20 blackened recipes

Blackened chicken breast seared in a screaming-hot cast iron skillet with a Cajun-style spice blend of paprika, cumin, thyme, and red pepper, then finished in the oven. No butter needed.

Cajun-style blackened burgers crusted with cayenne, fennel, white pepper, and garlic. Cooked in a screaming-hot cast iron skillet for a charred peppered crust and finished with a Worcestershire pan sauce.

Blackened chicken mini tacos with a bold paprika-pepper spice rub, shredded and served in crispy shells with homemade pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream. A fun, build-your-own taco spread.

Blackened Cajun prime rib: a 10-pound roast seasoned with pepper, garlic, and onion, roasted, chilled, then sliced into steaks and seared in a white-hot cast iron skillet until charred and crusty.

Cajun-blackened sea scallops over farfalle tossed in cilantro walnut pesto, drizzled with roasted red pepper sauce. A showstopper seafood pasta with bold layered flavors.

Winter greens can be bitter but not when cooked this way. Perfectly complimentary flavors and belly filling warmness. If you've never tried collard greens before this recipe is more than worth the effort.

Spicy black-eyed peas simmered with cumin, chili powder, dry mustard, canned tomatoes, and Tabasco. A quick Southern side dish served over rice or with grits.

Black-eyed peas and barley: a healthy one-dish casserole with onions, celery, pearl barley, and bay-thyme-rosemary herbs. Vegetarian and high-fiber, Southern-inspired and ready in just over an hour.

Black-eyed peas with fresh spinach sauteed in vegetable broth with a pinch of cayenne. A low-fat vegetarian side dish ready in 20 minutes flat.

Crispy Cuban-style fritters made from soaked black-eyed peas blended with garlic into a thick batter, fried golden, and finished with a squeeze of fresh lime. Vegetarian, gluten-free, and seriously addictive.

Southern black-eyed peas simmered low and slow with smoky ham, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and a bay leaf. A one-pot comfort dish with just the right kick of crushed red pepper.

Southwestern black-eyed peas simmered with diced carrots, onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and hot sauce. A simple, flavorful side dish ready in 30 minutes.

One-pot black-eyed peas and barley pilaf simmered in vegetable stock with thyme and parsley. A hearty vegetarian main dish loaded with fiber and ready in 30 minutes.

A no-cook Southern-style salad with black-eyed peas, chopped ham, celery, red onion, and fresh jalapeño in a tangy red wine vinegar dressing. Ready in minutes, feeds a crowd, and gets better as it sits.

Black-eyed pea soup slow-simmered with a ham bone for New Year's Day good luck. Creamy, smoky, and served over white rice in the Southern tradition.

A colorful salad of black-eyed peas tossed with wild rice, white rice, tomatoes, bell pepper, and corn in a fresh oregano-thyme vinaigrette. Feeds a crowd and tastes even better the next day.