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A bowl of rice topped with black-eyed peas, diced ham, and vegetables sits on a marble surface next to a spoon, a green bell pepper, garlic, and a blue napkin.
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Hoppin’ John

Hoppin’ John is a traditional Southern dish made with black-eyed peas, rice, and smoky meat like bacon or ham. It’s a hearty, flavorful comfort food often served on New Year’s Day for good luck but delicious any time of year.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: main dish, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: black-eyed peas, Hoppin’ John, rice and peas, Southern food
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 438kcal
Author: Chef Jenn

Ingredients

  • 2 slices thick-cut bacon chopped
  • 1 ½ cups yellow onion diced
  • 1 cup green bell pepper diced
  • 1 cup celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
  • 5 cups chicken broth
  • 1 pound black-eyed peas
  • 1 small smoked ham hock
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
  • scallions for garnish
  • parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • Cook the bacon over medium-high heat until it starts to crisp, around 6 minutes.
  • Add onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, thyme, black pepper, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook for 8 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens.
  • Pour in the chicken broth. Add black-eyed peas and the ham hock. Bring everything to a boil.
  • Lower the heat to medium-low and let it simmer uncovered for 30–40 minutes. Stir once in a while as the peas cook until they’re tender.
  • Cook the rice separately. Fluff it once done and set aside.
  • Taste the bean mixture and adjust seasoning as needed. Stir in the last ½ teaspoon of salt along with the vinegar.
  • Take out the ham hock, shred some of the meat, and stir it back into the pot for extra smoky flavor.
  • Serve the peas and broth over bowls of hot rice. Finish with chopped scallions and parsley.

Notes

Chef Jenn's Tips

  • If you're using dried peas, soak them overnight and plan to simmer for closer to an hour.
  • Don’t skip the vinegar—it lifts the flavor at the end.
  • Hold onto that ham hock until the end; the meat and flavor it brings is essential.
  • This meal gets even better after sitting overnight in the fridge.

Nutrition

Serving: 1heaping bowl | Calories: 438kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 1480mg | Potassium: 584mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 3mg