Black-Eyed Pea Pasta (Printable)

Mediterranean pasta with black-eyed peas, fresh vegetables, and aromatic herbs in olive oil. Ready in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or farfalle)

→ Legumes

02 - 1 can (14 oz) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed, or 1.5 cups cooked black-eyed peas

→ Aromatics & Herbs

03 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
04 - 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

→ Vegetables

09 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - 1 cup baby spinach leaves

→ Seasonings

11 - 0.5 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
12 - 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Garnish

14 - Zest and juice of 0.5 lemon
15 - 0.33 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 0.25 cup of cooking water.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and red onion, sautéing for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and softened.
03 - Stir in the halved cherry tomatoes and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until just softened.
04 - Add black-eyed peas, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring to combine all ingredients.
05 - Add cooked pasta and reserved cooking water to the skillet. Toss well to coat evenly. Add spinach and cook for 1 minute until just wilted.
06 - Remove from heat. Stir in lemon zest and juice, fresh parsley, and fresh basil. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Divide among serving bowls and top with crumbled feta cheese if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes, which means you can have something genuinely nourishing on the table before hunger turns into hangry.
  • The black-eyed peas do the heavy lifting, turning into a creamy sauce that coats every bite without needing cream at all.
  • Tastes like restaurant food but with ingredients you probably already have, no fancy shopping trips required.
02 -
  • Save that pasta water, because it's starch-loaded magic that binds everything into a silky sauce without any cream in sight, and most people forget this step.
  • Don't overdress the spinach, it needs just a minute to wilt or it turns from tender to mushy and loses all its charm.
03 -
  • Slice your garlic instead of mincing it because those golden little half-moons stay distinct and give you bursts of flavor rather than disappearing into the sauce.
  • Toast your dried oregano for 20 seconds in the oil before adding anything else if you're using the dry version, it wakes the spice up in a way that fresh herbs don't need.
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