This black eyed pea salad is a hearty salad side dish made with lots of chopped vegetables and fresh herbs. It’s all tossed in a delicious, homemade dressing that’s tangy and flavorful.

Black Eyed Pea Salad

This delicious and refreshing black eyed pea salad is full of fresh veggies and herbs. The cilantro, basil, and parsley combine together to create a flavor that is truly irresistible.

The textures and flavors in this salad are just perfect. There’s a soft chew from the nutty black-eyed peas, a crunch from the peppers, onions, and cucumber, and a lovely creaminess from the optional avocado and feta. If you love cowboy caviar, you’ll love this recipe for black-eyed peas salad.

It’s all tossed in a simple homemade dressing made from olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and honey. It’s rich, tangy, fresh, citrusy, and lightly sweet. Then it’s flavored with cumin, paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Not only is this cold black-eyed pea salad completely delicious, it also pops with so much gorgeous color that it displays beautifully on any table you set. It’s sure to be a summer favorite!

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Ingredients

Black-Eyed Peas: These make up the hearty base of our salad. They have a nutty and savory flavor. Since they’re firm, they hold up well in salads. I’m using canned in this recipe for ease and convenience, but you can always make your own Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas, just make sure that they’ve cooled fully before using them.

Cherry Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes are juicy and sweet, and add bursts of flavor when you bite into them in the salad.

Red Bell Pepper: This adds crunch and a slight sweetness that pairs well with the black-eyed peas. You can swap this for roasted red bell pepper if you prefer the softer texture and smokier flavor.

Cucumber: Cucumbers add a crunchy texture and make the salad taste refreshing.

Red Onion: I prefer red onion over yellow onion in salads where it will be eaten raw because it has a milder flavor, and it adds a gorgeous pop of color.

Parsley, Basil, and Cilantro: These herbs add a savory, aromatic flavor and make the salad taste so incredibly fresh. Fresh herbs really make such a difference in the flavor for this salad.

Olive Oil: This is the base of the dressing, and it adds a rich flavor.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar adds a tangy flavor to balance out the richness of the oil.

Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds a delicious, fresh, citrusy flavor to the dressing. It helps lighten the overall flavor of the dressing so that it doesn’t feel too heavy.

Honey: This adds some sweetness to balance out the tanginess of the apple cider vinegar. Feel free to swap this for maple syrup if you’d like.

Garlic: Minced garlic adds a nice, strong depth of flavor to the dressing.

Cumin and Paprika: These two spices add some depth and a hint of warmth to the dressing.

Salt and Pepper: This flavor duo seasons the salad. Salt enhances all of the other flavors, and pepper balances out the sweet and rich flavors.

Avocado: Avocado is optional, but it adds a really lovely creamy contrast to all the crunchy ingredients. If you’re going to use it, make sure to stir it in right before serving so that it doesn’t brown.

Feta Cheese: Feta is another optional ingredient, but it’s highly recommended. It adds a creamy, slightly salty, and tangy flavor that really balances out the other flavors and textures.

Alternative Ingredients

• Beans: I like this recipe with black-eyed peas, but you could use a different bean if you prefer. Chickpeas, cannellini beans, or even kidney beans would also work.
• Vegetables: You can add any of your favorite summer vegetables to this salad. You can also leave out any that you don’t really like. It’s a very flexible recipe.
• Herbs: Feel free to omit, swap, or add herbs based on your personal preference.
• Vinaigrette: If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, try using red wine vinegar instead.
• Cheese: Feta is my favorite cheese in this salad, but goat cheese would also work well.

How To Make Black Eyed Pea Salad

Prep the Ingredients: Begin by draining and rinsing the black-eyed peas and placing them in a large mixing bowl. Add the cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, parsley, basil, and cilantro to the bowl. (See the recipe card below for the full printable instructions.)

Make the Dressing: In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, honey, garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper until well combined.

Mix Everything Together: Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients, and gently toss to combine.

Let It Rest: Cover the salad and place it in the refrigerator for a while to give the flavors a chance to meld together.

Garnish and Serve: If you’re using avocado, stir it in gently just before serving. Serve the salad cold, and if you like, garnish it with crumbled feta cheese. See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.

Pro Tips

• Use Fresh Ingredients: All the fresh vegetables and herbs in this salad make it crunchy, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. Try to use vibrant, firm vegetables and fresh herbs (rather than dried) for the best flavor and texture.
• Let It Rest: Don’t skip the resting time! This salad needs time in the fridge for all the flavors to develop and meld together.

Should I Rinse Canned Black-Eyed Peas?

Yes, it’s always a good idea to rinse canned beans. It helps remove the excess sodium from the canning liquid, and it also helps get rid of some of the “canned” flavor.

What Goes Well With Black-Eyed Peas?

I love serving this black eyed pea salad as a side dish for summer barbecues, potlucks, or family gatherings. It’s so fresh and vibrant and pairs so well with all my favorite summer dishes, like baked beans with ground beef, some grilled shrimp kabobs, or grilled black bean burgers.

Storing Leftovers

This salad really needs to be eaten the day it’s made or the following day. By two days in the fridge the black-eyed peas get mushy and the salad thickens too much. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.

Keep In Touch

I’d love to hear what you thought of this recipe in the comments or on Instagram! @KeyToMyLime #KeyToMyLime

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Side Dish Recipes

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out all of our other side dishes. Some reader favorites are:

• Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
• Jiffy Mexican Cornbread
• Jiffy Cornbread With Creamed Corn
• Rotini Pasta Salad
• Ranch Pasta Salad
• Vinegar Coleslaw

I hope you love this black-eyed pea salad as much as I do! It’s the perfect summer side dish or New Year’s dish to bring good luck.