Curried Vegetarian Black-Eyed Peas Recipe (2024)

Indian » Curried Vegetarian Black-Eyed Peas Recipe

Published: Sep 16, 2016 · Updated: Jul 22, 2019

This curried vegetarian black-eyed peas recipe is an easy to prepare, lightly-spiced mild coconut curry that’s great for people who want a creamy curry without the hot spice usually found in Indian curries. Black-eyed peas are a quick cooking bean which means that you can have this dish on the table in less than an hour when cooking the beans from dry, or in about 20 minutes when using canned beans.

My love of hot and spicy foods is certainly no secret. I love, love, love spicy Thai coconut curries like this vegetable green curry and this vegan red curry, and I pretty much can’t eat fries without Tabasco sauce anymore.

But I’m not always in the mood to sweat it out at the dinner table, especially in the stiflingly humid Spanish summertime, and not everyone shares my love of spice.

So this curried vegetarian black-eyed peas recipe is for you, mild curry lovers! The coconut milk not only makes this curry super creamy, it also tones down the heat of the chili powder and compliments the mix of warming spices well.

The other great thing about this recipe is that you should be able to find all the spices and ingredients you need at your local supermarket. Nothing too exotic here.

Black-eyed peas are a great bean to cook up during the week or any day you’re short on time. I learned recently that contrary to popular belief they don’t need to be pre-soaked and can be cooked from dry much faster than other bean varieties.

I’ve used them before to make this amazing smoky Cajun-style black-eyed peas recipe (it’s really seriously smoky and flavourful!) and I love their earthy flavour that’s so different from other beans. Of course if you don’t have black-eyed peas you can use this coconut curry sauce recipe with any other kind of bean and it will be equally delicious!

Yield: Serves 4

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup dried black-eyed peas (2 ½ cups cooked)
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons garam masala (see note below)
1 tablespoon coriander powder
3 tomatoes, diced
1 cup coconut milk
Salt, to taste
A bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Rinse and pick through the black-eyed peas. Put them in a pot and cover with water and add salt to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until the beans are soft, 30-45 minutes. Drain.
While the beans are cooking, prepare the coconut curry sauce. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and fry, stirring, for 20 – 30 seconds or until the seeds are fragrant and begin to crackle.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion. Fry until transparent then add the garlic and ginger and fry until soft. Add all the spice powders and fry, stirring, for about a minute or until they release their aroma.
Add the tomato and raise heat to medium-high. Simmer, stirring occasionally and crushing the tomatoes with the back of your spoon until you get a thick sauce. Add the black-eyed peas, coconut milk and salt to taste. Simmer for a couple of minutes or until the sauce reaches the consistency that you like.
Serve with fresh chopped cilantro sprinkled on top and basmati rice.

Did you make this recipe?

Join our Facebook group and share a photo or ask a question!

Note: Packaged garam malasa mixes are often too spicy and full of cheap fillers rather than fragrant spices. I make my own garam masala, which is really easy and good to have on hand in your spice rack. I don’t put any chili powder in my garam masala so if yours has chili, your dish will be spicier than mine.

« Vegan Sushi Bowls with Yam Tempura

Vegan Tacos with Chickpeas and Smoky Mayo »

Reader Interactions

Comments

Karen White says
November 24, 2016 at 1:45 pm
I share your love of hot and spicy food but this sounds equally yummy. Another one to try very soon.
Reply
- Melissa says
  November 28, 2016 at 3:47 pm
  Please do, this recipe is spectacular (if I do say so myself :P)!
  Reply
chitra says
February 11, 2017 at 11:27 am
Tried this. It was amazing. Thanks!
See Also
Easy Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe - Sandhya's Kitchen Bloody Falafel Fingers. Baked Chickpea Split Pea Falafels for Halloween. Vegan Glutenfree recipe - Vegan Richa Mushroom curry recipe – My Darling Lemon Thyme Healing Mung Bean Soup (Moong Soup) – Vegetarian Recipes for Mindful Cooking
Reply
Becky says
July 22, 2017 at 2:34 am
Any recommendations for vegetable side dishes that pair well with this curry?
Reply
- Melissa says
  July 24, 2017 at 9:30 am
  This curry is so flavourful it's great with any steamed veggie of your choice. If you want more of an Indian vibe, try these spiced potatoes and zucchini.
  Reply
  - Becky says
    August 03, 2017 at 12:14 am
    Thanks! I took inspiration from another one of your recipes and threw a bunch of chopped chard in with this one. It turned out quite well. Great recipe!
    Reply
Anna says
July 26, 2017 at 12:20 am
Hi! What tomatoes did you use? Fresh or canned?
Reply
- Melissa says
  August 04, 2017 at 3:52 pm
  Fresh
  Reply
Jacqueline says
September 21, 2017 at 9:04 am
Scrumptious! I used cardamom seeds as I didn't have cumin seeds and it still tasted delicious - non veggie husband loved it too! Best wishes from New Zealand
Reply
Jane says
October 01, 2017 at 1:09 pm
Made this ! But instead mixed black beans, black eyes peas, and lentils up to the 2 &1/2 cups, with also some snow peas ! Was delicious !
Reply
Theresa says
December 31, 2017 at 11:24 pm
I made this exactly as written and it was delicious. I love how the cumin seeds add another complexity of cumin flavor.
Reply
Melissa says
January 01, 2018 at 11:44 pm
Just made this for New Year’s and it was great! I served it with sweet potatoes. Thank you!
Reply
sf says
January 16, 2018 at 11:15 pm
I made this last night and it was spectacular... even though I got confused and this American used American chili powder,
which is a mix (not chile powder). From the comments, I see I should have used cayenne, hot paprika or maybe Kashmiri chile powder, but I thought it was delicious anyway! I'll make a note to use a hot chile powder on my copy of the recipe, because I'm definitely going to make this again. BTW: I added a handful of spinach to mine. Yum!
Reply
Karen Babyak says
January 23, 2018 at 1:21 am
See Also
Veg Clear Soup Recipe
This was sooo good. I made lettuce wraps with it because I made mine in the rice cooker so I couldn’t make rice. Umm, both of those decisions were perfect. Sooo good as a wrap!
Reply
Danielle says
February 26, 2018 at 1:33 am
Thank you for this recipe, it is so delicious! I added pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots that I bakes with some of the spices first and then some spinach at the end. I will definitely make this again 🙂
Reply
April says
June 17, 2018 at 4:27 pm
Hi ,
What type of coconut milk did you use? regular unsweetened carton milk or canned coconut milk? Also, if canned, did you use lite or regular?
Reply
- Melissa says
  June 19, 2018 at 12:06 pm
  Regular canned coconut milk, not lite.
  Reply
Lynn says
July 25, 2018 at 6:28 pm
Hi, If I’m using fresh plum tomatoes (roughly a half cup each cut up), how many would I need? I made this recipe a few months ago and because winter tomatoes are tasteless at best, I ended up using canned diced tomatoes and it was absolutely delicious. Making this again for the family and will be doubling the recipe and will definitely be using fresh tomatoes.
Reply
- Jessica says
  November 15, 2018 at 10:02 am
  Lynn, did you use just 1 can of diced tomatoes? This recipe sounds good and I have a bunch of black eyed peas (a bean I've never used before) and plenty of canned diced tomatoes
  Reply
  - Lisa says
    April 13, 2019 at 3:37 am
    Hi - I just made this tonight and I used diced canned tomatoes with no additional salt added. I drained them and then put them in. They didn't cook down entirely as I would have liked, but the dish still tasted amazing.
    I have a question when useing fresh tomatoes - my gut thinks you would want to either roast them or blanch them to remove the skins?
    Reply
Ginger says
August 21, 2018 at 3:38 am
This recipe was a little bit more than wonderful!
I left out the coconut milk because I didn’t have it on hand and served it over rotini pasta. It tasted just like a chili recipe. I will continue to have this recipe often.
Thank you.
Reply
Rebone says
September 16, 2018 at 5:15 pm
I love this recipe. I have made it quite a couple of times, which is rare for recipes I find online. I'm in fact, about to make it again. So just want to thank you for sharing this. 🙂
Reply
Leigh Anna G. says
October 13, 2018 at 12:26 am
This is a wonderful recipe, so grateful I stumbled on it- thank you for sharing!
Reply
Zaza says
November 09, 2018 at 12:42 am
I made this a few times now, and we love it. Always come back to this curry because it's simple but flavourful. Soul food 🙂
Reply
zak says
November 09, 2018 at 5:58 pm
Hi what is an alternative to use instead of coconut milk? Thanks!
Reply
Janine Latus says
January 04, 2019 at 11:54 am
I don't see tomatoes on the ingredients list. What kind and what volume?
Reply
Angela Carrion-Jones says
February 21, 2019 at 3:06 am
Hi,
Do you drain the beans before adding them to the curry"
Reply
Lisa says
April 13, 2019 at 3:34 am
I tried this and loved it; but I would like to know what are the calorie counts? How would I go about trying to figure all of that out?
Reply
- Melissa says
  April 29, 2019 at 9:09 am
  There are many online nutritional calculators. You can just copy and paste the ingredients in. I don't have a specific one to recommend since I'm not a nutritionist and I cannot assess if they're accurate or not.
  Reply
Cheryl says
April 30, 2019 at 4:24 pm
Made this last night for lunches this week. No Garam Masala and didn’t want to make so used some curry powder. Yum. Now I have another way to make black-eyed peas . Yeah!
Reply
Carol says
August 07, 2019 at 7:43 pm
Just tried this dish and it was delicious! Thank you.
Reply
David says
November 02, 2019 at 3:30 pm
I wish to make your recipe but i'd like to spice it up. What addition do you suggest to accomplish a warmer version of the recipe?
Reply
Rebone says
March 29, 2020 at 2:24 pm
I've tried this with coconut milk and when I didn't have that, with cow's milk. Although it's tastier and more fragrant with coconut milk, it works well with either. I hardly ever have fresh coriander but it works well without it. I also add a bit of chutney for subtle sweetness. Great served with brown basmati rice, and even better served with mashed potato. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Reply
Bonnie says
March 07, 2022 at 3:10 am
Made these tonight—delicious! I was out of cumin and I used canned tomatoes, but followed everything else to a T. Even my daughter who is not a big fan of coconut curries gave me a compliment! Can’t wait to eat leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Curried Vegetarian Black-Eyed Peas Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What thickens black-eyed peas? ›

Smash more of the peas up against the inside of the pot again (this helps the broth thicken). Simmer for 10 minutes more. Check the consistency of the black-eyed peas: If they are not creamy enough for you, smash a few more peas. If the broth is too thick, thin out with a little more water.

Show Me More ›

Should black-eyed peas be soaked before cooking? ›

Do I need to soak black-eyed peas before cooking? Soaking black-eyed peas make the cooking process shorter. The ideal time for soaking any kind of bean in cold water is overnight or 8-10 hours. To speed up the process, try my favourite quick hot-soak method.

See Details ›

How do you spice up canned black eyed peas? ›

Add onion, pepper and garlic and cook about 6 minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp. Add ham and cook 2 minutes. Simply add the canned black eyed peas, tomatoes, and the other remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Read On ›

What does baking soda do to black-eyed peas? ›

Bottom Line. If beans make you uncomfortably gassy, sprinkle a little baking soda into their soaking water. It will reduce the volume of gas produced by the legumes, plus, they will cook quicker. If you're even shorter on time, you may want to try some of our favorite recipes to make with a can of black beans.

Know More ›

How much cornstarch to thicken black-eyed peas? ›

If you want to thicken the black eyed pea soup/stew, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and about a half cup or so of the bean liquid. Slowly pour in small amounts and stir in the hot pot until you achieve the best consistency. You may not require the entire amount.

Read The Full Story ›

Can you overcook black-eyed peas? ›

Drain them the next day and bring them to a boil in cold water, then reduce the heat so the water barely simmers: dried black-eyed peas can overcook, and a rolling boil could cause them to break apart. Taste the peas often to check their doneness: They should be creamy but retain their shape.

View Details ›

Can black-eyed peas be soaked too long? ›

It is possible to soak beans for too long before cooking. Beans should soak for 8 to 10 hours overnight. If they are soaked for longer than 12 hours, they can lose their familiar flavor and become overly mushy. For the best result, refrain from soaking them for too long.

Find Out More ›

How long do you cook black-eyed peas for? ›

Place beans in a large pot and cover them with 4 inches of chicken stock. Simmer, covered, for about 1 hour. Start checking after 45 minutes to see if they are tender and add more broth or water as necessary to keep them covered. Add in a ham bone if you have one for even more flavorful black-eyed peas.

Learn More Now ›

Should I rinse canned black-eyed peas? ›

Canned black-eyed peas are best in recipes that don't require slow cooking or a long cook time, which can make them mushy. If you're using canned black-eyed peas, simply rinse them in a colander to remove any liquid from the can as well as excess salt. Then you're good to go!

What do you eat with black-eyed peas? ›

In Southern cuisine, they are often paired with ham hocks or smoked turkey for added flavor. Jambalaya, a Cajun dish, and Hoppin' John, a traditional Southern dish combining black-eyed peas, rice, and pork, are popular choices. These pairings create a well-rounded and satisfying meal.

Get More Info ›

Why are black-eyed peas still hard after cooking? ›

It can be a number of factors. If you have hard water that can help keep them hard the calcium ions tend to bind to the beans and keep them hard. Sodium ions from water softeners don't do that. So if you have a water softener, you should soften the water you use to soak and cook them.

Get More Info Here ›

What meat goes good with black-eyed peas? ›

The best dishes to serve with black eyed peas are butter chicken, chicken enchiladas, Calrose rice, cauliflower rice, Hawaiian beef stew, beef vindaloo, brown rice and vegetables, broccoli soup, air fryer haddock, cornbread, mashed sweet potatoes, brown sugar pork chops, and honey glazed carrots.

Keep Reading ›

Why do black-eyed peas foam when cooking? ›

When dry beans boil, a foam forms on the top of the cooking liquid. This foam is water-soluble protein released from the beans and it will be absorbed back into the bean cooking liquid. It is not necessary to remove the foam.

Tell Me More ›

Can I use flour to thicken black-eyed peas? ›

How do I thicken cooked black-eyed peas? To thicken this dish, mix around two tablespoons of cornstarch or flour into a cup of cold water. Stir this mixture into the black-eyed peas. Another method would be to remove one or two cups of beans and mash them until it has a thick, smooth consistency.

Explore More ›

How do you thicken field peas? ›

Most cooks add in a form of pork, whether it be bacon drippings, fatback, ham hock, or salted pork… The meat not only develops the flavor but also acts as a thickener to the bean pot. Without this step, the peas can be rather boring.

Tell Me More ›

Should you fertilize black-eyed peas? ›

Keep the soil moist to avoid drought stress. Using a soaker hose or drip-system will keep the foliage dry and help avoid foliar diseases. A layer of straw mulch will help retain soil moisture as temperatures get hot. Black eyed peas are not a “hungry” crop, so fertilizer is not needed.

Discover More Details ›

What happens if you don't soak black-eyed peas? ›

Not soaking the black-eyed peas can slightly impact the texture, as they can take longer to cook and may be slightly firmer compared to soaked ones. However, the taste will remain similar whether you soak them or not.

Tell Me More ›

Curried Vegetarian Black-Eyed Peas Recipe (2024)

Ingredients

Instructions

Recommended Products

Nutrition Information:

Did you make this recipe?

Reader Interactions

Comments

Leave a Reply

FAQs

What thickens black-eyed peas? ›

Why are black-eyed peas still hard after cooking? ›