Hot Black-Eyed Pea Dip (Print Version)

Creamy Southern-style dip with black-eyed peas, sharp cheddar, and spicy jalapeños, baked until golden and bubbly.

# What You'll Need:

→ Legumes

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

→ Dairy

02 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
03 - 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
04 - 1/2 cup sour cream

→ Vegetables

05 - 1/3 cup diced red onion
06 - 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
07 - 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely diced
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat your oven to 375°F
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, paprika, salt, and black pepper to the mixture and stir thoroughly until well combined
04 - Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased 1-quart baking dish
05 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbling with a golden top
06 - Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and sliced jalapeños if desired
07 - Serve warm with tortilla chips, pita, or fresh vegetables

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 10 minutes of actual work, leaving you time to set out napkins instead of panicking in the kitchen.
  • That creamy-spicy balance keeps people reaching for just one more bite, and then another, which somehow feels like a compliment you made.
  • It tastes like it took effort even though you mostly just stirred things together, which is the best kind of recipe magic.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining and rinsing canned peas, because that extra liquid will make your dip separate and separate and never come back together the way you want it to.
  • The dip actually gets better the next day after the flavors have time to get to know each other, so making it ahead is a genuine advantage, not a shortcut.
03 -
  • Mix everything at room temperature before baking so the cheese melts evenly instead of creating pockets of unmelted sadness throughout the dip.
  • Use a shallow baking dish instead of a deep one if you have it, because more surface area means more of that gorgeous golden top everyone wants.
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