Simple and hearty black eyed pea salad with chopped vegetables, fresh herbs, pomegranate arils, and a bright Mediterranean dressing. Keep it vegan or add a sprinkle of creamy feta to finish! The perfect lunch or side next to your favorite protein.
I don't know if eating black eyed peas at the start of a new year brings good luck, but I usually find myself up kicking off the month of January with a big pot of this Greek-style black eyed peas recipe. I make it more for the fact that it's such an appropriate, and satisfying warm-your-belly stew on a cold winter night. No one is ever mad about it!
But I will confess a little love for black eyed peas in general. These small savory beans with the one black eye are nutrient-dense, packing antioxidants and a good amount of fiber and protein. An luckily, these beans are cheap and convenient. You can find them in your local grocery store in the dry or canned beans aisles.
If you haven't cooked with them much, today's Mediterranean black eyed peas salad recipe is a great start! I make it often for lunch, to mix in a falafel bowl, or next to things like Italian baked Chicken, cod, salmon kabobs, or even rack of lamb (I mean, if you're going meaty, it's nice to have something bright to cut through the richness).
Black Eyed-Peas Salad
If we're going to give a can of beans a Mediterranean makeover, it's going to involve a bunch of bright ingredients--chopped veggies, fresh herbs, and definitely a light and tangy dressing. Optional here, but highly recommended, pomegranate arils (seeds) and pomegranate molasses (which you can replace with balsamic reduction if you need to). So let's walk through what's in it:
- Black eyed peas. I take a major shortcut by using canned black eyed-peas. If you prefer to cook them from scratch, start with ½ cup dry black eyed peas. Soak them in plenty of water overnight. Drain them from the soaking liquid, then put them in a pot and cover with water by 4 inches. Simmer, covered for 1 hour. When the beans are ready, drain them and let them cool for a bit before using them in this salad.
- Fresh veggies & herbs. I use grape or cherry tomatoes, English cucumber, green onions (both white and green parts), fresh mint leaves.
- Pomegranate arils. If you can, use seeds from a fresh pomegranate, they'll juicy and will add a nice sweet-tangy bite to this salad.
- Dressing. A combination of lemon juice, olive oil, and pomegranate molasses. No big deal if you have to use something like balsamic reduction, but if you can, give pomegranate molasses a try. It's a great condiment that I also use in my fattoush salad and in many other ways. The dressing is simply seasoned with a big dash of kosher salt, black pepper, and fresh garlic
- Feta cheese. This is optional, but a great addition if you have it.
Make-ahead tip
Like my earlier bean salad, leftover black eyed peas salad recipe will keep well for 3 days or so, if properly stored in the fridge.
But if you want to prepare it ahead and keep it nice and fresh, you can chop up the veggies and herbs one night in advance and store them in the fridge in separate containers or in a covered bowl but do not mix them. You can also make the dressing and keep it in the fridge in a tightly-closed mason jar. When you're ready to serve, combine the beans, veggies and dressing in your serving bowl.
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Mediterranean Black Eyed Pea Salad
Ingredients
- 15 ounce can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- 6 ounces grape tomatoes, chopped
- 1 English cucumber, trimmed and chopped
- ½ cup pomegranate arils, (arils of ½ pomegranate)
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 20 mint leaves, chopped
- Feta cheese, optional
Dressing
- 2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- Kosher salt & black pepper
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the black eyed peas, chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, pomegranate arils, onions, and fresh mint.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the pomegranate molasses (or balsamic reduction), lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and a good dash of salt and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the black eyed pea salad. Mix well to combine. Finish with a sprinkle of feta cheese, if you like.
Video
Notes
- Leftovers: store leftover black eyed pea salad in the fridge in a tight-lid container. If stored properly, it will keep well for 3 days or so.
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Delicious salad! My husband can't eat a lot of dark greens so finding a salad with the right combination of ingredients can be a challenge. This is a salad we both enjoyed tonight - do give it a try!
I did not have the molasses so I used a little maple syrup and a spoonful of homemade relish and it turned out great.
I love all of your recipes; thanks so much!
So glad you and your husband enjoyed it, Shelly!
Must try! Love everything in here especially the pomegranate. Lovely recipe and images
Thank you!! 🙂
This is a great way to add more peas into my life! This healthy and delicious salad is the perfect lunch.
I agree :). Thanks, Wilhelmina!
This looks so delicious and tasty! My husband is going to love this! Can't wait!
Enjoy!! 🙂
This was everything a gourmet salad should be, and then some! Loved all the colors and textures; delicious!
Thank you, Sara!
Hello there!
I have to tell you that having parents born in Italy and myself being raised in the South, this salad is a fascinating idea. I like what you've done here with this fusion recipe, Bravo for being unique and fun! Happy New Year.
Thanks, Heidy! Hope you give it a try!
What a fresh and delicious salad! The dressing is flavorful, and the black eyed peas make it hearty enough to be a delicious meal!
Thanks so much, Jenn!
I am on a salad kick after the heavy ladened holiday foods this was the perfect find for me thank you!
Thanks, Claudia! Enjoy!
This sounds like such a delicious salad - I can't wait to give it a try for lunch!
Hope you love it! 🙂
This looks stunning, exactly the sort of thing I want to serve with a summer BBQ or lunch buffet. Bookmarking the recipe, thanks so much!
Awesome! Thank you, Kate!
This salad was delicious and so easy to make! Loved it!
Yay! Thanks, Sam!
This is the perfect easy meal to make for the new year! Thanks for a great, simple recipe!
Thanks, Stephanie!
Cannot find black eyed peas. Will this work with chicken peas?
Hi, Gail! Sure! You may want to try this Chickpea Salad, though.... SO GOOD! https://www.themediterraneandish.com/mediterranean-chickpea-salad-with-zaatar-fried-eggplant/
Hello Suzy!
It’s Ben again listen I’m very chuffed about these wonderful recipes that you are posting on to me they are so nice simple and straightforward! Keep it up, I’m loving it! Thanks
Ben
Thanks, Ben! 🙂
This was delicious! I scaled it down to half, I am a one-person household. I used frozen black-eye peas, easy to find here in the southeastern US. Didn't have the pomogranate molasses but the balsamic reduction tasted great!
Thank you for sharing, Maggie!
This recipe looks so good, but I've never used pomegranate. This recipe calls for the seeds. Can you explain how to cut a pomegranate and extract the seeds? Do you eat the flesh of the pomegranate? Thank you!
Hi Marie! Here is what you do: cut the pomegranate in half horizontally. Hold the cut side in your palm over a bowl. Use a wooden spoon to tap the peel of the fruit. The seeds will fall out on their own! You can store any extra seeds in the refrigerator for a day or two. If you do a quick internet search, there are also great videos online that show you different ways of extracting the seeds. The flesh of the pomegranate isn't for eating... only the seeds :). Hope that's helpful!!