What does the southern dish Hoppin John combine among other ingredients?

Hoppin' John has black-eyed peas in it, but it also has other ingredients. In this recipe, the black-eyed peas are stewed with onion, garlic, celery, and a ham hock , similar to how some Southern-style black-eyed peas would be cooked. But the kicker is that Hoppin' John always involves rice.

Do I soak black-eyed peas?

— Let your black-eyed peas soak . Place your beans in a large bowl and add enough water to cover by at least 4". Let them soak overnight. While not entirely necessary, soaking your beans will cut down on cooking time, making the whole process quicker and easier.

What is a Charleston Hoppin John?

A staple of the Southern table, Hoppin' John is famously eaten on New Year's Day, but is just as good any other day as well. This version features tender and earthy field peas cooked with fluffy rice and rich and smoky ham hocks .

What is traditional Hoppin John?

Hoppin' John, also known as Carolina peas and rice, is a peas and rice dish served in the Southern United States . It is made with cowpeas, mainly, black-eyed peas and Sea Island red peas in the Sea Islands and iron and clay peas in the Southeast US, and rice, chopped onion, and sliced bacon, seasoned with salt.

What happens if you don't soak black-eyed peas overnight?

The black-eyed pea, which is also known as a cowpea, doesn't necessarily need to be soaked. But if you find yourself short on time, soaking black-eyed peas can make a true difference in regards to cooking time .

What happens if you don't pre-soak black-eyed peas?

Not soaking the black-eyed peas can slightly impact the texture, as they can take longer to cook and may be slightly firmer compared to soaked ones . However, the taste will remain similar whether you soak them or not.

What happens if you soak black-eyed peas too long?

It is possible to soak beans for too long before cooking. Beans should soak for 8 to 10 hours overnight. If they are soaked for longer than 12 hours, they can lose their familiar flavor and become overly mushy . For the best result, refrain from soaking them for too long.

What do the ingredients in Hoppin John mean?

The ingredients in Hoppin' John have symbolic importance, and eating this dish on New Year's Day portends good fortune in the new year: black-eyed peas represent coins . collard greens represent greenbacks (dollars), or cash . corn bread represents gold .

What is the significance of Hoppin John?

And our tastiest superstitious tradition is eating Hoppin' John on New Year's Day. This classic Southern dish, a one-pot meal of black-eyed peas, ham hock, and rice, is believed by many (not just the Sterlings) to ensure wealth and bring good luck in the upcoming year.

What sets soul food apart from Southern food?

Soul food is a subset of the Cuisine of the Southern United States and is usually defined as part of African-American culture. While there is considerable overlap between the two, Soul food is generally based on the lesser cuts of meat and on offal .

What's the difference between Hoppin John and black-eyed peas?

One difference is the variety of field peas used. A lot of Southerners grew up with cowpeas, or “red peas,” in their Hoppin' John, rather than black-eyed peas. There are also different opinions about bacon versus ham hocks, and whether to cook the rice separately or make it a one-pot meal.

Vegan Hoppin' John Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Make Ahead

by: Gena Hamshaw

December24,2013

4.5

6 Ratings

Cook time 3 hours
Serves 6

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

This traditional Southern New Year's dish loses none of its characteristic flavor or heartiness when it gets a vegan makeover. —Gena Hamshaw

Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients

2 cupsblack-eyed peas, dried
1 tablespoonolive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 large stalk celery, chopped
1 teaspoondried thyme, crushed
¹/₂ teaspoonsmoked paprika
¹/₄ teaspoonsea salt
4 cupsvegetable broth
one 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes
2 cupsdried long-grain brown rice or brown basmati rice
1 pinchcayenne pepper
Ground black pepper, to taste
2 green onions, green parts only, chopped
Tabasco sauce (optional)

Directions

Place the black-eyed peas in a pot of water and soak overnight. Discard soak water.
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the onion, pepper, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables are soft, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the thyme, paprika, and soaked/drained peas. Then add the vegetable broth. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the peas are tender but not mushy (about 35 to 50 minutes). If excess broth remains when the peas are cooked, you can gently pour it out of the pot. Strain the diced tomatoes and add them, along with the salt, to the bean mixture. Heat through. Check and adjust the seasoning with black pepper, cayenne, and salt as needed.
While the beans are cooking, cook the rice according to package instructions. Fluff and set aside.
Divide the rice into bowls. Top with the pea mixture and sprinkle evenly with green onion. Add a dash or two of Tabasco if desired.

Tags:

Southern
American
Celery
Paprika
Pea
Thyme
Green Onion/Scallion
Bean
Make Ahead
Christmas
Thanksgiving
Winter

See what other Food52ers are saying.

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Popular on Food52

17 Reviews

Kim W. January 2, 2022

I make a vegan Hoppin John every New Year's Day and I'm happy I found this recipe. I amped it up a bit with fresh thyme, smoked paprika, a little pepper, and red pepper flakes and added more celery and a diced carrot.
This recipe is simple and comforting and will go in my black-eyed peas rotation!

Julia S. August 21, 2020

My whole family LOVES this dish and Only 1 of us is a vegetarian.

BR95510 January 1, 2020

Excellent flavor!! I would say that it would serve more than six. We have plenty of leftover! (Would it freeze well?). I topped mine with some Harissa to zing it up on the plate and scattered the chopped chives over the top. It was a wonderful New Year's Day meal! This will stay in rotation and become a tradition for sure! Thanks for the great recipe Gena! Happy New Year!

Shannon V. January 1, 2015

My husband and I loved this and we had it just now for New Years. I will make this again. Thank you for sharing with us, Happy New Year!!!!

Marsha G. October 5, 2014

This was serviceable but I prefer Hoppin' John with pork.

Caroline S. February 16, 2014

Very nice. Much better then I expected. The paprika gave it a smoky flavour.

j. February 6, 2014

I'll definitely try this - it's a bit different from the hoppin' john recipe I've made for years. I usually add a couple tablespoonfuls of tamari to the sauteed onions step, plus, if I'm feeling fancy, some liquid smoke. Nancy - not sure when you posted your comment, so you might no longer be looking for a reply - but the Rapunzle and Organic Gourmet lines of boullion are pretty good. I personally usually combine one of the "no salt added" with the plenty o' salt added cubes to come out with a happy, not too salty medium.

twinjadojo January 2, 2014

I've always sort of dreaded black-eyed peas on New Year's Day, but these were absolutely delicious. My beans came out perfectly tender, and with none of the strong, off taste that I associate with them. I served them with braised collards, which I cooked with some of my extra bean liquor. The sweet vinegar from the collards was a perfect compliment to the beans. 2014 is off to a great (and hopefully lucky) start in my kitchen. Thank you!

Trees January 1, 2014

Just made this! I used canned black-eyed peas and served it with lemon-garlic quinoa and hot sauce. Great start to the new year!

Tom S. January 2, 2014

Trees: Recipe for lemon-garlic quinoa? Used the quinoa instead of rice? Thanks.

Trees January 2, 2014

I don't really use a recipe. Just add a squeeze of lemon and some minced garlic to the quinoa after it's done along with salt, pepper, and olive oil. All to taste, of course. I mix it up and let it sit in the pot for a while before serving.

Tom S. January 6, 2014

Thanks.

Erica January 1, 2014

This was delicious! Thanks for a delicious New Years Day lunch! Even my 3 1/2 y.o. asked for seconds :)

Whats4Dinner December 31, 2013

Along the lines of Tom's questioning, would frozen black-eyed peas do? I was thinking I could add them (thawed) maybe half way through the simmering veggies?

Ceege December 30, 2013

@ Nancy Charlton....As a Vegan, I have found that Kitchen Basic's vegetable broth (unsalted) is a great broth for most of my recipes. Hope this hint works out for you.

Nancy C. December 29, 2013

Do you have a recommendation for a veg broth that doesn't lend an off flavor to the food? On Christmas Day we had Brussels sprouts with bacon, which was served on the side as a sprinkle-on in deference to a vegan guest. I was thinking I could do this with the hoppin John too. Has anyone tried either and have any comments?

Tom S. December 29, 2013

Gena: Will canned black eyed peas work in this recipe? Thanks, Tom