Vegetarian Black Eyed Peas Recipe
Tender black-eyed peas, brown rice, and sauteed kale form the base of my vegetarian black-eyed peas recipe. I make this southern-inspired dish with plant-based ingredients and have it ready in just 35 minutes, making it one of my favorite quick but nutritious meals with a traditional flair.
Servings: 6
Calories: 287kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 3 red bell peppers diced
- 4 celery sticks diced
- 5 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tsp salt more to taste
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp regular paprika
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 6 oz box baby kale chopped
- ½ cup uncooked brown basmati rice
- 3 15-ounce cans unsalted black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
- 3 chopped tomato
- chopped green onions for topping
Instructions
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add oil; swirl to coat.
- Add onion, bell pepper, and celery; sauté 10 minutes.
- Add garlic; cook 2-3 more minutes.
- Cook brown rice according to package directions.
- Add spices (salt through black peppeand kale to skillet, cook another 5-10 minutes until combined.
- Add black eyed peas and cook another 5-10 minutes.
- Add in cooked rice, stir until combined.
- Serve with diced tomato and green onions for topping
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this vegetarian black-eyed peas recipe is to cook the brown rice in vegetable broth instead of plain water. This is one of the ways I get this dish to taste rich and flavorful without any meat.
- Add garlic last: I always add the minced garlic after the onion, bell pepper, and celery have had their full 10 minutes in the pan. Garlic burns very quickly, which can lead to a sharp or bitter taste. Adding it later lets it cook gently and build a sweet, rounded flavor instead.
- Rinse the peas: I drain the canned black-eyed peas thoroughly before adding them to the pan. The liquid inside the can is starchy and salty, which can ruin the texture and taste of the finished dish.
- Dice small: Chopping all the vegetables into small uniform pieces, rather than large chunks, ensures that everything cooks through at the same rate and every spoonful has a good mix of everything.
- Adjust spice: If I am making this for the whole family, or guests who do not enjoy spicy food, I omit the crushed red pepper flakes, and reduce the smoked paprika by half. This retains a lot of the core flavors without the additional heat.
Nutrition
Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 458mg | Potassium: 842mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 5g