Mississippi Caviar Recipe - Black Eyed Pea Dip

Name: Mississippi Caviar
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 2 can of black eyed peas, drained; 1/2 of a green bell pepper, diced; 1 roasted and marinated red bell pepper, diced; 1/4 of a red onion finely, chopped; 1/2 cup (120 ml) of sweet and spicy peppers (find these in the pickle aisle); 1 mince garlic clove; a splash of olive oil; 1/4 cup (60 ml) of red wine vinegar; 1 tbsp of dijon mustard; salt and pepper to taste

Jump to Recipe

A delicious vegetarian black eyed pea dip from the banks of the Mississippi.
By Jerri Green

When I was a teenager I had my first taste of real caviar. My mother and I were staying at a beautiful bed and breakfast that was in a historic home in Natchez, Mississippi. The stay came complete with an afternoon wine and cheese hour. I was allowed to indulge in a small flute of champagne and all the cheese and crackers I could stuff into my mouth. Sitting on a peach satin couch amongst beautiful antiques and strangers, I decided to be adventurous and grown up, sophisticated even. I was going to eat caviar. After the first bite, I almost vomited in my mouth. To my surprise caviar tasted like fish eggs. All I could do to swallow the speckle covered cracker and then chug my champagne to rinse out my mouth. Never again I vowed!

And, then upon the birth of my son caviar came calling again. My oldest friend – who also happens to live in Mississippi – saved me by bringing me tons of food. Soup, sandwiches, chips, and something called “Mississippi Caviar.” As you might imagine, my inner teen immediately had a visceral reaction to the idea. However, I was starving. Taking care of a kid was just days old to me and I needed calories to keep up with the little milk sucker. And since I hadn’t learned how to get dressed and deal with everything, much less cook, I was delighted to see anything – even something called caviar. As it turns out this version had no fish eggs at all. Just a wonderful protein packed mix of black eyed peas and peppers. Ever since then I have sworn I would figure out how to make my own version of the Mississippi caviar recipe.

If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it called Mississippi Caviar if it contains no fish?

The article explains the name is a playful Southern nickname — when the author first heard it, she expected fish eggs because of her earlier experience with real caviar at a Mississippi bed and breakfast. Mississippi Caviar is a regional American dish made entirely from black-eyed peas and vegetables, with no seafood involved.

Where do I find the sweet and spicy peppers the recipe calls for?

The ingredient list specifies to look for sweet and spicy peppers in the pickle aisle of the grocery store — they come jarred and are ready to use straight from the jar, diced into the dip along with the other vegetables.

Why does the dip need to chill for at least 30 minutes before serving?

The instructions say to stir everything together and chill for at least 30 minutes. The short rest lets the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and olive oil dressing absorb into the black-eyed peas and peppers so the flavours meld rather than tasting separate.