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This black-eyed bean salad from Naturally Vegan by Julius Fiedler is a fresh, high-protein dish rooted in Turkish cuisine. Black-eyed beans, also known as black-eyed peas, are a staple legume across many cultures. They’re rich in plant-based protein, fiber, and iron, making them a great base for hearty salads like this one.
This salad is full of flavor and texture. It combines black-eyed beans with herbs like parsley and dill, plus chopped spring onions, bell pepper, and pickled cucumbers. The dressing brings it all together with olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, and sumac. The result is tangy, bright, and well-balanced.
It’s perfect as a lunch with crusty bread or as a side dish for dinner. You can make it ahead of time, and the flavors only improve as it sits. This is an ideal recipe for warmer weather or for when you want something light but filling.
Whether you’re meal prepping or hosting friends, this plant-based salad delivers on both nutrition and flavor. It’s a great way to explore Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences in vegan cooking.
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A protein-packed summer lunch
Ingredients
- 320 g dried black-eyed beans or 2 x 570g jars, or 3 x 400g cans (see Note, below)
- 3½ tbsp salt
- 80 g parsley
- 25 g dill
- 8 spring onions
- 1 large red bell pepper about 200g
- 80 g pickled cucumbers or cornichons
- 90 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 tbsp sumac
Instructions
- Soak the dried beans with 1½ tablespoons of salt in about 1.5 liters (6¼ cups) of water overnight.
- The next day, drain the beans and put them in a large pan (for which you have a lid) adding 2 liters (8½ cups) of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer partially covered for 1 hour or until tender. Add 1½ tablespoons of the salt, simmer for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside to cool for at least 30 minutes. Alternatively, cook with 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 liter (4⅓ cups) of water for about 8 minutes in a pressure cooker.
- Meanwhile, prepare the herbs and vegetables; trim the lower stems from the parsley and dill and finely chop the rest; finely chop the spring onions; dice the pepper and pickled cucumbers. Put them along with the remaining ingredients, including ½ tablespoon of salt, in a large bowl. When the beans have cooled to room temperature, tip them into the bowl and use your hands to toss everything well before serving.
Excerpted from Naturally Vegan: Delicious Recipes From Around the World That Just Happen to Be Plant-Based by Julius Fiedler, published 15 May 2025. Julius shares more on Instagram @hermann, TikTok @bakinghermann, and YouTube @BakingHermann.
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