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
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.
HCE's Canine Mom says
I never leave reviews but I had to for this recipe. I have to admit that I’ve always HATED black eyed peas, but usually try to have them each New Year’s Day. This recipe has totally changed my mind about black eyed peas–it is absolutely delicious!!! I made it exactly as written except I added a little tomato paste for depth of flavor. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
ImmaculateBites says
It’s fantastic to hear that this recipe changed your perspective on black-eyed peas! Sometimes, it just takes the right combination of flavors to turn a disliked food into something enjoyable. Your addition of tomato paste for extra depth of flavor sounds like a clever tweak. It’s always rewarding to hear when a recipe not only meets but exceeds expectations, especially for someone who generally doesn’t favor the main ingredient. If you’re ever in search of more recipes or ways to adapt dishes to your taste, feel free to reach out. Enjoy your culinary explorations!
Alyk says
These turned out so good! But my peas took way longer than they were supposed to. I soaked them for two day beforehand in cool water and then boiled them at a low boil for two hours. They were good but still not fully soft. And I also had to add about 3 cups more liquid. Do you have any suggestions about what I did wrong/ how to fix it?
ImmaculateBites says
Glad to hear it was tasty .It sounds like your black-eyed peas may have been older, as older beans can take longer to soften. Beans gradually lose moisture and become harder as they age, so even with soaking, they require longer cooking times. To improve the cooking process, try using fresher black-eyed peas if possible, and ensure that the water you soak and cook them in is adequately salted, as this can help soften their skins. Additionally, consider using a pressure cooker, which can significantly reduce cooking time and result in more uniformly cooked peas.
Angie Stone says
I’ve never liked black eyed peas until now. The best recipe ever. I put mine in the slow cooker for 4 hours
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Angie!
That’s fantastic to hear! Using a slow cooker is an excellent method for cooking black-eyed peas, as the consistent, low heat allows the flavors to meld beautifully while ensuring the peas become tender without being mushy.
enjoy
Kiki says
This is the first time I’ve ever had black eyed peas….this recipe is delicious and bursting with flavor!
ImmaculateBites says
Woohoo! Thanks so much.
Joylene says
I made this for New Year’s Day. We loved it. Instead of bacon and sausage I used ham.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Joylene,
Using ham as a substitute for bacon and sausage in your New Year’s Day black-eyed peas dish is a great choice. Ham adds a rich, smoky flavor that complements the earthy taste of the peas, and it’s a traditional ingredient in many Southern-style recipes. This modification likely gave your dish a distinctive and savory profile, perfect for a festive and hearty New Year’s meal.
Sandra S says
This is my 2nd year making this recipe. These are the best black eyed peas I’ve ever had. I used fresh beans and cooked them for about 40 minutes total. I added kale and jalapeño and it was delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
April Oxford says
Absolutely delicious. Made it in the slow cooker. It did not disappoint!
ImmaculateBites says
So happy to hear this . Cheers
Nika says
This is a great recipe. I used kielbasa for the sausage and unsalted chicken bone broth for the stock. Swapped spinach for the kale. The black eyed peas needed an extra hour to cook but it turned out great – thanks!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Nika,
I’m glad to hear the recipe turned out great with your adjustments! Using kielbasa sausage adds a unique, slightly spicy and garlicky flavor that pairs well with black-eyed peas, and using unsalted chicken bone broth is a fantastic choice for a rich, nutritious base. Swapping spinach for kale is a smart move too, as it offers a milder flavor and tender texture. The extra cooking time for the peas is not uncommon, as their cooking time can vary based on age and soaking. Your modifications sound like they added wonderful depth and character to the dish!
Enjoy
Kay Hogan says
Used for a prosperous New Year meal as a soup. LOVED IT!
ImmaculateBites says
Wishing you all the best ! Cheers
Scott says
This is great but mine turned out super salty. Maybe my Creole seasoning has too much salt in it. Usually to tone that down in my soups I add either lemon juice, lime juice, or red wine vinegar. Which would you recommend for me to reduce the saltines?
Thanks!
ImmaculateBites says
So sorry to hear that .It is likely due to the high salt content in the Creole seasoning, adding an acid to balance the saltiness is a good idea. For this particular dish, I would recommend using red wine vinegar. Its tangy and slightly sweet flavor complements the rich and spicy notes of Southern cooking and won’t overpower the other flavors in your dish like lemon or lime juice might. Start with a small amount, taste, and adjust as needed. It’s a subtle way to counteract excess saltiness while enhancing the overall flavor profile of your black-eyed peas. Hope this helps
Paula from Dallas says
We make this every year for New Years Day, I add a cut up ham steak. If someone doesn’t like black eyed peas then this recipe will convert them. Delish!!!!
ImmaculateBites says
Agree! Thanks so much
Eric D says
How much garlic?
ImmaculateBites says
2-3 minced garlic .
Yasmin Carlson says
I am using your recipe for the second time. It’s awesome. However, dried black eyed peas take way longer to cook soft than 20 minutes. Also, I don’t serve this dish over rice, but with corn bread (gold?).
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Yasmin
I’m glad to hear that you’re enjoying the recipe enough to use it a second time! You’re right about the cooking time for dried black-eyed peas; they often require more than 20 minutes to become soft, especially if they haven’t been pre-soaked or are a bit older. Adjusting the cooking time as needed is a good practice. Serving the dish with cornbread, whether it’s classic or golden, is a fantastic choice. Cornbread complements the flavors and textures of black-eyed peas beautifully, offering a delightful contrast and plenty of Gold this coming year . Enjoy
A. Anguish says
This is my “go to” every New Years and it is always a crowd pleaser! LOVE IT!! ❤️
ImmaculateBites says
Yay! Glad to hear this. Enjoy
Stephanie Hayes says
I was looking for a good black eyed pea recipe for new years day, and this one looked good. I didn’t have smoked sausage, so I substituted ham. I also didn’t have jalapeno, so I just left it out. I used 1 can of black eyed peas and 1/4 the recipe, since it is just me and my husband. I also used canned collards. It came out great! Thanks for the recipe!
ImmaculateBites says
Great Substitutions . Thanks so much for the feedback.