Southern Black-Eyed Peas, or Hoppin’ John, is a hearty, soul-warming delicacy. This black-eyed peas recipe is smokey, spicy, and pure satisfaction with a deep yet not overwhelming bacon flavor. And it’s a traditional Southern dish served on New Year’s Day to bring good luck!
I love anything with beans! Perhaps it started back in grade school when my Auntie cooked beans for dinner in its modest rusticity – onions, salt, and oil, nothing fancy. That simple recipe made all my troubles go away like magic.
And now, this Southern black-eyed peas recipe is the perfect comfort food with soul-satisfying goodness any time of year. It warms us up even in the coldest weather and graces the best cookouts in the heat of summer. This dish will remind you of home and nostalgic, happy memories. ❤️
Content…For More Than New Year’s |
Black-Eyed Peas for More Than New Year’s Good Luck
Black-eyed peas are from my native Africa, and they’re so delicious they became popular worldwide. After arriving in the southern U.S. in the 17th century, they became a symbol of prosperity because they resemble pennies and coins. They grow exceptionally well in the heat and so gave birth to a delicious Southern tradition.
People believe eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day brings good luck and a slew of other beautiful things. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this heartwarming dish all year round.
Recipe Ingredients
- Black-Eyed Peas offer a slightly smoky flavor and high protein and fiber content, making them nutritious and delicious.
- Meat – Bacon and smoked sausage add flavor and more meaty goodness. Ham hock or leftover smoked turkey are also excellent additions.
- Seasonings – Caramelized onion, garlic, thyme, celery, bay leaf, jalapenos, Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper deliver fantastic smells and flavors. You can kick up the heat more with a dash of cayenne pepper.
- Chicken Broth is the essential liquid bursting with chicken essence and rich umami flavors to simmer the black-eyed peas.
- Collard Greens – Black-eyed beans symbolize pennies. Collard greens, on the other hand, represent bills in this lucky dish. Plus, adding greens makes it more nourishing.
How to Make Southern Black-Eyed Peas
Prep
- Soak – Rinse dry black-eyed pea beans and pick through and discard any foreign object. Add beans to a large pot, covering them with 3-4 inches of cold water. Let sit for 2-3 hours or overnight.
- Cook the Meat – In a large, heavy sauté pan, fry the chopped bacon until brown and crispy (4-5 minutes). Add sausage and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Remove the bacon and sausage mixture and set aside. (Photo 1)
- Saute – Add the onions, celery, garlic, jalapenos, thyme, and bay leaf, and saute for 5 minutes or so until the onions become translucent and the seasonings release their fragrance. (Photos 2-3)
Cook
- Add Liquid – Then pour in the chicken broth or water. (Photo 4)
- Season – Drain the soaked beans, rinse, and place the beans in the pot—season with Creole seasoning and salt to taste. Mix and bring to a boil.
- Simmer – Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 20 minutes. (Photos 5-7)
- Assemble– Toss in the collard greens, bacon, and sausage into the pot, and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or more, stirring occasionally, or until beans are tender and slightly thickened to your desire. (Photo 8)
- Final Touch – Add more stock or water if the mixture becomes dry and thick. The texture of the beans should be thick and somewhat creamy but not watery. Remove the bay leaves.
- Serve – Taste and adjust for seasonings with pepper, Creole seasoning, and salt if needed. Serve over cooked rice and garnish with green onion.
Flavor Variations
- Vegan – Omit the meat and replace the rendered fat with olive oil; then vegetable broth can replace the chicken broth for a vegan version. And to make this dish more nutritious, you can add collard greens, carrots, and bell peppers.
- Crockpot Southern Black-Eyed Peas – This one is more effortless but equally delicious. Put everything in the crockpot, and you’ll have your dinner ready in 5-6 hours on high and about 9-10 hours on low. Imagine the things you can accomplish in those waiting hours. 😉
- Tropical Twist – Make these black-eyed peas with bacon and pork creamy and interestingly yummy with coconut milk. And I bet you’ll love this dish even more.
- Tomato – Fresh tomatoes or tomato sauce will also add a nice variation to this Hoppin John recipe. The kick of tangy goodness will surely make your tastebuds happy.
Recipe Notes
- You can substitute the dried black-eyed peas with canned ones. However, add them 10 minutes before the dish finishes cooking so they have time to heat through because they’re already cooked.
- For a thicker consistency, I suggest mashing a few softened beans against the side of the pot with the back of your spoon. The mashed beans will make a creamier and thicker broth. Or remove about a cup, puree them in a blender or food processor, and then pour the puree back into the pot and give it a good stir.
Making-Ahead and Storage
Surprisingly, this bean stew freezes well. So go for it and make a large batch. It’ll come in handy when a soul-food craving hits.❤️ Transfer the black-eyed peas stew into a clean, airtight container or heavy-duty freezer-safe ziplock bags once cooled.
Refrigerate for 3-5 days or freeze for 6 months. Pack them in a freezer bag, either the whole thing or in single-serving sizes, for easy thawing and reheating. Thaw overnight in the fridge when ready to serve. Reheat in a pan on medium-low heat or in a microwave. You may add more chicken broth or water as needed.
FAQs
Technically, you don’t need to soak black-eyed peas. However, soaking them for a few hours or overnight shortens the cooking time. It’s totally up to you.
Adding bacon, sausage, and seasonings intensifies this dish’s flavor. But to take this dish to another level, add tomato sauce or coconut milk.
As a tradition, Southerners put clean pennies and dimes into their pot of black-eyed peas, believing they’ll bring luck and prosperity. They believe the one who gets the most coins in their bowl is the luckiest.
What to Serve With Black-Eyed Peas on New Year’s Day
Double your luck by serving this black-eyed peas recipe with collard greens (representing money) and cornbread (for gold). Pork (because it roots forward) will complete a traditional New Year’s dinner. No lobster or chicken if you’re going for good luck. Oven-baked pork chops, smoked bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin, or fried pork chops are all good.
More Traditional Southern Dishes to Try
- Southern Mac and Cheese
- Butter Biscuits
- Southern Fried Cabbage
- New Orleans BBQ Shrimp
- Southern Deviled Eggs
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”8AgprXDl” upload-date=”2019-04-01T07:08:53.000Z” name=”Black Eyed Peas Recipe” description=”Southern Black Eyed Peas Recipe or Hoppin’ John is a hearty, warm and soulful food. This black eyed peas recipe is smokey, spicy with a deep yet not too overwhelming bacon flavor. A Southern traditional dish served on New Year’s Day to bring good luck charm!”]
This blog post was originally published in December 2017 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
Southern Black-Eyed Peas Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 pound (453g) black-eyed peas
- 4-5 thick slices bacon, chopped
- 5 ounces smoked sausage or turkey, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 2-3 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 optional jalapeno, minced (can replace with ¼ teaspoon cayenne)
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1-2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
- 7-8 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups (or more) collard greens (or you can use kale)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse dry black-eyed pea beans, pick through, and discard any foreign objects. Add beans to a large pot and cover with 3-4 inches of cold water. Let sit for 2-3 hours (or overnight).
- In a large, heavy sauté pan, saute chopped bacon until brown and crispy (4-5 minutes), then add sausage and saute for 2-3 more minutes. Remove bacon and sausage mixture, and set aside.
- Throw in the onions, celery, garlic, jalapenos, thyme, and bay leaf, and saute for 3-5 minutes until the onions are wilted and aromatic.
- Then pour in the chicken broth or water.
- Drain the soaked beans, rinse, and place them in the pot. Season with Creole seasoning and salt to taste. Stir and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 20 minutes.
- Toss the collard greens, bacon, and sausage into the pot, and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or more, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and the broth thickens to your desired texture.
- Add more stock or water if the mixture becomes dry and thick. The texture of the beans should be thick and somewhat creamy but not watery.
- Remove the bay leaf.
- Taste and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning if needed. Serve over rice and garnish with chopped green onion.
H Phillips says
The recipe is flavorful and delicious. I doubled it and included a jalapeño for a family dinner. It was not spicy. I will use this black eyed pea recipe every year for New Year’s Day because it’s that delicious.
ImmaculateBites says
Thank you so much, I’m thrilled your family enjoyed it, and adding jalapeño sounds like a great twist—perfect for a New Year’s tradition!
Kaye says
Absolutely delicious! I added 1 cup of coconut milk and made the creole seasoning. Thank you!
ImmaculateBites says
Thank you for the kind words! The addition of coconut milk and homemade Creole seasoning sounds fantastic—so glad you enjoyed it!
Susan LaCombe says
Hands down the best we’ve ever eaten! Only change was I used dried thyme instead of fresh and used 3 cups collards. Delicious.
ImmaculateBites says
Thank you so much, Susan. I’m glad it turned out delicious, and your tweaks with dried thyme and extra collards sound perfect!
Gloria D says
We loved this dish and our friends said they never eat black eyed peas because they don’t like them but this dish was so delicious they tried it and then ate every single bite! My husband was grateful for the little bit of leftovers too! Thank you!!
ImmaculateBites says
That’s amazing to hear—thank you! I’m so glad it won over even the non-black-eyed pea fans, and it’s great your husband got to enjoy some leftovers! Happy New Year, Gloria
Drew Peacock says
I ended up using Cajun on accident instead of creole seasoning, and diced ham instead of sausage. It turned out soooo good.
Imma says
I love it when accidents make a recipe better :)! Thanks for sharing, Drew!
Karen says
I made this recipe for New Year’s Day and my family and friends loved it! I made it exactly as directed and wouldn’t change a thing. We will be making this all winter. Thank you!
Imma says
I am so glad this was a hit with your family, Karen! Thank you for the feedback!
Amina says
LAWDamercy! These were the best black eyed peas I’ve ever had! Everyone was telling me how I put my foot in these beans. Thank you for this this, I will be making my black eyed peas like this from now on.
Imma says
Love this! Thanks for the feedback, Amina!
Andrea Wilhelm says
This was a hit! I did alter the recipe, added triple the celery, double the onion, double the garlic, almost double the smoked sausage, added a splash of almond milk, and I used about 2 tbsp of tomato paste. I’m not the biggest fan of black eyed peas, but this was so good! I served it with honey jalapeno cornbread! Definitely making this next new years!
Imma says
This sounds absolutely divine! Thanks for sharing your take on this, Andrea!
Ivy says
First time trying black eyed peas was so good! My family loved it. Had them over rice with cornbread. Definitely making this recipe again.
Imma says
I am so glad you’re family loved it, Ivy. Thank you for the feedback!
Bonnie L Parker says
I really loved this recipe, and so did my family!
Imma says
Awesome! Thank you for the feedback, Bonnie :)!
Laura Pruneau-Fallert says
OMG ONE OF THE BEST RECIPES OF MY LIFETIME!!!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Laura !
thank you so much! I’m thrilled to hear that you loved the black-eyed peas recipe so much. It’s always wonderful when a dish resonates with someone on such a deep level. If you have any tweaks or sides you paired it with, feel free to share—I’d love to hear how you made it your own!
Gretchen says
Absolutely delicious – deep and robust flavors, smoky, rich.
ImmaculateBites says
Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m so glad you enjoyed the deep, smoky, and rich flavors of the recipe. It’s definitely one of those dishes that warms the soul.
Meka Brown says
Officially my Black-eyed recipe. I made it for New Year’s Day dinner and my 3 teens raved and went in for 2nds. The flavor was great and the consistency was perfect. The only thing I did was add double the smoke sausage because my boys are hearty eaters. For those who had an issue with the liquid, I would say smash some of the peas by pressing them on the inside of the pot with the back of your spoon and turn the heat up for those last 10 minutes and it’ll thicken. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Meka,
What a fantastic way to kick off the New Year! I’m so thrilled your teens loved it and even went in for seconds—that’s always the best compliment! Doubling the smoked sausage sounds like the perfect tweak for hearty eaters; I love how you made it your own. And your tip for thickening the liquid is absolutely spot-on—such a simple yet effective trick. Thank you for sharing your experience and helpful advice. Wishing you and your family many more delicious meals this year! ❤️
Arles says
Wonderful recipe. I made it yesterday in the Instant Pot (no soaking the peas required!). Instead of bacon and sausage I used a small ham hock (the only one I could find) and a smoked pig’s tail. For the liquid I used 4 cups homemade chicken broth and 4 cups water. A few other minor tweaks (a small carrot, a little chopped red pepper) and I used cayenne instead of Cajun spice. Fifteen minutes on high pressure, then I switched the setting to slow cook and let everything simmer away for a few hours. I let the IP sit on Keep Warm setting overnight. Today I fished out the pig tail and the ham hock and added chopped Tuscan kale and some diced ham. By the time we ate supper, it was a wonderful thick bean soup consistency. Added chopped green onion and a good dose of Trappey’s hot pepper vinegar at the table. Side of buttermilk cornbread out of a hot cast iron pan. Outstanding. The texture of the peas was perfect — they remained whole but were creamy. I used Camellia brand, for the first time. Dried legume dishes are always better starting the second day, so I made sure to cook these in advance.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Aries,
Your take on the recipe sounds amazing! The smoked pig’s tail and ham hock must have added incredible depth, and the addition of kale and diced ham turned it into a perfect hearty meal. Pairing it with buttermilk cornbread straight from a cast iron pan is genius, and the hot pepper vinegar at the table was a great touch. Thank you for sharing your delicious tweaks! ✨
Sarah Penney says
I’m so confused on the steps. It doesn’t specify when you add the sautéed veggies, herbs and stock. I’m assuming when you start cooking the beans. Here’s to hoping that is right!
Benjamin says
My family got mad at me when I said I was going to make something with black-eyed peas but they ended up loving it. Turned out lovely. Only changes I made were doubling the celery and sausage.
ImmaculateBites says
Love it! Glad they came around and enjoyed it. Doubling the celery and sausage sounds like a delicious twist—great job!