Black-Eyed Beans Salad

Tangy Black-Eyed Pea Salad

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Get your fill of the lucky legume with bright, vibrant flavor from tons of fresh herbs.

Justin Chapple

Published on January 16, 2024

Tested by

Melissa Gray

Tangy Black-Eyed Pea Salad — Photo:
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Active Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 10 mins

Yield:

8 servings

Simmering black eyed peas with a sachet of tomato, scallions, chiles, garlic, and cilantro stems flavors them as they cook; the vegetables later become the base for a silky dressing in the tangy salad. Depending on how old your beans are, the cooking time could vary greatly, so begin checking for tenderness at around 25 minutes.

Frequently asked questions

What are black eyed peas?

Although they are called black-eyed peas, these legumes are, in fact, beans. The black spot in their centers is the spot where the beans were attached to their pods before shelling.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

This black eyed beans salad packs some heat between the chiles de árbol and jalapeños. Feel free to seed the jalapeños for a milder version of this dish. Adding the arugula and cilantro just before serving boosts the freshness factor in the salad, and prevents them from wilting too quickly.

Make ahead

Yes, black eyed beans salad can be made ahead of time through step 2. Store the peas and salad dressing separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days. To serve, bring the dressing up to room temperature before proceeding to step 3.

Suggested pairing

We like a light-bodied pilsner beer, such as Firestone Walker Pivo Pilsner.

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Ingredients

Black-Eyed Peas

1 medium-size (3-ounce) plum tomato, cored and halved crosswise
6 to 8 (12-inch) cilantro sprigs, to taste
4 large garlic cloves
3 scallions, trimmed and halved crosswise
3 (2 1/2-inch) chiles de árbol, seeded
1 medium jalapeño, stemmed (seeded, if desired) and halved lengthwise
1 pound dried black- or yellow-eyed peas, picked over and rinsed
1 quart lower-sodium chicken broth
3 cups water, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon kosher salt

Salad

6 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 3 limes)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon water
Kosher salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 cups packed baby arugula, roughly chopped (2 cups)
2 cups loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves and thin stems, roughly chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 small (6-ounce) red onion, very thinly sliced and rinsed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium (1-ounce) jalapeño, unseeded and thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)

Directions

Make the black-eyed peas

Gather tomato, cilantro, garlic, scallions, chiles de árbol, and jalapeño together in a 12-inch-square piece of dampened cheesecloth to create a purse-style sachet; tie to close using kitchen twine. Place sachet, dried peas, broth, 3 cups water, and salt in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed to keep peas submerged in liquid, until peas are tender but not falling apart, 25 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from heat. Drain well, reserving sachet. Spread peas evenly on a large rimmed baking sheet; let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
Make the salad

Untie sachet. Place tomato, garlic, chiles de árbol, and jalapeño in a blender; discard cilantro and scallions. Add lime juice, oil, honey, and 1 tablespoon water to blender, and process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.
Gently stir together cooled peas and dressing in a large bowl until evenly coated, being careful not to mash peas. Fold in arugula, chopped cilantro, red onion, and sliced jalapeño. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.