Black Eyed Peas Salad (Lobia Chaat)

The Black-Eyed Peas Salad (or Lobia Chaat) is a healthy, protein-packed dish made with black-eyed peas, chopped vegetables, and fresh herbs, all tossed in a zesty Indian-spice lemon dressing. It makes a perfect light lunch or side dish.

Salad is considered one of the healthiest foods in the world. The versatility of salad allows you to create it with any item from your pantry.

Today I am sharing a dish known as black-eyed peas salad (or lobia salad). All you need is boiled black eyed peas, chopped veggies, lemon juice, olive oil, Indian seasonings like jeera powder, and chaat masala for dressing. It is easy, quick, and full of protein.

Hold on, there's more exciting stuff we can do with this recipe! It can also be eaten as an Indian-style chaat. All you need to do is add some boiled potatoes, pomegranate kernels, and crispy sev. You may also like my black eyed peas curry recipe.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• How to Make Black Eyed Peas Salad (Lobia Chaat)
• Serving Suggestions
• Make Ahead and Storage
• Tips to Make the Best Lobia Salad
• Variations
• More Indian Salad Recipes
• Black Eyed Peas Salad (Lobia Chaat)

Ingredients

• Black eyed peas: Also known as lobia, black-eyed peas are readily available in Indian grocery stores, American supermarkets like Safeway and Target, or on Amazon. You can also use canned black-eyed peas for convenience.
• Red onions: Red onion adds a bit of sweetness and crunch to the salad.
• Tomatoes: I used de-seeded and diced Roma Tomatoes. Grape or Cherry tomatoes also work well.
• Cucumber: I like to use English or Persian cucumbers for salads. But, you can use any cucumber you like.
• Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon/lime juice is preferred for this chaat.
• Fresh Herbs: Use fresh coriander and mint leaves. Make sure to chop them just before using them for maximum freshness.
• Roasted Peanuts: I roasted peanuts in the air fryer. You can also use store-bought peanuts. You may substitute it with pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds as well.

Dressing

• Olive oil: For the best flavor, use high-quality extra-virgin olive oil.
• Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is preferred for this salad. You can substitute any type of vinegar, like distilled white, or apple cider vinegar
• Seasoning: roasted cumin powder, chaat masala (optional), salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

How to Make Black Eyed Peas Salad (Lobia Chaat)

Cook Black Eyed Peas

• In Traditional Stovetop Pressure Cooker: Pressure cook the rinsed black-eyed peas with salt and 3 cups of water for 3-4 whistles on medium-low heat. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
• Instant Pot Pressure Cooker: I generally cook the black-eyed peas in an Instant Pot as it is very easy and cooks perfectly every time. Pressure cook rinsed lobia, and salt with 3 cups water on High Pressure for 8 minutes on Manual mode and let the pressure release naturally. Here is the detailed recipe for How to cook black-eyed peas in instant pot.
• Note: 1 cup of dried black-eyed peas yields 2.5 - 3 cups of boiled black-eyed peas.

Prepare The Dressing

In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients: olive oil, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, roasted cumin powder, and chaat masala. Whisk well to mix.

Assembling the Salad

In a large mixing bowl, add all the salad ingredients, like boiled black eyed peas, veggies like onion, tomato, cucumber, green chilies, herbs, roasted peanuts, and dressing.

Toss gently to combine.

Serve immediately.

Make Ahead and Storage

• Make-Ahead: You can cook black eyed peas, prep the veggies, fresh herbs, and dressing the night before serving. Store the salad ingredients in a separate container for prolonged shelf life, and assemble when you are ready to serve.
• Storage: Leftover lobia salad will last in the refrigerator for 1-2 days when stored in an airtight container or mason jar.

Variations

• Canned Black-Eyed Peas: You can also use canned black-eyed peas in this recipe. You will need 3 cups of canned peas (that is equal to 2 cans)
• Veggies: You may add boiled potatoes, boiled sweet potatoes, bell peppers, avocados, raw mango, and more.
• Chutney: You may add a little mint coriander chutney and sweet tamarind chutney for a kick.
• Other Beans: You can make this chaat/salad with canned or boiled white chickpeas (garbanzo beans), black chickpeas (kala chana), green chickpeas, or kidney beans (rajma).
• Spice Level: Adjust the spice level to your taste after you mix the chaat ingredients. Increase or decrease the spices according to your preference.

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