It’s May 4 and I’m wearing a sweater. A sweater, y’all. We should have sunny skies and temperatures in the 80’s. What we have is wind, clouds, rain, and mid-50’s. What the heck is going on with the weather! I want blue summer skies with warm days and summer food. I want to picnic by the lake and stroll through the farmer’s market. Instead, I’m thinking of starting a fire in the fireplace. This is just nuts.
But I’m keeping my hopes up and I know that we’ll have a beautiful summer soon. And when those pretty, warm days come around, maybe we’ll fill our picnic basket (or at least our dinner table) with delicious recipes like this one.
This black-eyed pea salad is very similar to the traditional three-bean salad that is a staple at Southern picnics, pot-lucks, and church dinners, although it’s a lot lower in sugar than that recipe. It’s easy to make, easy to transport, and almost everyone likes it. Even the little ones enjoy it, though they may pick out the onions :-)
It goes particularly well with a summer dinner of fried chicken, potato salad, and fresh green beans :-)
This black-eyed pea salad combines canned peas with sliced onions in a sweet, tangy marinade. Great all-year round side dish. Click To Tweet
Start by rinsing and draining two cans of black-eyed peas. I really do recommend the canned black-eyed peas for this recipe. They’re cooked to just the right texture and hold their shape very well in the marinade. And they’re just so convenient!
Now slice a small onion very thinly.
Put the black-eyed peas and onions in a medium bowl along with a little chopped, fresh parsley.
In a small saucepan, add the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture just to a boil. Pour the warm mixture over the peas and onions.
Cover and let stand for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, for flavors to develop.
I prefer to strain the salad before serving, but it’s not necessary. If you do strain it, save the marinade and put any leftovers back into it for storage.
Enjoy!
Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped, fresh parsley
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tblsp. sugar (or sugar substitute)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the black-eyed peas and onions in a medium bowl.
- In a small saucepan, add the remaining ingredients and bring just to the boil. Remove from heat and pour over the peas and onions.
- Cover and let stand at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, for flavors to develop.
Notes
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A few more bean and pea salad recipes you might enjoy:
- Traditional Three Bean Salad from about.com Southern Food
- Carrot, Dill, and White Bean Salad from 101 Cookbooks
- Mushroom, Caramelized Onion, and Cannellini Bean Salad from Cookin’ Canuck
- Greek Black-Eyed Pea Salad from Simply Recipes
- Purple Hull Pea Salad from Homesick Texan
- Cold English Pea Salad from Deep South Dish
[email protected] says
atI discovered black eyed peas a few years ago and have never looked back! Always looking for new ways to use them and this salad is right up my alley!! I am jealous… Uncle J’s menu sounds sooooo good!!!
Lana Stuart says
atThey’re a very Southern product, Nancy, so of course I’ve been eating them all my life! They’re a fantastic protein source, too. And yes, Uncle J’s menu was delicious! But the company was even better.
Deborah says
atIt’s just barely starting to warm up here – but I can’t wait for summer! This looks like the perfect salad to bring to a potluck!
Lana Stuart says
atThis one always goes over well at potlucks and picnics. Everyone seems to like it!
Larry says
atWhen I was stationed in Ok I went to a bar and the women ( bartender ) had made a black eye bean salad but she had put in a little crushed red pepper flakes in, I didn’t get the exact amounts but it wasn’t to spicy but was very good, if I make your recipe but add the pepper flakes how much would I add ( 1/8 or 1/4 tsp ) what you recommend. Thanks love most of your recipes I’ve made so far.
Lana Stuart says
atDepends on how spicy you want it, Larry. Red pepper flakes pack a pretty good punch. I’d start by trying no more than 1/8 teaspoon.