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
Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
- 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 about 4-5 minutes, then add sausage 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 into 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 be 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.
Nutrition Information:
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.
Alal says
Im mad i put the thyme in it
..so annoyed messed it up…
ImmaculateBites says
So sorry to hear that.
Shellie says
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.
Teresa Reynolds says
Very very good Hopping Johns!
Anna says
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?
Carol Hyland says
My beans/peas are soaking now… I’m in Canada and need to find a good creole mix? Any suggestions?
ImmaculateBites says
Have you tried making your own mix.https://www.africanbites.com/creole-seasoning/. It’s 10x better than the store mix.
Peanut Butter says
I made this for Thanksgiving last year and let me tell you, they were the best damn black eye peas I ever had. Even my daughter was killing em’! I will forever cherish this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing!
ImmaculateBites says
Wow, thank you so much for the feedback! I am so glad they were a hit 🙂 !
Whitley says
Delicious! I adapted this recipe to the instant pot and it turned out great! I forgot to buy a jalapeño so I added some ground red pepper instead and it was the perfect amount of spiciness. Will definitely make again!
Shelly says
How long did you cook in the Instant Pot?
Whitley says
Sorry, just now seeing this. I did manual pressure on high for 30 minutes with a natural pressure release, but I think you could get away with a slightly less cook time if you do the full natural pressure release.
Judy says
I just made this for New Years Day. It was fantastic!
Crystal says
What is the serving size?
Kim says
I substituted tomatoes for the greens. It was amazing. My family loved the black eyed peas and is now a family favorite!
Madelin says
Oh my gosh! Made this recipe for the first time and it is scrumptious. The only change I made was using baby spinach for the green. Thank you for sharing the recipe with us!
Whit Whitaker says
This is cooking as I type. My wife’s Low Country South Carolina family says you got to have rice and my Tennessee side says you must have cornbread. Easy that…both, and with sorghum syrup on hand I’m feeling lucky already. This looks and smells to be a great recipe. Thank you!
QUANNA says
Made this lastnight in my crockpot. Used ham shanks In place of turkey and bacon. It was a hit cant wait to get off work and enjoy!! Always better the next day!!
ImmaculateBites says
Yes it is . Happy New Year!!!
Bob says
Simmering in the crock pot as I type this. Smells amazing. Cannot wait to serve it to my family.
ImmaculateBites says
So happy to hear it worked out well for you. Thanks for the feedback . Wishing you a Happy and prosperous New Year.
Debbie says
Making it as we “speak!” Cooking the collards separately, but am so looking forward to this new twist on New Years Day black eyed peas!!!!!!! Happy New Year, Imma! Will let you know how this turns out! Having to deal with my husband snitching the bacon and sausage! LOL
ImmaculateBites says
I hear you Debbie. My son does the same thing with the bacon. Happy New Year! I hope all your endeavors this year are successful.
Amy says
Simmering now as we watch the Saints game! It smells delicious and so far I’ve been nibbling and it’s fantastic! I added okra to mine and tomatoes! So good!
Rachel says
My grandma raised me. She passed away in 2002 when I was 20. I made these today…I may have gotten a little dust in my eye… These taste just like hers. What a beautiful way to celebrate the first day of 2020. Thank you for bringing all the sweetest memories back today. This recipe will be a staple in our home <3
imma africanbites says
Awww. This just melts my heart. ❤️ Thank you for sharing your thoughts. (*teary-eyed now*) Happy New Year!
Vita says
Can’t wait to try this new take on black eye peas to start my new year 2020. My mom is southern and her meals was always the best, but I like to mix things up and put a new spin on things. Food is awesome.
ImmaculateBites says
It sure is . Happy New year! I wish you a year filled with prosperity, joy, and contentment.
Tiffany says
I’ve never liked black eyed peas (tasted like dirt!) before now. Thank you so much for this recipe! It looks like this year I’ll be able to actually enjoy them today, and well into 2020 and beyond, rather than simply the spoonful or two I’ve been forcing myself to eat. Happy New Year and many thanks!
ImmaculateBites says
Aww, so happy to hear this Tiffany .
Wishing you good health, happiness, and success in this year and always. Happy New Year!
Doug says
Made a double batch of these black eyed peas and brought it to work yesterday to share, and since it was New Years Day somewhere in the world it was all good. This dish along with some Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread was a big hit with everyone, and the peas were all gone in about 30 minutes. Folks just raved about it, especially when they could see greens in it. Overheard one coworker saying, “Peas for the good luck, and greens for the money!!”
ImmaculateBites says
Cheers to good luck and Prosperity Doug. Thanks for taking time out to share your thoughts with us . Happy New Year!
Michele says
This had good flavor and I like that it incorporates greens. I did find that I had to cook the beans a lot longer than the time called for in the recipe. Even with the extra cooking (more like 60 – 90 minutes), the beans weren’t as tender as I would have liked. I think that 2 -3 hours for soaking the beans was too little (I soaked mine for three). I would soak them overnight next time and I think it would result in a creamier, better cooked bean. I would also plan on extra cooking time, just in case.
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks for the Feedback Michele. Wishing you all the best of 2020.
Dina Westcott says
Excited to try this recipe today. I accidentally bought frozen, fresh black-eyed peas rather then dried peas. I assume I can just omit the soaking step and go from there. Happy New Year’s!
ImmaculateBites says
Yes, skip the the soaking part and proceed with the next steps.Wishing you all the best this New Year!!!
Dina Westcott says
This was so good! We also made the skillet cornbread. Thanks for sharing recipes!
Foodman says
Amazing recipe I’ve cooked black eyed peas many times but adding the slight additions you listed they turned out perfect! I don’t care for celery though so I left that out, and added okra.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! So happy to hear it worked out well for you . Cheers to 2020!!!!
Ofelia says
Have you tried Kale instead of collard greens?
ImmaculateBites says
Kale would do just fine here.
Leslie Johnson says
Kale is actually a type of Collard, so why not?
Tay says
How can this recipe be adjusted to use with a pressure cooker? It sounds so delicious!
ImmaculateBites says
Sorry , I haven’t tired it in a pressure cooker.
Cathy says
Can this recipe be made a day ahead?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes it can. It tastes even better the next day.
Lynette says
May be a dumb question… I’m using “fresh shelled peas” from the grocery store….. not dry or canned or frozen…… does that change the cooking time??? I wouldn’t need to soak them, right?
Please reply.
Lynette
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Lynette,
No dumb question here . No you wouldn’t need to soak them, and it would cook much faster , adjust cooking times as needed.
Kourtney Johnson says
I’m making this tomorrow for New Years but doing my greens separate
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Happy New year to you! Wishing you all the best of 2020
Karen says
if I use canned black eyed peas how many cans do I use I wanted to half a recipe the sounds delicious
imma africanbites says
Hi Karen. That’d be around 1 (14.5 oz) can of canned black-eyed peas.
Jackie says
Oh Em Geeeee! This turned out fantastically delicious! I didn’t grow up with black eyed peas on the menu (Panamanian background, grew up with kidney beans and pigeon peas). Made it minus jalapeños but still turned out great. The creole seasoning gave it enough kick for me. I’d give this a ten stars if I could. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
ImmaculateBites says
Yay! So happy to hear it was a hit. Happy New year!!!!
Ramona says
I made this recipe with canned organic black eyed peas. I replaced the greens with home made stewed tomatoes. They were absolutely wonderful. Have also made with turkey sausage and added a little more spice and the dish was equally as good. Will be making over and over again.
Charles A Austin says
Can’t wait to try this for New Year’s Eve! Sound good!
imma africanbites says
Yes, it is. Have an awesome celebration!
Rob says
Excellent
Tammy says
I’m from Louisiana (live in Colorado now) and am making this for New Years Day! I love black eyed peas anyway, but introducing them to my Chicano family here! I know this recipe will totally wow them! Thanks for posting!
imma africanbites says
Happy cooking, Tammy! And happy new year to you and your family!
Docleia Gibson says
I do not like blackened peas, bit this receive made all the difference. Thanks for sharing.
ImmaculateBites says
My pleasure! So happy to hear that . Happy New year to you and yours.
Merene says
I have made these peas so many times and every time I present them, they’re always a hit!!! I love this website!!!
ImmaculateBites says
Thank you Merene.
Jennifer Grace says
I made this tonight, exactly as directed. Minus the Jalapeno but added some red people flakes in its place. Pure perfection. Absolutely delicious. I did use canned greens, wish I would’ve used fresh greens but it was still pure perfection. Thank you for the recipe. This will always be my New Years Day dish moving forward.
imma africanbites says
Awesome! Thank you for trying it out. I will be making this one, too, for tomorrow. Happy New Year!
Sonia Ochoa says
My friend and I are making this (vegan) in a pressure cooker as I type- I will report back with results
ImmaculateBites says
Can’t wait Sonia.
Reva says
Can you post the recipe you used? I’m vegetarian and definitely want to use my pressure cooker
Heather says
Sonia I’d love to know your times for the pressure cooker!
Lisa Rogers says
I’m going to cook this today. Peas are soaking now. I was reading all the comments and I think I will add a can of rotel tomatoes. Some thick cut pork chops and cornbread to go with it. Sounds good to me!
imma africanbites says
Hope you enjoy it, Lisa! Happy weekend. =)
Bonnie says
This is my new FAVORTE black-eyed pea recipe. I like doing recipes that have multiple ingredients and this one did not disappoint. It was so good, my son was eating with his face nearly in his bowl. I added some “already cooked” collard greens and that put that little “umph” to the recipe. Also substituted crushed red peppers for the jalapeño . I gave some away to a couple I love and they couldn’t say enough about it, so I have promised to make it again. This is going to be my NY tradition for the future.
imma africanbites says
Yaaay! Thank you for the awesome feedback, Bonnie! I’m so glad you like it.
Teresa says
This is so yummy and simple to make. Thank you for my new go to black eyed pea recipe!!
Liza Lee says
I made this for New Years Eve. First time and decided to make again for dinner tonight. My mom came by and she absolutely loved the beans fir NYE!! Going to add Jalepenos this time.
Thanks again!!
imma africanbites says
Thank you for dropping by, Liza. I appreciate it.
Jenny says
Well this is my story…….. I opened a can if black eyed peas in mistake for something else, so decided not to waste them and found this recipe. I live on my own so halved the quantity. Oh my goodness what an amazingly tasty dish!!! I love it and have shared with my family and friends. I’m so pleased I opened that can by mistake!!! Thank you.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Jenny.
I am so happy you opened that can- Lol. Thanks for the feedback!
Mary says
Delicious! I shared your recipe with friends.
imma africanbites says
Thank you for sharing this one out, Mary. I truly appreciate it! 🙂
Kathy B says
Yumm! This was very good. I added a little more celery and used a 12 oz. package of andouille sausage and cooked a little longer to my taste.
imma africanbites says
Thank you for dropping by, Kathy. Glad you like it.
Jen says
I just made this and it is so delicious! Thank you so much for this wonderful, easy to follow recipe! I probably threw in more bacon, sausage and kale (I’m in the PNW) than what you have listed, but I wanted it to be hearty. I also used Cajun spices because I couldn’t find Creole, and 2 qts of chicken stock and it’s incredible. Here’s to luck, coins and dollar bills for everyone in the new year!
imma africanbites says
Happy happy New Year, Jen! More bacon is a big yes for me. 😉 Thank you for dropping by.
Maunone Tanner says
Loved this. Made a vegan version using Field Roast Apple Sage Sausage, vegetable broth and vegetable broth. Absolutely wonderful. Served over brown and wild rice with stewed tomatoes.
imma africanbites says
Thank you for sharing those substitutions. It’ll surely be of help to those who’d take the vegan route for this recipe. Happy New Year!
Lauren says
My husband has been shoveling snow allll day and he can’t wait to taste this yummy dish that smells so goood! And I know it is, becuse I’ve been tasting as I go. Delicious! Thank you for sharing this with us all 😀 I’m pairing it with fried pork chops for our new years dinner. Going to be warmed through here really soon <3
imma africanbites says
What a lovely pairing! Happy happy New Year, Lauren!
Sarah says
This recipe was delicious! We just had our bowl for the new year and we will definitely use the recipe again. I didn’t have sausage, but I did have leftover ham – that was a tasty substitute. Thanks for sharing!
imma africanbites says
You’re welcome, Sarah. I’m happy you love this recipe as much as I do.
Tammy says
Have you ever done this in a slow cooker? Just wondering if I would still saute everything first? Thanks this looks delicious!
ImmaculateBites says
Yes, it’s best to saute everything first before adding to the slow cooker, for maximum flavor.
Shelly says
I’m gonna try this for new year’s, it sounds amazing. I didn’t see thyme listed as an ingredient, but the directions call for thyme. So, how much do i add?
Thanks, shelly
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Shelly,
It’s 2 teaspoons minced thyme. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
Happy New Year!!!
Michelle says
It actually does say thyme
Shaul says
I decided to double the recipe for my first try and served it for Christmas dinner to 14 people. Everyone liked it and we still have lots of leftovers. For broth I made my own from smoked ham hocks in the instant pot. This one is a keeper!
Tip: if using salty meats, wait until it’s all well cooked before adding salt.
imma africanbites says
Thank you for sharing that tip, Shaul. Glad it turned out well for you.
Linda A. Weisser says
Will definitely save this recipe for New Years Day <3
imma africanbites says
This is indeed perfect for New Year’s Day, Linda. I’ll be sharing too a list of some New Year’s Day recipes.
Tomato onion paste says
Black Eyed Peas is healthy. Instead of using pieces of onion and tomato you can use tomato onion paste and cook this paste first for 2-3 minute then add black peas to it. This also gives delicious taste.
imma africanbites says
Thanks for the tips! Will try it your way some other time. Have a good one!
Debbra pappion says
Love your recipes ! Do you have a recipe for Tamale pie.
ImmaculateBites says
Sorry I don’t have one at the moment. Hopefully soon.
Wells says
Would I use one or two pounds of black eyed peas? Thanks
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Wells! It’s one pound of black eyed peas. Thanks!