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These vegan curried black-eyed peas are a great low-fat source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The flavor is sure to wake up your palate!

Spoonful of Curried Black-eyed Peas being held over a pot of peas

I’m trying to incorporate more legumes like beans, lentils, and black-eyed peas into my diet. Legumes are low on the glycemic index scale and a great low-fat, plant-based source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

These curried black-eyed peas made with coconut milk are nutritious, delicious, and totally vegan.

Legumes don’t inherently have a ton of flavor, so they can take on many different spice combinations. The Indian flavors in this dish will certainly wake up your palate. If you don’t like heat, you can skip the cayenne when you make this recipe.

If you’re looking for tasty and easy ways to include more legumes in your diet, definitely try this curry-spiced dish. It’s so nutritious and satisfying!

How to make curried black-eyed peas

This entire recipe comes together in one saucepan on the stove for easy prep and cleanup.

Ingredients for the curried peas

Step 1: Rinse the dried black-eyed peas, then transfer them to a large bowl. Add water to at least an inch above the peas and allow to soak for 8 hours or overnight.

Step 2: In a small bowl, mix together the coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and cumin. Set aside.

Spices mixed together in a glass bowl

Step 3: In a large saucepan, heat the canola oil over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the onion and sauté until the onion gets some color, about 10 minutes.

Step 4: Add the garlic, ginger, and spice mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes.

Onion, garlic, and spice mixture cooking in a pan

Step 5: Add the tomato and cook over low heat, stirring continuously, until the tomato is no longer chunky.

Step 6: Drain and rinse the black-eyed peas, then add them to the onion mixture along with the water and salt.

Peas cooking in a pot

Step 7: Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the black-eyed peas are tender, about 30 minutes.

Step 8: Stir in the coconut milk and simmer, uncovered, for another 10 minutes or so. Just before serving, add the lime juice.

Fully cooked black-eyed peas in a pan

That’s it! Your hearty, nutritious bowl of legumes is ready to enjoy.

Time-saving techniques

Don’t have time to make your own curry spice mix? No problem! You can replace the coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and cumin with a high-quality curry blend from the store.

Want to use canned black-eyed peas instead of dried peas? Simply rinse and drain, then reduce the water in the recipe to 1 cup. You can cut the cooking time in half and skip the salt.

Storage

This recipe is for six servings of curry-spiced black-eyed peas, which I consider a pretty big batch. I love making them all at once and saving the leftovers for later in the week!

Simply allow any extra servings to cool, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll stay fresh for up to a week.

Pot and bowl of curried peas on a table

Other delicious legume recipes

Now that you know how nutritious legumes are, you’re probably looking for more ways to incorporate them into your weekly menu!

Because their flavor is pretty mild, they can be enjoyed in so many different ways. Here are a few of my favorite recipes I know you’ll enjoy:

For more healthy veggie-based recipes, check out my roundup of low-carb and diabetes-friendly vegan recipes.

When you’ve tried this dish, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!

Curried Black-eyed Peas

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These vegan curried black-eyed peas are a great low-fat source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The flavor is sure to wake up your palate!
Author: Diabetic Foodie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Soak Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients 

Instructions

  • Rinse the dried black-eyed peas, then transfer them to a large bowl. Add water to at least an inch above the peas and allow to soak for 8 hours or overnight.
    1 cup black-eyed peas
  • In a small bowl, mix together the coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and cumin. Set aside.
    1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • In a large saucepan, heat the canola oil over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the onion and sauté until the onion gets some color, about 10 minutes.
    1 tablespoon canola oil, 1 cup onion
  • Add the garlic, ginger, and spice mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes.
    2 cloves garlic, 1 1-inch piece of fresh ginger
  • Add the tomato and cook over low heat, stirring continuously, until the tomato is no longer chunky.
    1 medium tomato
  • Drain and rinse the black-eyed peas, then add them to the onion mixture along with the water and salt.
    2 cups hot water, ½ teaspoon salt
  • Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the black-eyed peas are tender, about 30 minutes.
  • Stir in the coconut milk and simmer, uncovered, for another 10 minutes or so. Just before serving, add the lime juice.
    1 cup canned light coconut milk, 1 tablespoon lime juice

Notes

This recipe is for 6 servings.
To save time, substitute a high-quality curry blend for the coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and cumin. You can also use canned black-eyed peas.
If using canned peas, rinse and drain, reduce the water to 1 cup, cut the cooking time in half, and skip the salt.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Nutrition Info Per Serving

Nutrition Facts
Curried Black-eyed Peas
Amount per Serving
Calories
151
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
5.1
g
8
%
Saturated Fat
 
2.5
g
13
%
Trans Fat
 
0
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0.7
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
1.3
g
Cholesterol
 
0
mg
0
%
Sodium
 
199.1
mg
8
%
Potassium
 
54
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
 
18.6
g
6
%
Fiber
 
3.4
g
14
%
Sugar
 
2.9
g
3
%
Protein
 
7.1
g
14
%
Net carbs
 
15.2
g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.