Black-Eyed Pea Fritters (Printable)

Crispy golden fritters with mashed black-eyed peas, onions, and aromatic spices. Ideal appetizer or snack.

# Components:

→ 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

# Method:

01 - In a large bowl, mash the cooked black-eyed peas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth, leaving some texture for body.
02 - Add the chopped onion, garlic, parsley or cilantro, eggs, flour, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper to the mashed peas. Mix until well combined and a thick batter forms.
03 - Heat approximately 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
04 - Scoop heaping tablespoons of the batter and gently drop them into the hot oil, flattening slightly with the back of a spoon. Avoid overcrowding the pan.
05 - Fry for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
06 - Repeat frying process with remaining batter. Serve warm with yogurt dip, hot sauce, or mango chutney.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're crispy outside, tender inside, and ready in under 40 minutes without any fussy techniques.
  • Black-eyed peas are secretly one of the most forgiving legumes to work with, and they turn golden in a way that feels almost magical.
  • You can make the batter ahead, fry them fresh when guests arrive, and watch them vanish before the dipping sauce even matters.
02 -
  • The oil temperature is everything—if it's not hot enough, the fritters absorb oil and taste greasy instead of crispy, which I learned the hard way on my first attempt.
  • Overmixing the batter makes them tough and dense, so stir just until combined and resist the urge to beat it into submission.
03 -
  • Scoop the batter with a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop rather than trying to measure with a spoon—you'll get more consistent sizes and they'll cook evenly.
  • If you're making these for a crowd, you can hold finished fritters in a warm oven (200 degrees) while you finish frying the rest, and they'll stay crispy if you don't stack them too high.
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