Recipe: Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Tahini Vinaigrette

This Juneteenth, enjoy a meal with your family and try this black-eyed pea salad, which has been modified to provide healthy nutrients.

Black-eyed peas brought by slaves from Africa became a staple in many African American dishes. Black-eyed peas, also referred to as a legume, are rich in nutrients, providing a good source of protein, fiber and iron, as well as being a great plant-based food. It is very versatile and can be used in an array of dishes and meals.  

Adding a variety of colorful vegetables can make this dish even more exciting. This recipe calls for using fonio, a highly nourishing West African grain that can be found at your grocers or in a specialty store. If you can’t find fonio, simply substitute it for a more familiar grain, such as whole wheat couscous or quinoa. 

Salad Ingredients

2 15.5 ounce cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained (or 3 cups cooked dried peas)

½ cup red bell pepper

⅓ cup red onion, diced

¼ cup green onion, sliced

2 small jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

½ of a medium English cucumber, largely diced

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half

¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

½ cup whole wheat cous-cous or fonio (if available), cooked and cooled 

Vinaigrette Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil

⅓ cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons tahini

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon honey, agave or maple syrup, more to taste

¼ teaspoon paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

1 to 2 tablespoons cold water, to thin consistency, if needed

Preparation

1. Combine black-eyed peas, bell pepper, red & green onions, jalapeno, cucumber, tomatoes, ½ of parsley and cous-cous in a large bowl. Gently toss to mix together.
2. Combine oil, lemon juice, tahini, minced garlic, honey and seasonings in a small bowl. Whisk and add water to thin, if needed. Taste and adjust with honey or salt and pepper, if needed.
3. Pour vinaigrette over black-eyed pea mixture and stir well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour for flavors to blend. Garnish with remaining parsley, just before serving.

Next Steps & Resources:

• Recipe shared by the oncology dieticians at John Theurer Cancer Center