Black Eyed Pea Dip (Easy Vegan Recipe)

Cowboy Caviar's cousin, Black Eyed Pea Dip, is a chunky bean salad featuring avocado, green olives, corn, red bell pepper, and a tangy dressing. Enjoy this dish for luck on New Year's Day or anytime of the year.

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Black eyed peas for a lucky new year

Many cultures have traditional foods that are considered lucky to eat for a prosperous new year. For example, in some Asian countries, long noodles are eaten to lengthen one's life. And in Germany and Ireland, green cabbage is considered lucky in dishes like Savoy Cabbage Salad.

Did you know that in the Southern United States, eating black eyed peas on New Year's Day is thought to bring good luck? The beans are traditionally eaten with collard greens and hot chili sauce.

Another famous dish featuring the legumes is Texas Caviar, also known as Cowboy Caviar or Dixie Caviar. You can eat is as a chunky dip with tortilla chips or as a salad.

One year I decided to make my own version of black eyed pea dip featuring some of my favorite ingredients, and I've been eating it ever since. Does it bring me luck? Possibly! But either way, it's hearty and delicious, and it's incredibly easy to make.

Ingredients

All of the ingredients needed to make black eyed pea dip are likely to be found at your neighborhood supermarket:

• Black eyed peas (I typically take a short cut and buy these beans canned. But you can also cook them from dried using a stove top method. Or to use an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker, cook 1 cup pre-soaked black-eyed peas and 1 ½ cups water on high pressure for 3 minutes -- or 7 minutes for unsoaked -- and allow the pressure to release naturally.)
• Corn (canned or frozen and defrosted)
• Red bell peppers (or your favorite color)
• Green onions (or substitute red onion)
• Green olives (or substitute black olives)
• Avocado (see below for dicing instructions)
• Cilantro (omit or substitute parsley, if desired)
• Lime juice
• Hot sauce (such as TABASCO® Brand Pepper Sauce)
• Olive oil
• Ground cumin
• Salt

How to dice an avocado

For this recipe, you will need to cut an avocado into cubes. Be sure to choose one that still has a little bit of the stem attached so you can check for ripeness. If the stem comes out with no resistance, check the color of the small circle under the stem:

• Brown: the avocado is mostly likely overripe.
• Light yellow: it’s not quite ripe yet.
• Bright green: your avocado is ripe and ready to go!

To dice the avocado:

1. Lay the avocado on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice through the avocado lengthwise until you feel the knife hit the pit. Then rotate the avocado, keeping the knife steady, to make a cut all around the pit. Twist the two halves apart.
2. Using the corner of the blade closest to the handle, carefully whack the knife into the pit, then twist and lift it out. Twist the knife to pull out the pit.
3. Score the flesh of the avocado without piercing the skin. Score the avocado flesh in both direction, making squares, then scoop them out with a spoon.

Serving suggestions

This recipe is high in fiber making it quite filling. Sometimes I enjoy it as a salad with other dishes or some crusty bread. I also love it scooped up with tortilla chips.

Because it can be made in advance and refrigerated, it's fantastic for bringing to parties and potlucks. And since it's naturally vegan, even if the host doesn't serve other dishes you want to eat, you can make a meal out of this dip.

It's also perfect as part of a vegan Mediterranean diet since it contains legumes, vegetables, and heart-healthy fats from avocado and olive oil.

Storing

Leftover black eyed pea dip can be covered and refrigerated for up to a week. I recommend making a batch for lunch meal prep.

More bean dips and salads

If you enjoy this recipe, be sure to check out these other dishes featuring beans and legumes:

• Chickpea Avocado Salad with Mango
• Middle Eastern Bean Salad
• Cold Lentil Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Cannellini Bean Salad
• Chickpea Cucumber Salad with Olives

And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration, and fun.

If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars! ★★★★★

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