sausage Garbanzo Beans
• Easy Chicken and Black Bean Burritos
• Mexican Black Bean Pizza

Blackeye Pea Salad Recipe

Blackeye Pea Salad

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

This side dish or appetizer is sneaky good and super easy to make too!

Ingredients

• 2 (15 ounce) cans of blackeye peas, drained
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced (about 1/2 of medium onion)
• 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 of pepper)
• 2 tablespoons green onion, chopped (about 3 green onions)
• 1/3 cup cilantro leaves, rough chopped
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup rice wine or white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

1. Begin by draining the peas.
2. Dice the purple/red onion, green onion, yellow bell pepper and rough chop the cilantro.
3. Mix together the black-eyed peas, onion, pepper and cilantro in a bowl.
4. In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, oil, brown sugar, salt and pepper, pour over the black-eyed pea/onion/pepper combo, mix well to combine.
5. Serve right away or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

* This saladdoes tend to taste better when it’s be given time to warm up to room temperature instead of straight out of the fridge.

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Originally published April 9, 2010.