Hot Black-Eyed Pea Dip (Print Version)

Creamy, spicy black-eyed pea dip with jalapeño and cumin. Perfect party appetizer ready in 35 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Legumes

01 - 2 cups cooked black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

→ Dairy

02 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
03 - 0.5 cup cream cheese, softened
04 - 0.5 cup sour cream

→ Vegetables

05 - 0.33 cup diced red onion
06 - 0.33 cup diced red bell pepper
07 - 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely diced
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Spices and Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
12 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
14 - Sliced jalapeños for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Set oven to 375°F and allow to fully preheat.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine black-eyed peas, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, red onion, bell pepper, jalapeños, and garlic.
03 - Add cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to the mixture. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly combined.
04 - Pour the prepared mixture into a lightly greased 1-quart baking dish, spreading evenly.
05 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the dip is heated through and the top is golden and bubbling.
06 - Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Top with fresh cilantro and sliced jalapeños if desired.
07 - Transfer to a serving bowl and present warm alongside tortilla chips, pita bread, or fresh vegetable crudités.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It's ready in under 40 minutes, which means you can make it while keeping an eye on other things.
  • The heat builds gently instead of punching you in the mouth, so even people who say they don't like spicy food usually love it.
  • It tastes like you spent hours on it, but the prep is honestly just chopping and stirring.
02 -
  • If your dip seems too thick after baking, you can stir in a tablespoon of cream or milk to loosen it back up, but it will firm as it cools, so don't panic if it looks a little loose coming out of the oven.
  • The longer this sits, the more the spices settle in and the flavors marry together, so making it an hour ahead actually improves it rather than hurting it.
03 -
  • Mixing the dip by hand or with a fork instead of a food processor keeps the texture chunky and interesting rather than turning it into baby food.
  • Add a squeeze of lime juice right at the end if you want to brighten everything up and cut through some of the richness, especially if you're serving it to people who might find rich foods heavy.
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