Black-Eyed Pea Fritters (Printable Version)

Crispy, golden fritters blending mashed black-eyed peas with onions and spices for irresistible snacking.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Legumes

01 - 2 cups cooked black-eyed peas, drained

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

→ Binders

05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

→ Seasonings

07 - 1 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
09 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

→ For Frying

11 - Vegetable oil for frying

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - In a large bowl, mash the cooked black-eyed peas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth, leaving some texture intact.
02 - Add the chopped onion, garlic, parsley or cilantro, eggs, flour, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Mix until well combined and a thick batter forms.
03 - Heat about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the oil shimmers and reaches frying temperature.
04 - Scoop heaping tablespoons of the batter and gently drop them into the hot oil, flattening slightly with the back of a spoon. Do not overcrowd the pan.
05 - Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
06 - Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • They're ready in under 40 minutes, which means you can go from craving to eating before the mood passes.
  • One batch feeds people and somehow everyone assumes you spent way more effort than you actually did.
  • Vegetarian but so satisfying that no one misses the meat, honestly.
02 -
  • The oil temperature makes or breaks this—too cool and they absorb oil like sponges, too hot and they burn outside before cooking inside.
  • Don't skip the draining step or all your crispy work disappears into grease halfway through eating them.
03 -
  • Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer when fishing them out of the oil—it drains the oil right back into the pan and keeps your fritters crisper.
  • Let the oil come back to temperature between batches so each fritter gets the same crispy treatment, not the sad, greasy end of the line.
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