Black-Eyed Pea Fritters (Printable)

Golden, crispy fritters made from mashed black-eyed peas with aromatic onions and spices. Perfect Southern-West African inspired 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 (optional)

→ 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 (optional)
10 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

→ For Frying

11 - Vegetable oil for frying

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, mash the cooked black-eyed peas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth while maintaining some texture.
02 - Add the chopped onion, garlic, parsley or cilantro, eggs, flour, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and cayenne. 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.
04 - Scoop heaping tablespoons of the batter and gently drop them into the hot oil, flattening slightly with the back of a spoon. Avoid overcrowding the pan.
05 - Fry for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
06 - Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm with your preferred dipping sauce.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They come together in under 40 minutes from pantry staples, no special ingredients required.
  • One recipe yields enough to feed a crowd or fuel the whole week of snacking.
  • The outside crisps up beautifully while the inside stays tender, and somehow they taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Oil temperature is everything—too cool and they absorb oil like sponges; too hot and they brown outside before cooking through.
  • Don't overmix the batter once you've added flour, or the fritters become tough and dense instead of tender.
03 -
  • Make your batter up to two hours ahead and refrigerate it—this actually helps it hold together better when frying.
  • If your oil starts to look dark or smell burnt, drain it and start fresh rather than pushing through, because the flavor will transfer to your food.
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