“Don’t Disturb This Groove” Quick and Easy black eyed pea salad

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Crunchy, refreshing and healthy soul food recipe featuring blackeyed peas. Using just a few ingredients this dish can be made quick and easily.

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Black eyed Pea Salad – the perfect summer salad and healthy soul food fare. It’s got it all – texture, crunch, bite, tanginess, sweetness, and savory.

Typical Black eyed Pea Salad Ingredients

Deep in the Lone Star State, we, not to be like other states/regions refer to black eyed pea salad as “Texas Caviar.” There are many variations, but the core ingredients are:

• Canned black eyed peas
• Red onions
• Bell Pepper (any color)
• Jalapenos
• Apple
• Fresh Cilantro
• Rice Wine Vinegar
• Limes
• Olive Oil
• Sugar
• Sea or Kosher Salt
• Pepper

Growing up black eyed pea salad was almost as common as “sweet” tea during the hot summer months. Keep in mind Texas summers are about 8 months long! However I didn’t eat it much, primarily because my grandmother made the world’s best potato salad.

During our barbecues I’d have a plate that consisted of only potato salad and grilled meats. There was no room for beans, black-eyed peas, nor slaw. If I did eat them back then it was mainly as leftovers. What I remembered about her black eyed pea salad was that it was refreshing and could be eaten on for days. As a matter of fact it got even better after sitting a day or two undisturbed afterwards.

During my time in Chicago, my chef partner in crime, George Outlaw came up with his own version and to say it was a hit would be an understatement.  George has the magic touch, and I have no interest in trying to replicate something that’s damn near perfect. It’d be like all these movie directors and music artists who remake those classic great songs.

Now I will say if you going to remake a classic do it like Meshell Ndegeocello. You can choose any or all of recent covers of 80’s soul music on her Ventriloquism. It’s a genius album and though I don’t have a favorite (too hard to choose) “Don’t Disturb This Groove” is most apt to my current moment. Life is good…

How to make Texas Caviar (step by step)

This recipe is too easy for instructions, but I’ll list out a few steps

Step 1: Combine the onions, peppers, apples, cilantro and black eyed peas in a bowl

Step 2: In a separate bowl whisk together the rice wine vinegar, lime juice, olive oil, sugar, salt, and pepper

Step 3: Add the vinaigrette to the vegetables mix. Stir well and let marinate undisturbed in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Serving Suggestions

This is your quintessential barbecue side. Serve with your normal bbq fare or be inspired by a few options below:

Smoked Pork Chops

Smoked Rack of Lamb

Smoked Lamb Ribs

Grilled Pork Chop

Smoked Trout

Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Smoked Jerk Oxtails

Smoked Pork Ribs with African Spice Rub

Smoked Whole Cauliflower

Smoked Cabbage Wedges

Black Eyed Pea Salad Making Tips

• This salad need not be complicated, so keep things simple and just focused on quality ingredients.
• I used canned peas, but fresh or frozen work fine. 
• Recipe calls for jalapenos, but feel free to sub in your favorite sweet or spicy chili. Heat can throw the balance off so be careful. I prefer to remove seeds and veins personally
• I like honeycrisp apples which are extra crispy, sweet and juicy.
• Pears are alternatives to apples
• Acid options beyond rice wine vinegar include champagne vinegar, red wine vinegar or any other milder vinegars. I like the milder profile of rice wine vinegar, just be sure to use unseasoned version
• Other ingredients that work well in this dish include diced cucumbers, parsley, oregano, and spices like a nice smoky paprika

For similar recipes you might like, try any of these:

Black eyed Pea Falafel

Black eyed Pea Soup

Hoppin John

Fried Black eyed peas

Instant Pot Black eyed Peas

Black Rice Salad

Collard Greens Slaw

Cucumber Salad

If you make this simple black eyed pea recipe or any other from the site, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them.

You can also keep up with my food exploits as well as original recipes! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. If you like any of the music you find on the site, visit me at Spotify to find curated monthly playlists.

Black-eyed Pea Salad

Crunchy, refreshing and healthy soul food recipe featuring blackeyed peas. Using just a few ingredients this dish can be made quick and easily.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Soul Food, southern

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 230kcal

Author: Marwin Brown

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium red onion finely chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno seeded and finely chopped
• 1 apple diced
• 15 oz black-eyed peas canned, drained
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves chopped
• 2 tbsp unseasoned rice wine vinegar
• 1 medium lime juiced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Combine the first 6 ingredients in a bowl.
• In a separate small bowl, whisk together the rice wine vinegar, lime juice, olive oil, sugar, and salt and pepper.
• Combine vegetables and herbs then add the vinaigrette. Mix together well and let marinate up to 8 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

Notes

• Feel free to use frozen, fresh or canned black-eyed peas. If you choose to fresh/dried just be sure not to cook too long as you want the peas to tight with a crunch.
• This salad need not be complicated, so keep things simple and just focused on quality ingredients.
• Recipe calls for jalapenos, but feel free to sub in your favorite sweet or spicy chili. Heat can throw the balance off so be careful. I prefer to remove seeds and veins personally
• I like honeycrisp apples which are extra crispy, sweet and juicy.
• Pears are alternatives to apples
• Acid options beyond rice wine vinegar include champagne vinegar, red wine vinegar or any other milder vinegars. I like the milder profile of rice wine vinegar, just be sure to use unseasoned version
• Other ingredients that work well in this dish include diced cucumbers, parsley, oregano, and spices like a nice smoky paprika
•  

Nutrition

Serving: 0g | Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 420mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 657IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 3mg

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