Black-Eyed Pea Fritters
Crispy, golden fritters bursting with seasoned black-eyed peas and aromatic vegetables. A quick Southern staple that's irresistibly crunchy outside and tender within.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 320
- Protein
- 9g
Ingredients
- 2 cans (15 oz each) canned black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornmeal
- ½ medium yellow onion, finely diced
- ½ medium red bell pepper, finely diced
- 3 whole fresh scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 whole garlic cloves, minced
- 2 whole large eggs
- ¼ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- 1
Drain and rinse 2 cans of black-eyed peas in a fine-mesh strainer, then pat them dry with paper towels — removing excess moisture helps them bind better in the batter.
- 2
Dice 0.5 medium yellow onion into 1/8-inch pieces and 0.5 medium red bell pepper into 1/8-inch pieces, keeping them uniform. Thinly slice 3 fresh scallions, separating the white and light green parts from the darker green tops. Peel and finely mince 2 garlic cloves.
- 3
In a large bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs with 0.25 cup of low-sodium vegetable broth until combined.
- 4
Add the drained black-eyed peas to the egg mixture and gently mash about one-third of them with a wooden spoon or the back of a fork — you want some texture, not a smooth purée.
- 5
In a separate bowl, whisk together 0.75 cup all-purpose flour, 0.25 cup cornmeal, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt, and 0.25 teaspoon black pepper.
- 6
Fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients just until combined — do not overmix, as this will make the fritters dense. Stir in the diced onion, red bell pepper, minced garlic, and the white and light green parts of the scallions. The batter should be thick but still slightly sticky.
- 7
Pour 3 cups of vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or large pot. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350°F on an instant-read thermometer — use a wooden skewer to test: tiny bubbles should immediately form around it and rise steadily.
- 8
Working in batches of 4–5 fritters at a time, carefully drop rounded tablespoons of batter into the hot oil, spacing them about 2 inches apart — overcrowding the pot lowers the oil temperature and creates greasy fritters. Do not move them for the first 2 minutes.
- 9
Once the bottoms are deep golden brown and crispy, gently flip each fritter and fry for another 1–2 minutes until the second side is equally golden. The entire fritter should be a rich caramel brown with just a hint of red from the bell pepper showing through.
- 10
Transfer the cooked fritters to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Taste one for seasoning and adjust salt or cayenne if needed. Scatter the reserved dark green scallion tops over the fritters and serve hot, ideally with hot sauce, sour cream, or spiced aioli on the side.
Tools you’ll need
- fine-mesh strainer
- paper towels
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- large mixing bowl
- whisk
- wooden spoon
- separate medium bowl
- heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or large pot
- instant-read thermometer
- wooden skewer
- slotted spoon or spider strainer
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