Southern Black Eyed Pea Salad (Printable)

Hearty black-eyed peas and brown rice tossed with crisp vegetables in a zesty lemon-mint vinaigrette. A refreshing Southern classic perfect for warm weather.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 1½ cups cooked black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 cup cooked brown rice, cooled
03 - ½ small red onion, finely diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, finely diced
05 - ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

→ Lemon Vinaigrette

06 - ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
08 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - ½ teaspoon honey or maple syrup
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How to make it:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the black-eyed peas, cooked brown rice, red onion, celery, and chopped mint
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup, salt, and pepper until emulsified
03 - Pour the lemon vinaigrette over the salad ingredients and toss gently to combine
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as desired
05 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld
06 - Serve chilled or at room temperature, garnished with extra mint if desired

# Recipe Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes even better the next day once the flavors have really gotten to know each other.
  • You can make it ahead and keep it chilled until your guests arrive, taking the stress out of last-minute prep.
  • It's naturally filling enough to stand alone as lunch, yet elegant enough to serve alongside grilled vegetables at dinner.
02 -
  • If you taste it right after combining, it might feel underseasoned, but trust the process—the salt and acidity will intensify as it sits and the vegetables release their juices.
  • Room temperature salad tastes more flavorful than ice-cold salad, so pull it from the refrigerator about fifteen minutes before serving if you want to really appreciate the brightness.
03 -
  • Make extra vinaigrette and keep it on hand, because it's extraordinary over almost any grain or leafy green you can think of.
  • If you're cooking the rice yourself, use a one-to-two ratio of rice to water and don't skip the resting time—undercooked rice will ruin the texture, but overcooked rice will make the whole salad soggy.
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