Black Eyed Peas Recipe with Swiss Chard Over Mashed Cauliflower

This hearty black-eyed pea recipe is so good, you'll want to make it again and again! And it's so easy, too. We like to add a little bit of spice to my black-eyed peas, so we added some garam masala, fresh ginger, and coconut milk. This recipe is vegan and gluten-free, so it's perfect for everyone to enjoy. So what are you waiting for? Get cooking!

This hearty vegan dinner recipe of Black-Eyed Peas and Swiss Chard over Mashed Cauliflower is easy, rich, decadent, full of flavorful spices, and great for serving on holidays and any day of the week!

If you are looking for a traditional Southern Black Eyed Peas recipe, this recipe is not for you. But if you are looking for a rich, decadent recipe that is full of flavorful spices you'll love this recipe. Imagine if black-eyed peas went on a trip to South East Asia, they would come back covered in this deliciously spiced coconut-based sauce.

What Are Black Eyed Peas?

Black eyes peas also known as black eye beans or cowpeas are small cream-colored legumes with a black spot. These little legumes are packed with fiber and protein and are a great source of energy. Black-eyed peas originated in North Africa, but they are now cultivated all over the world and in the USA they are popular in southern cuisine.

What is Swiss Chard?

Swiss chard is a dark leafy green vegetable that is related to beets. It has an earthy flavor with a slight bitterness that goes away when cooked. Unlike kale, you can eat the chard stems! Just cut them up small and sautée them with the chard leaves. They will remain slightly crunchy but aren’t hard and fibrous like kale stems. Chard is low in calories and high in vitamins K, A, and C. 

Varieties of Chard: Swiss vs. Rainbow

Chard comes in several different varieties, but all taste similar! Swiss Chard refers to leaves with a white stem, while red chard has beautifully colored red stems, Rainbow Chard isn’t a specific variety of chard but rather all of the different varieties bundled together for sale! They make a beautiful rainbow of greens with multi-colored stems. What healthier way to eat the rainbow?

Ingredients to Make this Black Eyed Peas Recipe

• Black-eyed peas: you can use dried black-eyed peas soaked overnight, but you can use canned black-eyed peas if you prefer
• Garam masala: homemade for store-bought
• Fresh ginger, onions, and garlic: you may also use frozen ginger cubes
• Tomato Paste: add flavor
• Light coconut milk

We combined the black-eyed beans with Swiss chard and served it over mashed cauliflower, but you can serve it with rice, mashed potatoes, bulgur wheat, or farro.

How to Make our Black-Eyed Peas Recipe?

1. The black-eyed peas are simmered in a delicious garam masala coconut sauce and served over mashed cauliflower. The Swiss chard adds a pop of color and nutrition and can be easily omitted if you don't have it on hand.
2. To make this dish, start by cooking the black-eyed peas in a large pot according to the package directions. If you have a pressure cooker or instant pot use it will work great to get the black-eyed peas soft faster.
3. Drain and set aside. While the beans are cooking, sauté the onions, garlic, ginger, and garam masala until the onions are translucent. Add the tomato paste, coconut milk, black-eyed peas, and Swiss Chard. Bring to a boil and simmer.
4. Mash the cauliflower with the cashews and the rest of the ingredients using a food immersion blender.
5. To assemble, place a scoop of mashed cauliflower on each plate and top with black-eyed peas and Swiss chard. Serve with your favorite salad on the side. Enjoy!
6. The great thing about this black-eyed peas recipe is that it can be made ahead of time and reheated when you're ready to serve it. Plus, it's just as delicious (if not more so) the next day.

How to Cook Cook Black Eyed Peas?

To cook black-eyed peas, soaked them overnight and simply simmer them in water on the stovetop for about an hour or more depending on the beans. If you have a pressure cooker or Instant pot, cover with water and cook on high pressure for about 40 minutes. Instant pot black-eyed peas will soften faster than on the stovetop. Once they are cooked, drain the peas it's time to season them and add them to your favorite dishes.

Nutritional Benefits of Black Eyed Peas

Black-eyed peas are an excellent source of vegan protein and fiber. One cup of cooked black-eyed peas contains about 12 grams of protein and 16 grams of fiber! This makes them a great food for vegetarians and vegans who want to make sure they're getting enough protein in their diet. Fiber is important for keeping your digestive system healthy and controlling blood sugar levels and cholesterol.

What to Serve with Black-Eyed Peas?

Black-eyed peas are a great addition to salads, soups, stews, and rice dishes. If you're looking for some recipe inspiration, here are a few of our favorites:

Black-Eyed Pea Salad: This simple salad is perfect for summer picnics and barbecues. Just combine cooked black-eyed peas with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and your favorite vinaigrette.

Vegetarian Chili: Swap the beans in your vegetarian chili recipe with cooked black-eyed peas, you'll love it.

Black-Eyed Peas and Rice: This classic dish is a staple in many African and Caribbean cultures. It is traditionally made with white rice, but you can use brown rice, farro, or quinoa for a healthier version. Cook the rice, sauté onions, garlic, dice red bell pepper, your favorite seasoning, stir in some cooked black-eyed peas, and dinner is served.

Black-Eyed Peas Soup: Add cooked black-eyed peas to your vegetable soup and make a complete meal.

Black Eyed Peas for The New Year

According to Sephardic Jewish tradition eating black-eyed peas (lubia) on Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) symbolizes a year full of blessings and prosperity. Interestingly enough in the south of the United States, black-eyed peas are eaten on New Year's day to bring good luck and fortune to the new year.

We hope you enjoyed learning about black-eyed peas! Now that you know what they are and how to cook them, we encourage you to give them a try. They are a delicious and healthy vegan option that can be used in a variety of dishes. So go ahead and add them to your next grocery list! Who knows, they might just become your new favorite legume.

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