Black-Eyed Pea Fritters (Printer-Friendly)

Crispy golden fritters with mashed black-eyed peas, onions, and spices. Quick vegetarian appetizer ready in 35 minutes.

# What 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

# Method:

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 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. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.
05 - Transfer fritters to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm with your preferred dipping sauce.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're ready in under 40 minutes, so you can impress people without spending your whole afternoon in the kitchen.
  • Black-eyed peas are cheap, humble, and secretly packed with protein, making these feel indulgent while being genuinely good for you.
  • The fritters are forgiving—you can batch them, reheat them, even eat them cold the next day if no one's watching.
02 -
  • The temperature of your oil is everything—too cool and you'll get greasy fritters; too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks through, so test it first with a tiny scrap of batter.
  • Don't overmix your batter; treat it like you would pancake batter and stop as soon as everything is combined, or you'll end up with tough, dense fritters instead of tender ones.
03 -
  • Make your batter up to 2 hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge; it actually holds together better when it's had time to rest.
  • If your oil starts looking dark or smells off after a batch or two, strain out the bits and add fresh oil instead of keeping old oil in there.
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