Black-Eyed Pea Fritters (Printable)

Golden, crispy fritters made from mashed black-eyed peas, aromatic onions, and a touch of spice—perfect as a snack or appetizer.

# 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 for body.
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 batter and gently drop into hot oil, flattening slightly with the back of a spoon. Avoid overcrowding the pan.
05 - Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
06 - Repeat the frying process with remaining batter. Serve warm with preferred dipping sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're impossibly crispy on the outside but stay tender inside, which feels like a small kitchen magic trick.
  • The whole thing comes together in about 35 minutes, making them perfect for last-minute guests or when you want something fried but don't want to spend your evening at the stove.
  • One batch makes enough to feed four people as a proper appetizer or more if you're stretching it across a party.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining your canned peas well—excess moisture makes the batter soggy and ruins the crispy texture you worked for.
  • The oil temperature matters more than you'd think; too cool and the fritters absorb oil and become greasy, too hot and they brown outside before the inside cooks through.
  • If your batter seems too loose after mixing, let it sit for five minutes and it'll firm up as the flour hydrates—resist the urge to add flour immediately.
03 -
  • Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to flip and remove the fritters; it lets excess oil drain right back into the pan instead of pooling on your fritters.
  • If you're feeding a crowd, keep finished fritters warm on a baking sheet in a 200-degree oven while you finish frying the rest—they'll stay crispy and hot without drying out.
Return