Hattie B’s Black Eyed Pea Salad is dressed with a bright and perfectly balanced vinaigrette. It’s a delicious make-ahead side dish!

Made completely from scratch, Hattie B’s Black Eyed Pea Salad is dressed with a bright and perfectly balanced vinaigrette that’s tossed together with chopped red and green bell peppers, scallions, and garlic.

Together it makes for a yummy side dish for any meal— and not just for hot chicken!

This signature dish from Nashville’s trendy hot chicken restaurant starts by cooking dried black eyed peas in chicken broth with sizzling bacon which infuses the peas with delicious flavor.

Served chilled, you can make Black Eyed Pea Salad up to two days ahead of time. Great for picnics, Easter dinner, or any time of year!

Hattie B’s Black Eyed Pea Salad

Weekend visits to Nashville to see our girls often involve stopping by Hattie B’s for some hot chicken, and I do mean HOT!

Specializing in fried chicken of all heat levels, Hattie B’s serves it up Southern style (no heat), mild or medium (touch of burn), hot! (feel the heat), damn hot (fire starter), or for those who are really adventurous or stupid, shut the cluck up!!! (burn notice). 

I’ll admit that I’m a wimp and haven’t ventured past the mild hot chicken, which is plenty spicy for me!

Besides the tasty chicken, though, I have fallen in love with Hattie B’s Black Eye Pea Salad and was really excited to find Chef John Lasatar’s recipe posted on the Nashville Channel 5 news site.

Ingredients

• Dried black-eyed peas
• Red bell pepper
• Green bell pepper
• Scallions or green onions
• Fresh garlic
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
• Malt vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Bacon
• Low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

Instructions

The secret to this delicious dish is making it all from scratch—it’s totally worth it! Don’t even think about substituting canned black eyed peas because I promise you won’t get the same results.

1. Soak the beans

Just like you do with other dried beans, before cooking black-eyed peas on the stove top you may wish to soak them first. Soaking them will shorten the cooking time and it may also make them easier to digest, so less gas!

Add the black eyed peas to a bowl with enough cold water to cover them by 4 inches. Chill for 12 hours, then drain off the soaking liquid.

2. Make the vinaigrette

While the beans soak, prepare the vinaigrette so it has time to marinate. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together both Champagne vinegar and malt vinegar with olive oil, parsley, salt, and black pepper.

Stir in chopped red and green bell peppers, scallions, and garlic. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.

3. Cook the black eyed peas

Cook 4 slices of bacon in a large pot over medium heat until the bacon is browned (but not crisp) and the fat is rendered. Add the drained black eyed peas, then carefully add chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, about 25–30 minutes.

When done, remove the bacon and transfer the black eyed peas to a large bowl. Pour in the prepared vinaigrette and toss to combine. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Related recipes

• Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas
• Warm Corn Chowder Salad
• Healthy Greek Coleslaw
• Lightened Up Broccoli Salad

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Yield: 10 servings

Hattie B’s Black-Eyed Pea Salad

Print

Hattie B's Black Eyed Pea Salad is dressed with a bright and perfectly balanced vinaigrette. It's a delicious make-ahead side dish!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Chill Time 12 hours

Total Time 12 hours 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 2  cups  dried black-eyed peas (about 12 oz.)
• 1  red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1  green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2  scallions, thinly sliced
• 1  garlic clove, finely chopped
• ½  cup  olive oil
• ¼  cup  Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
• ¼  cup  malt or apple cider vinegar
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1  tablespoon  kosher salt
• 1½  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 4  oz. bacon (about 4 slices)
• 6  cups  low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

Instructions

1. Place black-eyed peas in a bowl and add cold water to cover by 4”. Chill 12 hours, then drain.
2. Whisk red and green peppers, scallions, garlic, oil, Champagne vinegar, malt vinegar, parsley, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Cover and chill vinaigrette at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
3. After beans have finished soaking, cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat, turning occasionally, until brown and fat is rendered (bacon shouldn’t be crisp), 5–7 minutes. Add beans, then carefully add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender, 25–30 minutes; remove bacon. Transfer beans to a large bowl, add vinaigrette, and toss to combine. Chill, tossing occasionally, until cool, about 1 hour.
4. Do Ahead: Salad can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Notes

Recipe by Hattie B's, Nashville

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1 Servings
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 352Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 1277mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 4gSugar: 11gProtein: 23g

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