Bacon and Black Eyed Pea Salad

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Bacon and Black Eyed Pea Salad is an unexpected surprise of flavor! A simple and fresh pea salad that is surprisingly delicious made with a dressing of dijon, minced garlic and the light flavors of olive oil and lemon juice. A salad so good, you’ll want to have it everyday as a special occasion.

overhead shot of blue bowl of bacon black eye pea salad

Surprisingly Good

The South is know for being pretty inventive when it comes to making lemonade from lemons. Salads are no exception. Take for instance, our BEST EVER GRAPE SALAD, you would never expect to find a salad that highlights the sweet flavors of grapes. You can find this confection on almost every table at a Sunday church meeting in the South.

Black Eyed Peas

This southern favorite is really not a pea at all. It is more of a bean. Rich in vitamins and minerals, it was once thought of as food for livestock because of the ease of growing it and the nutritional value it provided to the farm animals. The Black eye pea has a rich southern history too. We always eat it on New Years Day as per old south tradition. To find out more about that, check out the article, BLACK-EYED PEAS: A NEW YEAR’S TRADITION over at 1840Farms.

We have also gotten very inventive on how to get those black eyed beauties in every year. There is a recipe for just about even the most finicky of black eyed pea eater! One of the ways I like to fix them is in this crowd pleasing REDNECK CAVIAR. There is just something about combining them with fresh veggies that really adds to their texture.

How to Make It

This recipe is so easy, we recommend you use the store bought, canned variety of black eyed peas! The secret is in the dressing and of course, the addition of BACON! So let’s get to it! Here is what you will need!

~Ingredients~

1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard – adds zip and depth of flavor
2 Tablespoons, minced garlic – garlic accentuates the fresh veggies and rounds out the taste of the salad
salt to taste – the spice of life!
pepper to taste – We like everything a little spicy!
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper – spicing things up! Feel free to omit
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil – the best vehicle to emulsify and carry all this flavor for the dressing
1 & 1/2 Tablespoons Lemon juice – a natural and flavorful acid for the dressing
1 14oz can of black eyed peas, drained and rinsed – you can also use dried black eyed peas that have been soaked overnight
6 cooked slices of cooled and crumbled bacon – no explanation needed
1/2 cup chopped red onion – red onion is perfect for this salad for the flavor and the color
1/4 cup chopped celery – celery gives the salad a nice crunch!
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper – any color you choose!
2 Tablespoons dried Parsley – for color and flair

~Method~

Drain and rinse black eyed peas. In a small bowl, combine first 7 ingredients and whisk to combine or shake in a shaker bottle.
In a large bowl, add peas, onion, celery, bell pepper, bacon and parsley. Mix well. Pour dressing over peas and veggies and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serve and enjoy!

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Tips and Tricks

Can I spice it up even more?

Yes, feel free to add a fresh jalapeño pepper. We do this a lot and it really makes it zesty and extra spicy. Adding other spice is a great idea. Anything you think will taste good. This recipe is just a a guide to get your creative juices flowing!

Do I need Fresh lemon juice to make a great dressing?

Nope. Sure don’t. I like to do recipes that don’t require you to go out and buy something special. If you have bottled lemon juice on hand, that is the best thing to use. Fresh is always better, taste wise, but not always necessary!

Extra Virgin or regular Olive oil?

I prefer to use extra virgin as it is lighter in flavor. Regular olive oil can be a bit heavier. If I had to make one suggestion on olive oil it would be to read the labels. You want to always find a cold pressed olive oil. Not one that has been extracted using chemicals and heat. The healthiest, best tasting ones I have found meet these requirements and the best ones can be found at COBRAM ESTATE.

bacon black eyed pea salad in a blue bowl

Serve up something unusual and delicious!

For a really good unexpected burst of flavor that will have the whole family talking, this Bacon Black Eyed Pea Salad is the ticket! An unusual and unexpected dish of great flavor that highlights the beauty of the South, the Black eyed pea.

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