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!
I love anything beans! Perhaps, it all started back in grade school when my mother would cook beans for dinner in it’s humble rusticity – onions, salt and oil, nothing fancy. Just that simple recipe took all of my troubles away like magic.
My mom’s generosity and skill as a cook were unique. Her kitchen was the the one everyone wanted to be in, she cooked with grace and talent. The reason I love beans so much is because it’s one of those times, while cooking that I feel truly connected to her.
It’s said that black eyed peas were first cultivated in West Africa and eventually became popular all over the world especially in Asia then in the Southern part of the U.S. in the 17th century.
Southerners believe that black eyed peas bring good luck and a slew of other great things when you eat this on New Year’s Day. And I couldn’t agree more!
This easy and simple yet flavorful dish is a bowl of healthy goodness with a handful of others. It’s packed with smoky flavor and a subtle heat that brings all the warmth to welcome the New Year.
If you want to go all-out vegan, you may omit the meat and replace chicken broth with vegetable broth. Or you can also consider having this Black Eyed Pea Salad.
Serve it with cornbread or with these black eyed peas fritters or akara for a double good luck for the coming new year! How awesome is that?
Happy New Year, everyone! Welcome 2019! Don’t forget to add this collard greens to your list RECIPE HERE
Tips and Notes:
- If you want to substitute smoked turkey with smoked ham hocks, make sure to adjust the cooking time as ham hocks take longer to cook.
- Leave out the Jalapeños if desired, not traditional but it adds some heat which I personally love.
- Do a taste test to make sure it’s cooked thoroughly. Black eyed peas should be tender with a bite but not mushy.
- You may sub dried beans with canned black eyed peas. Rinse it in a colander to remove any liquid and excess salt. Make sure though to adjust its cooking time. Canned black eyed peas cook faster than the dried ones.
- Collard greens is optional.
Watch How to Make It
Southern Black Eyed Peas Recipe or Hoppin’ John is a hearty, warm and soulful food. This blacked 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 throughout the year!
- 1 pound (453grams) black eyed peas
- 4 -5 thick bacon slices , chopped
- 1 cup smoked sausage or turkey , diced
- 1 large onion , diced
- 1 stalk celery , diced
- 2-3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 Jalapenos , minced (optional) replace with cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme , minced
- bay leaf
- 1-2 teaspoons creole seasoning
- 7-8 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups or more Collard greens , sub with kale
- Salt and pepper to taste
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Rinse dry black-eyed pea beans and pick through and discard any foreign object. (I did not have to do this because I used the package beans,). Add beans to a large pot covering with 3-4 inches of cold water. Cover and let sit for about 2-3 hours.
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In a large, heavy sauté pan, saute chopped bacon until brown and crispy about 4-5 minutes, then add sausage saute for about 2-3 more minutes. Remove bacon and sausage mixture, set aside.
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Throw in the onions, celery, garlic, jalapenos, thyme and bay leaf and saute for about 3-5 minutes, until onions are wilted and aromatic.
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Then pour in the chicken broth or water.
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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.
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Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 20 minutes.
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Throw in the collard greens, and bacon and sausage into the pot, continue cooking for another 10 minutes or more, stirring occasionally, or until beans are tender and slightly thickened to your desire.
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Add more stock or water if the mixture becomes dry and thick, the texture of the beans should be thick, somewhat creamy but not watery.
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Remove the bay leaves.
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Taste and adjust for seasonings with pepper, creole seasoning and salt if needed. Serve over cooked rice and garnish with green onion.
Rinse dry black-eyed pea beans and pick through and discard any foreign object. (I did not have to do this because I used the package beans,). Add beans to a large pot covering with 3-4 inches of cold water. Cover and let sit for about 2-3 hours.
In a large, heavy sauté pan, saute chopped bacon until brown and crispy for about 4-5 minutes, then add sausage and saute for about 2-3 more minutes. Remove bacon and sausage mixture, set aside.
Throw in the onions, celery, garlic, jalapenos, thyme and bay leaf and saute for about 3-5 minutes, until onions are wilted and aromatic. Then pour in the chicken broth or water.
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. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 20 minutes.
Throw in the collard greens, and bacon and sausage in to the pot, continue cooking for another 10 minutes or more , stirring occasionally, or until beans are tender and slightly thickened to your desire. Add more stock or water if the mixture becomes dry and thick, the texture of the beans should thick , somewhat creamy but not watery.
Remove the bay leaves. Taste and adjust for seasonings with pepper, creole seasoning and salt if needed. Serve over cooked rice and garnish with green onion.
Hi there, when do you add the ham hocks or is that instead of bacon? Thanks, anxious to try this recipe sounds delicious
Hi Missy. You sauté your already cooked ham hocks before the bacon and sausage.
You will love it, can’t wait for you to try it :).
what part of the south is this from? as I have eaten blackeyed peas from about every part of every southern state and have never eaten Blackeyed peas cooked like these
I just received a jar of fresh hulled black eyed peas. (They aRe green). How do you go about using fresh beans in this recipe?
Hi Jenn! You would cook it in exactly the same way. Cooking time would decrease by about 15 minutes since it is fresh. Just make sure to keep checking so that it is just tender and does not get too soft. Happy cooking!
I want to try this tomorrow, I have a bag of black eye peas. Don’t know why I bought lol. We usually use the can ones for another recipe. But don’t want to let it got to waste. And this recipe looks yummy, I have bacon and kelabasy. Do you think the kelabasy would be ok to use?
Hi Luz! Hahaha trust me, having a bag of black-eyed peas, especially in the times we live in right now, is a great idea! I have never used Kelabasy before, but I do not think you should have a problem with it. Do let me know how it works out for you 🙂 !
Is Adobe seasoning a creole seasoning? I made a white chicken chili this weekend and my fiance was beside himself over the black eyed peas I used. So now I am looking for more recipes using black eyed peas and I think this will be the first one! Looks amazing!
Hi Sue! I loove black eyed peas and you will love this recipe too ). Adobe and creole seasonings have similar ingredients so, yes, you could use adobo seasoning if you have that at hand. Also check out my Homemade Creole seasoning here https://www.africanbites.com/creole-seasoning/#wprm-recipe-container-566715. Happy cooking.
Really good. I’ve made this 2X and will make it again!
That amazing!! So thrilled you love this recipe! Thanks for stopping by!
Excellent!
Substituted hot sausage for the smoked sausage and chicken bouillon for chicken broth (?less salty?) and two family members needed more salt so I added 1tsp garlic salt. That did it. Also soaked the beans overnight. Paired well with corn bread
Definitely to be repeated.
Thanx!!
That sounds delicious! So glad it worked out for you, Chris!
AWESOMENESS!!!
YAY!! Thanks, Diane 🙂 !
Word of caution: if you don’t make the broth yourself but use store-bought it’s usually going to have a very high salt content. Combined with the bacon and the added salt to taste this for me turned into a salty nightmare from hell; it was inedible. I know it says “or water” later on, but not in the main recipe which is what I stuck to. I will just use water next time as I still really want to succeed at making this. It looks so tasty.
Hi Kate. I absolutely agree! Store-bought broth does tend to be on the salty side. Do make sure you are tasting your dish the whole time to make sure you do not add any extra salt. Happy cooking!
Omg thank you for this recipe it’s so amazing my family loved it I cook for a nonprofit this will be used. Thanks for sharing the love.
Hi Tricia. I am so happy you love this recipe. Thank you for the feedback!
I mean pure perfection! I made this for my boyfriend and now he wants to marry me! Lol. It’s so amazing and super filling. I used turkey sausage and followed the directions as listed. Thank you for such an awesome and flavorful recipe. This will definitely be a new family tradition for all holidays.
This dish is amazing!! I like the suggestion of the chorizo. I believe I will try that next time because there will be a next. Thank for this recipe.
This dish is delicious! I added the kale during the last two minute and that was just the right amount of time. I will definitely put this dish in rotation. Also, thank you for the video that matches the step by step instructions.
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback.
I made this for dinner today, and my kids and my husband all love it! They don’t generally like beans, so this is a great treasure! Thank you!
Awesome! Glad to hear it worked out well.
So delicious…..I had to improvise with some beef broth, only bacon and no greens.(meaning kale or spinach)…..But is still delicious. I ate its as a soup today but it will be a great topper for rice and can add other things to it
Yes it would. Thanks for sharing .
Same thing I’m going to do. Kale in my grocery finished so I’m about to use spinach. And chorizo sausage with crispy bacon. Going to use scotch bonnet peppers and add coconut milk to make it hearty.
Sooo good! Do yourself a favor and make these.
Awesome! Thanks so much.
Im mad i put the thyme in it
..so annoyed messed it up…
So sorry to hear that.
Delicious Imma! I’m not one to post comments but this recipe was so easy and extremely flavorful. My husband can’t stop eating it. It will be added to our regular list of meals and I’ll watching for more of your recipes.
Very very good Hopping Johns!
Wow! This is so awesome a recipe!! My partner doesn’t like black eyed peas but I now have the secret to getting these amazing beans into him!! Thank you very much!!! I forgot the kale because I got a little tipsy by the end of the night. But that’s easy to throw in reheated bowls, right?
My beans/peas are soaking now… I’m in Canada and need to find a good creole mix? Any suggestions?
Have you tried making your own mix.https://www.africanbites.com/creole-seasoning/. It’s 10x better than the store mix.