Black-Eyed Pea Pasta (Printable)

Tender pasta with black-eyed peas, fresh vegetables, and Mediterranean herbs in olive oil

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 10 oz short pasta such as penne, fusilli, or farfalle

→ Legumes

02 - 1 can (14 oz) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed, or 1.5 cups cooked black-eyed peas

→ Aromatics and Herbs

03 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
04 - 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

→ Vegetables

09 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - 1 cup baby spinach leaves

→ Seasonings

11 - 0.5 teaspoon sea salt, plus additional for taste adjustment
12 - 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1 pinch red pepper flakes, optional

→ Garnish

14 - Zest and juice of 0.5 lemon
15 - 0.33 cup crumbled feta cheese, optional

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain pasta while reserving 0.25 cup of the cooking water.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and red onion, sautéing for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and softened.
03 - Stir in halved cherry tomatoes and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
04 - Add black-eyed peas, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Cook for 2 minutes while stirring to combine all elements.
05 - Add cooked pasta and reserved cooking water to the skillet. Toss thoroughly, then add spinach and cook until just wilted, approximately 1 minute.
06 - Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, chopped parsley, and chopped basil. Adjust seasonings as needed.
07 - Divide prepared pasta among serving bowls and top with crumbled feta cheese if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means weeknight dinners stop feeling like a scramble.
  • Black-eyed peas add real substance and protein without the weight of heavier legumes.
  • The flavors taste bright and intentional, like you spent hours thinking about every ingredient.
  • It's flexible enough to bend with what's in your kitchen but structured enough to feel guided.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining and rinsing the canned beans: Canned liquid has a metallic taste that will make your whole dish taste less bright, no matter what else you do.
  • The lemon zest matters as much as the juice: Zest carries the pure essential oil of the lemon, adding flavor without diluting the sauce with extra liquid.
  • Reserve that pasta water before anything else: It's tempting to just drain and move on, but that starchy water is what ties the whole dish together into something cohesive.
03 -
  • Slice your garlic thin rather than mincing: Thin slices stay textured and delicate instead of turning into flavor bombs that can overpower the subtle beans.
  • Don't add fresh basil until the very end: Heat turns basil bitter and dark, so treat it like a final garnish that just warmed through.
  • Taste the pasta water before you drain it: If it's aggressively salty, use less of it in the final dish, and if it tastes mild, use a bit more than the ¼ cup called for.
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