This mild black eyed peas curry is super easy to make and, is the perfect side dish for any Indian-inspired meal! Made with Indian spices, rich coconut milk, and earthy black-eyed peas this recipe is flavorful, creamy, and delicious!

a pan of curry with a wooden spoon in it, there are some lemon sliced and cilantro leaves on top

Jump to Recipe

Print Recipe

Indian food is one of my favorite things to cook, and something I usually eat at least once a week. I guess there is just something about the flavorful spices, creamy sauces, and the fact there are so many different ways to make Indian food or Indian-inspired dishes. That makes it one of my favorite things to cook.

Over the past few years, I’ve fallen in love with a variety of different Indian dishes, my favorite of course being curry!

Any kind, any level of spice, as a main dish or a side, I love curry and everything about it. And I’ve already begun to collect quite a few curry recipes, both of my own creation and others.

a blue bowl of curry and rice with a fork next to it

This black-eyed pea curry(also known as lobia masala) came about for a few different reasons. One, I saw a similar idea in a cookbook I had checked out, but completely forgot to take a picture or write it down before I returned the book! And two, because half of my family can’t eat any kind of spicy food, regardless of what it is.

I wanted to find a dish that would mild enough for the whole family, but still packed full of flavor and everything I loved about Indian curries.

I was also looking for something that would be easy and quick to make and could be served as a side, to start including in our weekly rotating. And when the internet fell short, I decided to work on creating my own!

a pan of curried black-eyed peas with a wooded spoon in it, there are some lemon slices and cilantro leaves on top, and some cilantro next to the pan

I’m happy to say this recipe met nearly all of my expectations, it definitely isn’t on our weekly rotation, my family still isn’t very fond of Indian cooking.

But it is super easy to make and has all the flavors and spices a curry dish should. But is still mild enough for everyone to enjoy. Plus you can easily add red chili powder or green chilies if you are looking to spice things up a little!

a bowl of curry and rice with lemon slices and cilantro leaves on top, there is a fork and some cilantro springs next to the bowl as well as a bowl of rice and a pan of curry

How to Serve A Black-eyed Peas Curry

My favorite way to serve this curry this as a side dish, I love to serve it alongside basmati rice, roasted sweet potatoes, and juicy pan-fried chicken. But it also makes a great addition to any Indian-inspired menu!

It’s great served alongside other curries, as well as many other Indian dishes such as Naan bread, Samosas, Bombay potatoes, Vegetable pakoras Onion bhajis, and Aloo gobi. As well as lighter dishes such as chickpea salad, cucumber salad, mango salad, swiss chard, and green beans.

But you also serve this curry as the main dish. I love to eat it as a light lunch with rice, and a piece of naan bread!

These curried black-eyed peas can served any way you like at any time of the day. They make a subtle main dish and a great side.

But regardless of how you choose to serve this dish, it’s sure to be a hit with the whole family and have everyone coming back for more!

a bowl of rice and curried black-eyed peas with a fork in it and some melon slices and cilantro leaves on top

How to Make Black-eyed Peas Curry

Ingredients

olive oil, you can also use coconut oil, avocado oil, or even butter
ginger powder
cumin powder
turmeric powder
cardamon powder
fresh tomatoes, diced, you can also use canned diced tomatoes and even tomato puree for this recipe
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
black-eyed peas
coconut milk

For serving

rice, I like to use basmati rice, but you can also use white rice, brown rice, or your favorite kind of rice!
Lemon juice Or lemon slices, you also use lime juice
fresh cilantro

a close up of a wooden spoonful of curried black-eyed peas

Directions

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, until hot and started to bubble. Add the ground spices and stir to combine, reduce the heat slightly, and cook until fragrant.

Add the diced tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Turn your lid back up to medium-high heat, and cook until the tomatoes are juicy and have broken down, roughly 5 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, and the black-eyed peas and stir to combine.

Bring the mixture to a simmer, and cook stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly.

Serve over a bed of rice with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a few cilantro leaves.

Enjoy!

a bowl of curry and rice with lemon slices and cilantro on top, there is a fork in front of the bowl and a bowl of rice behind it

Recipe Notes

Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days! This recipe can also easily be prepared the day before and reheated just before serving.

If your curry thickens a little too much either while cooking, or after it has been in the fridge. You can thin it out with a little water, or vegetable broth!

You can easily use dried black eyed peas in this recipe in place of the canned ones. I use dried ones more often than not as they are easier for me to find and purchase. My favorite way to prepare dried peas is to cook them in an Instant Pot(you can also use any other type of pressure cooker) while I prep the rest of my ingredients! Sub roughly 4 cups of cooked peas in place of the two cans of peas.

If you want to spice this recipe up a little feel free to add cayenne pepper powder, crushed red pepper flakes, or your favorite hot sauce to the final product!

If you are in a pinch you can sub another type of beans in place of some or all of black eye peas. Pinto beans, Chickpeas, and Kidney beans would all work well.