What should you look for when buying lady peas?

While you might squeeze or tap fruit to check for freshness, finding the best lady peas is simple: Look for flexible, plump pods.

Do I need to shell lady peas to use them?

Lady peas, like regular green peas, are sold in different formats: fresh, in their pods, shelled, and frozen. If they're in their pods, take them out before cooking. Otherwise, no need to remove the thin skin.

Lady Pea Salad Recipe

Name: Lady Pea Salad
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 4 cups fresh or frozen lady peas (Frozen lady peas may be labeled as zipper peas at an international farmers' market.); 0.25 cup chopped fresh basil; 0.25 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 0.25 cup chopped fresh mint leaves; 0.25 cup finely chopped shallot (from 1 small shallot); 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus ¼ cup fresh juice (from 2 lemons); 0.25 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt; 0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Active Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

45 mins

Servings:

4

Lady Pea salad is brimming with color and aroma from fresh herbs and a zippy lemon dressing. The star of the recipe is Lady Peas, a variety of field peas also known as Lady Cream Peas.

Learn how to make lady pea salad. Whether you serve this salad as a picnic side or tea party treat, it's a crowd-pleaser.

What Is a Lady Pea?

While you may recognize black-eyed peas, Lady Peas are not as well known. Dating to the early 1800s, the Southern heirloom peas are one of the first commercially-available options.

Where do lady peas get their name, and what makes them different from other peas?

The lady pea name comes from their small size and delicate flavor; both are perfect for this lighter summer salad. Lady peas are a Southern pea favorite from the legume or field pea family.

Field peas or cowpeas are hearty and heat-loving beans that come in many varieties and names (zipper, crowder, cream, black-eye, pink-eye). We love using lady peas in fresh, summery salads, salsa, or other simple dishes where they really shine.

Pea Plan

When lady peas aren't an option, use another type of mild-flavored fresh or frozen field pea, such as purple hull, zipper, or pink-eye pea.

Ingredients for Lady Pea Salad

Make this lovely, light salad with:

Fresh or frozen Lady Peas: You can use purple hull, zipper, or pink-eye peas if you can't find Lady Peas.
Fresh basil, parsley, and mint leaves: A trio of fresh herbs make this salad bright and delicately flavored.
Shallot: Adds a milk onion-like backbone without the aggressive flavor of an onion.
Lemon: You'll use both the zest and the juice.
Extra-virgin olive oil: To form the dressing. You can use your preferred oil if you like another option, including avocado oil:
Dijon mustard: Flavors and helps emulsify the dressing for the salad.
Kosher salt: For seasoning.
Crushed red pepper: Adds just a bit of heat, but it's optional if you prefer to leave it out.

Southern Living Lady Pea Salad ingredients — Stacy Allen, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

How To Make Lady Pea Salad

This is a really simple salad to make. But you'll have to be patient to cook the peas. Here's a brief recap of how this recipe is made. The full recipe is below:

Step 1. Cook peas: First, bring a large pot of water to boil over medium-high heat. Add the lady peas. Reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the peas are tender.
Step 2. Make dressing: While the lady peas are in the water cooking, stir together the chopped basil, parsley, mint, shallot, lemon zest and lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Step 3. Combine dressing and peas: After the lady peas are cooked, drain them and let cool. Transfer the cooled peas to the bowl with the dressing and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Variations for Lady Pea Salad

You may want to add a protein or other toppings to turn this lady pea salad into an entree option. Add-ins could include bacon, tortilla strips, cornbread crumbles, croutons, diced ham or turkey, sunflower seeds, or candied pecans.

What To Serve With Lady Pea Salad

While this salad can stand on its own as a light summer entree, it also works great as a side with tea party sandwiches, light soups, or as a chicken or fish accompaniment.

How To Serve Lady Pea Salad

You can present lady pea salad as a simple side on a plate. To make the presentation fancier, other options include layering it in a mason jar or putting it into pre-made tart shells.

How To Store Lady Pea Salad

Store lady pea salad in an airtight container in your refrigerator. If you plan on storing it for longer than a day, consider keeping the dressing separate from the salad so you can add it later.

Where Can You Find Lady Peas?

You can find fresh lady peas in some local farmers' markets and also order dried lady peas online, although they are less common outside of the Southern communities where they are commonly grown.

More Pea Recipes

Got more fresh peas? Consider these delicious recipes:

Editorial contributions by Amy Barnes.

Ingredients

4 cups fresh or frozen lady peas (Frozen lady peas may be labeled as zipper peas at an international farmers' market.)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped shallot (from 1 small shallot)
1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest plus 1/4 cup fresh juice (from 2 lemons)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

Directions

Cook lady peas:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high. Add peas; reduce heat to medium, and simmer until peas are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Stacy Allen, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Make dressing:

Meanwhile, stir together basil, parsley, mint, shallot, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Stacy Allen, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Finish salad:

Drain peas and let cool, about 15 minutes. Transfer peas to bowl with dressing, and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Stacy Allen, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

Frequently Asked Questions

What should you look for when buying lady peas?

While you might squeeze or tap fruit to check for freshness, finding the best lady peas is simple: Look for flexible, plump pods.
Do I need to shell lady peas to use them?

Lady peas, like regular green peas, are sold in different formats: fresh, in their pods, shelled, and frozen. If they're in their pods, take them out before cooking. Otherwise, no need to remove the thin skin.