Black-Eyed Peas Rainbow Salad

Have you ever tried black-eyed peas? This delicious, beautiful bean was first grown in Africa more than 5,000 years ago, and was carried by slaves on ships to America. These days, it’s enjoyed all around the world. In the US, the black-eyed pea is a particularly beloved ingredient in Southern and Soul Food cuisine. You can enjoy black-eyed peas warm and creamy, or cold in a salad. They may even come stewed with bacon, okra, or fish. There are lots of ways to enjoy black-eyed peas!

For this recipe, we’ve created a tangy Black-Eyed Peas Rainbow Salad. Chard and purple cabbage bring some color, but the peas are still the stars of this dish. This sweet-tangy dressing is a wonderfully refreshing way to enjoy this one-of-a-kind bean.

Makes:

4 servings

Hands-on time:

10 minutes

Start-to-eat time:

20 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
¼ cup minced onion
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 ½ cups roughly chopped purple cabbage
¼ teaspoon salt & ¼ teaspoon pepper
4 cups rinsed and chopped collard greens or kale
1 cup shredded carrots
2 cups cooked black-eyed peas (1 cup dry beans cooked according to package instructions or two 15-ounce cans)
1 avocado (optional)
Dressing:
¼ cup fresh-squeezed tangerine or mandarin orange juice
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons honey or agave syrup
1 teaspoon onion powder
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt & ¼ teaspoon pepper

Kids kitchen skills:

sautéing
making a dressing
presentation

Tools:

measuring cups & spoons
knife & cutting board
medium pan & stirring spoon
large bowl
jar with lid

Step-by-step

Grown-up steps: Kids will need support at the stovetop. You can also use oranges or clementines to make the fresh-squeezed juice instead of tangerines or mandarin oranges.

In a medium pan on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and the crushed garlic.
Once the garlic starts to slightly bubble and becomes aromatic (that means you can smell it), add in the onion, peas, and cabbage. Sauté until cabbage is tender, about 4 minutes, and season with salt & pepper.
Adjust the heat to medium-high, and add the additional 1 tablespoon of oil followed by the collard greens. Cover and cook until the greens are tender and wilted. Turn off the heat and let it cool.
In a large bowl add the sautéed collard green mix, carrots, and black-eyed peas. Season with more salt and pepper to taste, and mix the salad together.
Top with avocado slices before serving.
To make the dressing: Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake until the dressing emulsifies (turns creamy). Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and serve!