Y’all it’s almost 2022!! I love holidays because they are the perfect excuse to make a themed food or something that is traditional for that holiday. In the south, black eyed peas are traditionally eaten on New Year’s to help usher in good luck in the coming year. This Easy Black Eyed Pea Salad is a non-traditional way to eat black eyed peas. You will definitely want to try it this year!

This salad is tangy, crunchy, sweet, and savory! I love the texture of the beans and corn combined with the crunchy green peppers and red onions. It’s all dressed in a delicious vinaigrette that has the best flavor. This recipe is so easy to make, you can literally throw it together in a matter of minutes. Most of the ingredients you probably already have on hand.

There are many versions of this Black Eyed Pea salad out there. It is also known as Texas Caviar or Cowboy Caviar. Many variations include tomatoes or avocados. My version does not include either of these due to my family’s preferences, so I increased the amount of the other ingredients accordingly. I also do not add jalapeño, but you could if you wanted.

Ingredients and Substitutions for Easy Black Eyed Pea Salad:

Sweet corn – This recipe uses canned vegetables, but you could also use fresh if you prefer. If using fresh corn, I would recommend charring it in a skillet for a few minutes to really bring out the flavor.
Black beans and black eyed peas – You can use dry beans and cook them if you prefer. Make sure to fully cool them before using them in this recipe.
Green bell pepper – Use whatever color pepper you have on hand!
Red onion – Red onion adds a great flavor, but you could also use yellow/white onion or even shallots.
Cilantro – If you don’t like cilantro, you can use parsley for extra color, or just leave it out.
Olive oil – Another mild-flavored oil like avocado oil could be used as well.
Lime juice – Fresh lime juice is best, but feel free to use bottled or even lemon juice in a pinch.
White vinegar – Many types of vinegars work well in this recipe. Try it with white/red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or rice vinegar if you want.
Salt – If you want to make this low sodium, leave out or reduce the added salt.
Minced garlic – I like garlic, so this recipe calls for minced garlic. You can also use garlic powder for a milder flavor.
Granulated sugar – If you want to make the dish lower in sugar, leave out or reduce the amount of sugar.

How to make Easy Black Eyed Pea Salad:

To a large bowl, add corn, black beans, black eyed peas, green pepper, and red onion.

In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the dressing ingredients. Mix thoroughly until the sugar is dissolved and a cohesive dressing is formed. Pour dressing into bowl with bean mixture. Stir to combine well. Add cilantro and stir again.

Cover tightly and store in the fridge for at least 30 minutes prior to serving to allow the flavors to meld together. Enjoy!!

Sizzling Tip:

To further reduce the sodium in this recipe, use no-salt added beans and corn. Some sodium will also be removed when the beans and corn are drained/rinsed.