Black Eyed Pea Dip

Bettina Applewhite
Dec 22, 2025
2 min read

This dip is a simple, flavorful way to add more fiber and plant-based protein to your plate. It’s an easy win for getting in a few servings of legumes each week, and it comes together in five minutes or less. What’s better than big flavor with minimal effort?

Black-eyed pea dip made with canned black eyed peas in the center of a white plate. There are whole black-eyed peas on top of the dip as garnish. The dip is in a silver bowl and is surrounded by carrots, sliced yellow bell peppers, and pita bread and garnished with parsley.

A Little History on Black-Eyed Peas

Black-eyed peas originated in West Africa and were brought to the Americas by enslaved Africans during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Despite unimaginable circumstances, these crops were grown, preserved, and woven into food traditions that continue today.

Black-eyed peas are a legume that often gets overlooked, except around New Year’s. In Southern and African American food traditions, black-eyed peas are commonly eaten on New Year’s Day and New Year’s Eve and are considered a symbol of good luck and prosperity.

Dried Black-eyed peas spilled out of a scoop over a blue and white surface

Traditionally, black-eyed peas represent coins for the coming year, while collard greens symbolize paper money. Together, they reflect hopes for abundance, stability, and forward movement.

Black-eyed peas also gained symbolic meaning during the Civil War. Union soldiers often confiscated crops from Confederate families but left black-eyed peas behind, viewing them as livestock feed. These peas became a crucial food source for families during the war and came to be seen as “lucky” for helping people survive difficult times.

Because of this history, black-eyed peas remain more than just a food—they’re a symbol of resilience, survival, and hope for prosperity.

A Modern, Easy Way to Enjoy Them

This dip is a simple, modern way to enjoy black-eyed peas year-round—not just on New Year’s. It uses just a few ingredients: black-eyed peas, lemon juice, tahini (a sesame seed paste), garlic, olive oil, and seasoning.

If you’re using canned black-eyed peas, you can reserve some of the liquid to adjust the consistency of the dip without adding extra oil. It’s a small trick that keeps the dip creamy while keeping the ingredient list simple.

If the recipe looks familiar, that’s because it’s very similar to hummus. Traditional hummus is made with chickpeas, while this version uses black-eyed peas instead. And since hummus is the Arabic word for chickpeas, I’m calling this exactly what it is: a black-eyed pea dip.

A Little Legume: Full of Nutrients

Black-eyed peas are high in fiber and protein. They are high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants like vitamin A, folate, magnesium, calcium, iron, and manganese.

Since they are high in fiber, they provide complex carbohydrates which is slower to increase your blood sugar levels (decreasing spikes) and paired with protein they help to give you sustained nutrition, keeping you feeling fuller longer.

Try the recipe below to find a new way to enjoy black-eyed peas.