Black Eyed Pea Salad is a quick and easy salsa, salad, or side dish. Bell pepper, purple cabbage, carrots, cilantro, Serrano, and lime pack it with classic Mexican flavors and ALL the nutrients! Black eyed pea salad is great for parties, picnics, or weekday lunch!
Black Eyed Pea Salad
I have loooooved black eyed peas for many years. Not everyone can say that, but these healthy little legumes scream the things I want when I’m active…like flavor, texture, fiber, and protein.
This recipe, with the soft peas and crunchy veggies tossed with lime juice, Serrano pepper, and cilantro makes this one of best Tex-Mex salsas you’ll have up your sleeve. Bonus! It’s gluten free and vegan!
Black eyed pea salad ingredients
- black eyed peas (canned, frozen, or cooked from scratch)
- purple cabbage
- red bell pepper (or tomatoes)
- red onion
- carrot
- cilantro
- Serrano pepper
- lime
- fresh garlic
- salt and pepper
How to cook dried black eyed peas
You can cook dried black eyed peas without soaking.
To cook dried black eyed peas, grab my Black Eyed Peas Recipe with cooking instructions for stove, oven, or Instant Pot. You can omit the ham if you’re making this black eyed pea salad recipe.
How to cook frozen black eyed peas
Frozen black eyed peas are usually displayed near the frozen vegetables at most grocery stores.
To cook them, simply follow the cooking instructions on the package, but generally you boil them in water for about 20 minutes.
Did you know you can buy ‘no salt added’ black eyed peas in a can?
This is the most convenient way to add black eyed peas to this salad as they require NO cooking.
How to serve black eyed pea salad
- as a salsa with tortilla chips
- as a Mexican side dish
- as a salad … grab a fork!
Add corn, add avocado, whatever you like! It’s very versatile.
Be sure to make this recipe a day ahead so the ingredients can hang out overnight and build maximum flavor.
Recommended Tools
- chef knife and cutting board
- microplane (to grate garlic)
- mixing bowl
- can opener (if using canned black eyed peas)
- stirring utensil
- airtight storage container
Why eat black eyed peas for the new year?
In the south, it’s believed that eating black eyed peas on New Year’s Day bring luck and prosperity to the coming year.
I’ve been on board with that tradition for many years.
It’s a delicious, nutritious, tradition…and a great excuse to bring friends and family together for one last holiday hurrah!
Make a pot of No Soak Black Eyed Peas on New Year’s Eve and serve it up on Jan 1 with a pan of fresh baked cornbread!
Black Eyed Pea Salad
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Cooked Black Eyed Peas same as 15oz can
- 1/2 cup Purple Cabbage grated
- 1/2 large Red Bell Pepper diced
- 1/2 small Red Onion diced
- 1 Carrot grated
- 1 handful Fresh Cilantro chopped
- 1 Serrano Pepper seeded and finely chopped
- 1 Lime zested and juiced
- 1 clove Garlic finely grated
- 1 pinch Kosher Salt
- 1 pinch Black Pepper
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, toss together BLACK EYED PEAS, CABBAGE, BELL PEPPER, ONION, CARROT, CILANTRO, SERRANO PEPPER, LIME JUICE and ZEST, GARLIC, SALT, and PEPPER until well-combined.
- Cover and refrigerate up to 5 days; serve chilled as a salsa, salad, or side dish.
Nutrition
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I just love black eyed peas and for years I just opened up a can and put ranch dressing and a sprinkle of shredded cheese and ate then like that. Going to have to try the less expensive dried ones in the instant pot now, and with ham and maybe wild rice. Thank you!
Yes, we love to make them from scratch b/c they’re SO budget-friendly 🙂 Hope you can give this one a go! Cheers!
Who can’t use some extra prosperity every year?! Pinning this to make!
Thanks Jill! Hope you love this one like we do! 🙂
This is so healthy and best for a light Dinner. Looks colorful and tasty too.
Thanks Veena! I love all the colors too…lots of fresh ingredients 🙂
This would be perfect to serve during the holiday season!
Yep, it’s one of my favorite black eyed peas new years recipes…thanks! 🙂
Love the how colourful this salad and all the fresh ingredients. This is great light appetizer or side dish.
Thanks Marie! Yep, super light and super fresh…my fav! 🙂
This is going to be a big hit at my New Year’s party! I like the idea of serving it with tortilla chips!
Thanks Jillian! Yes…I LOVE it with tortilla chips 🙂
Very tasty and healthy — how can anyone say no to that? 🙂 I’m making them with canned peas and tortilla for scooping!!!! And a creme brulee afterwards 😉
Thanks Neriz! What time is dinner?…be right over! 🙂
I love bean salads and I usually make mine with black beans so now I need to try your version with black eyed peas since it looks so tasty! Also, I really have to try the dry bean baking method since I’m sure freshly cooked black eyed peas would be amazing.
Thanks Annemarie! I love bean salads too, so this one is always a hit! And freshly cooked BEP’s…all the way! 🙂
Such a colorful and tasty looking salsa! I don’t usually eat black eyed peas but maybe I should start!
Thanks Jill! They’re packed with ALL the good things 🙂
A simple and healthy recipes that’s perfect for all of spring’s outdoor activities!
Thanks Lisa, you’re so right! 🙂
Great tips for cooking black eyed peas! And this salsa looks so good, I would totally eat it just as is.
Thanks Alida, I love doing that too! 🙂
This sounds so good! What a great appetizer for New Year’s!
Thanks Patty! It’s the perfect appetizer for New Year’s, or any season 🙂
This looks very delicious. I will have to make this for New Year’s day dinner.
Yay, hope you love it like I do, Luci! It’s soooo good 🙂 Happy New Year!
Love the idea of this as a burrito filling. I know I could sit with some chips and this salsa on movie night too.
Thanks Ellen! Yep, it’s a very versatile recipe…and goes perfect with movie night 🙂
Pass the tortilla chips so I can dig into that salsa! So healthy and bright! Great idea for New Year’s Day!
Thanks Lisa…perfect for NYD! 🙂 Happy New Year to you, btw!
I love black eyes peas and this sounds so refreshing. It’s amazing how easy it is to just buy these in a can or frozen now – my mom would always make from scratch so she’d have to plan ahead.
Haha, I know about the old days too 🙂 It’s all so convenient now! Thanks for the compliment, btw!