Black Eyed Beans and Basil Salad

Recipe Cooked, Photographed and Written by Praveena

PrepTime:10 mins   MakeTime:5 mins   Cuisine:International

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Heat waves are rising up day by day, which makes me prefer making such cold salads for the entire family. Best part is my kids enjoy such plain, cold salads with beans.

I generally stock up my freezer with beans, pre-soaked and ready to be boiled. This made it easy for me to wind up any beans based recipes quickly & easily.

Coming to this recipe, here the main tip is, the beans are to be completely cooled down to room temperature, before making the salad. If not, whole of the dish would turn a bit watery because of the steam from the beans.

If you are not a Vegan, try not to skip adding the feta cheese. It does add good taste and benefits too. Hope you would remember these while you try!

Table of Contents:

1. Possible Alterations for the recipe, ‘Black Eyed Beans and Basil Greek Salad’:
2. Health Benefits of ‘Black Eyed Peas and Basil Salad’:
3. Other recipes from my blog:
4. Step wise pics Procedure for ‘Black Eyed Beans and Basil Salad’:
5. Prep Work (common for both methods):
6. Stove Top Method for cooking the BEANS:
7. Instant Pot Method for cooking the BEANS:
8. To make the ‘Black Eyed Peas and Basil Salad’:
9. Tips:
10. Result:
11. Ingredients, Accessories on ‘AMAZON’ to ‘SHOP’:
12. Recipe Card & Print:

Possible Alterations for the recipe, ‘Black Eyed Beans and Basil Greek Salad’:

To replace Black eyed beans: They can be replaced with Chickpeas / Garbanzo Beans, Cranberry Beans, Pink Beans too.

Replace red radishes: I have used red radishes, for that crunchy texture in the salad, where any salad tomatoes could be used.

Using Canned Beans, They can be happily used for this recipe, after straining the water in them.

Adding any other herbs, like mint, green onions, parsley, in the place of basil works well here.

WFPB Options: You will have to eliminate the Olive oil and feta cheese. Instead of oil, you might use the water left over after boiling the black eyed beans. 

To replace Feta cheese, It can be replaced with Nutritional Yeast which gives a plant based cheesy texture.

Health Benefits of ‘Black Eyed Peas and Basil Salad’:

Black Eyed Beans are rich in iron, protein & fiber. They are low in calories too.

Basil is mainly suitable as an anti-inflammatory source. And helps in anti-aging as well.

Feta Cheese is originally from Greece, made of Sheep Milk. It contains more calcium and is lower in calories than any other cheeses. Hence, feta is generally preferred by Weight Watcher diets.

To Conclude, this salad is rich in Protein, Iron, Fiber & Calcium. And is suitable for Vegetarian, Gluten free, Kids Friendly, Soy free, Nut free, Diabetic Friendly diets. And even for Plant based / Vegan diets if you can use the plant based options that I mentioned above.

Other recipes from my blog:

Before starting to cook, don’t forget to see the Tips mentioned at the end.

Salad recipes collection⇒  Salads & Soups

Collection of Recipes with ‘GREENS’⇒  Recipes with GREENS

Instant Pot recipes collection⇒  Electric Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot Recipes

Related Posts:

• Breakfast with Black Eyed Peas / Alasanda Dosa
• Black-eyed beans Nuggets / Alasanda Vada (Air-Fryer & Stove-top)
• Chana / Chickpea Sprouts & Basil Sandwich
• Basil Pesto Peas Spaghetti

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Ingredients:

• Black eyed beans / Lobia – 3 cups (uncooked/dry/before soaking)
• Water – as required
• Red Onion – 1 (medium size)
• Red Radish – 1 cup (each halved)
• Fresh Basil Leaves – 1 cup (packed)
• Feta Cheese (crumbled) – ½ cup 
• Extra Virgin olive Oil – ¼ cup
• Fresh Lime / Lemon juice – 2 or 3 tablespoons
• Salt – 1 teaspoon
• Ground Black Pepper – 1 tablespoon

Special Ingredients:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Feta Cheese

Step wise pics Procedure for ‘Black Eyed Beans and Basil Salad’:

Prep Work (common for both methods):

To ‘SOAK’ the Black Eyed Beans:

• Take 3 cups of beans into a wide vessel, wash them thoroughly. Add water, 4 times the quantity of beans.
• Leave the vessel on kitchen platform, let the beans soak for 8 hrs.
• Strain the soaked water before cooking.

Stove Top Method for cooking the BEANS:

• in a SAUCE PAN: Take the beans into a sauce pan, add double quantity of water. Close with lid. Let them cook on medium flame until they soften (might take 30 to 40 mins).
• in a PRESSURE COOKER: Take them into the cooker. Add 1½ cups of water.
• Close the lid, put the whistle ON, let it cook for 5 whistles. Open only when the pressure is released.
• Strain the beans in a colander, to drain the water.

Instant Pot Method for cooking the BEANS:

• Take the soaked Black Eyed Beans into the Instant Pot. Add 1½ cups of water.
• Close the lid, turn the valve to SEALING, and set the mode to PRESSURE COOK for 5 mins (OR) to BEAN / CHILI. Release the pressure naturally (NPR) or quickly (QPR). Any way is fine.
• Strain the beans in a colander, to drain the water.

If you are using canned / tinned black eyed beans leave the above prep work, start the recipe from here.

To make the ‘Black Eyed Peas and Basil Salad’:

The beans are to completely cooled down to room temperature to make the salad.

Tips:

• Adjust the salt & spice as per your taste.
• Always remember, not to chop the basil leaves, but just tear them only before mixing the salad with dressing. Basil Leaves turn dark in colour.
• This is a cold salad, in the sense, it is best when served at room temperature.
• Take care the beans are not mushy, they need to be boiled just right. If not whole of the dish would turn watery after a little while.
• Try to use freshly ground coarse black pepper only,  rather than store bought pepper powder.
• If you are not a Vegan, try not to skip adding the feta cheese. It does add good taste and benefits too.
• Storage: This salad stays good for up to 4 days, when pre-made and stored in refrigerator.
• If you wish to do the prep, my suggestion would be to make the dressing, poured in an air tight container. Get the Beans cooked, store in fridge too. Just before serving, bring the dressing & beans to room temperature and then make the salad.

Result:

• The taste of this, Black Eyed Beans and Basil Salad, is extra-ordinarily good, with the soft & meaty black eyed beans, flavoured with the herby basil leaves.
• The highlight of this entire dish is the addition of soft & crumbly feta cheese.
• It tasted great even in kids lunch boxes and during picnics.

Ingredients, Accessories on ‘AMAZON’ to ‘SHOP’:

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Recipe Card & Print:

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