Our Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Italian Dressing is a great make-ahead salad ideal for potlucks, barbecues and picnics. The fried capers in this canned black-eyed peas salad add a delightful tangy crunch while the cherry tomatoes add a subtle sweetness - yum!
Don't be fooled canned black-eyed peas are actually delicious beans that are high in protein and fibre and oh so tasty in this salad with sweet tomatoes and crispy capers. An easy make-ahead salad that is great for entertaining or as a satisfying as a meal.
Dry Beans vs. Canned
There is no doubt about canned beans are just so much more convenient. In a few minutes, you have opened your can, rinsed in your strainer and you are good to go.
However, my personal preference is to always invest the additional time it takes to prepare dried beans as they are so much tastier and much more nutritious than anything you can get out of a can. Plus they are much cheaper therefore much better value.
If you can opt for beans that are sold loose in bins from specialty shops and some supermarkets as they tend to be a lot fresher and therefore a lot easier to cook. We all have a story of the bean that took forever to cook - and that relates directly to its freshness.
How to make Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Italian Dressing
STEP 1 - Prepare ingredients
- Drain your can of beans in a colander and rinse well under cold water (the water should run clear). Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Wash your cherry tomatoes under cold running water, pat dry and cut in half. Transfer to your bowl.
- Wash your capsicum, remove the seeds and core, then chop into small dice. Transfer to your bowl.
- Remove the papery skin from your onion, trim the ends, then cut into small dice. Transfer to your bowl.
- Place all the dressing ingredients into a small food processor and blitz until well combined, add 3-4 tablespoons of water to loosen if it is too thick.
- While this is a lot of dressing it is great to dunk fresh bread into the juices. If you prefer just use half.
WASH & SLICE TOMATOES IN HALF 
DICE GREEN CAPSICUM/PEPPER DICE YOUR RED ONION 
CUT BASIL INTO RIBBONS (CHIFFONADE)
STEP 2 - fry capers
- Drain a ¼ cup of capers and rinse well.
- Heat some olive oil (approximately 3-4 tablespoon in a small frypan until very hot.
- Add the capers and cook for about 2 minutes, moving them around gently with a slotted spoon.
- They should "flower" and look light brown and golden then drain on paper towels to dry.
STEP 3 - Assemble Salad
- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until the salad is well coated with the dressing. Taste adjust seasonings to your taste.
- Arrange the salad in a salad platter and garnish with the shredded basil and fried capers. Serve and enjoy!
Serving Ideas for Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Italian Dressing
This salad is ideal on its own or you can serve it as a side at your next barbecue or make it for your next picnic - it travels well. It pairs well with most meats, poultry and seafood, I had mine with some tuna flakes.
Try some more bean salad recipes:
Ingredients
- 400 grams black-eyed beans (from a can)
- 500 grams cherry tomato medley
- ½ green capsicum (pepper) (or small banana capsicum)
- 1 red onion or French shallot (a small one)
- Sea salt and cracked black pepper
- 1 cloves garlic (Minced)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 cup basil leaves (torn)
- ¼ cup capers (drained and well rinsed)
- ¼ cup basil leaves (chiffonade1)
- ¼ cup capers
Instructions
- Drain your can of beans in a colander and rinse well under cold water (the water should run clear). Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Wash your cherry tomatoes under cold running water, pat dry and cut in half. Transfer to your bowl.
- Wash your capsicum, remove the seeds and core, then chop into small dice. Transfer to your bowl.
- Remove the papery skin from your onion, trim the ends, then cut into small dice. Transfer to your bowl.
- Place all the dressing ingredients into a small food processor and blitz until well combined, add 3-4 tablespoons of water to loosen if it is too thick.
- Drain a ¼ cup of capers and rinse well.
- Heat some olive oil (approximately 3-4 tablespoon in a small frypan until very hot.
- Add the capers and cook for about 2 minutes, moving them around gently with a slotted spoon.
- They should "flower" and look light brown and golden then drain on paper towels to dry.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until the salad is well coated with the dressing. Taste adjust seasonings to your taste.
- Arrange the salad in a salad platter and garnish with the shredded basil and fried capers. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Chiffonade is a slicing technique where leafy green vegetables and herbs such as spinach, basil, sorrel, etc. are cut into long, thin strips. To do this stack the leaves on top of each other, gently roll them into a cigar, and then use a sharp knife to slice them into thin ribbons.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
This video is courtesy of Corey Marsey.
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