Hoppin’ John Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Apr 11, 2025 Hoppin’ John is a classic black eyed peas recipe, sometimes called Carolina Peas and Rice, cooked with bacon, sausage and veggies, and served over fluffy rice!
Southern Comfort In A Bowl
Love southern comfort food? You’ll be hoppin’ around the dinner table for this flavorful recipe!
This historic southern dish, also known as “Southern Peas and Rice” is a rich and comforting dish, packed with flavors from those hearty black-eyed peas, sausage and bacon, and fresh chopped up veggies.
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
This one-pot authentic Hoppin’ John recipe is bold, smoky and totally satisfying. In my opinion this hearty dish is southern soul food magic!
Why You’ll Love This Hoppin’ John Recipe
- Budget-Friendly – One of the many reasons why I love this recipe is because it’s easy on the wallet and made with inexpensive pantry staples like black-eyed peas, rice and basic veggies.
- Feeds a Crowd – You can make huge batches of this famous peas and rice dish which makes it perfect for your next potluck, meal prep or family dinner!
- Easy to Make – All you need is one-pot to make this yummy recipe, and you know what that means? An easy cleanup!
Whether you are planning on making this dish as a Thanksgiving side dish, for your New Year’s celebration, as it’s traditionally served, or just a regular Wednesday evening at home, I know you’ll enjoy it!
Ingredients Notes and Tips
- Black-Eyed Peas – I recommend using frozen black-eyed peas instead of dried peas as a time saver. You can also use canned black-eyed peas, but don’t add all of the juice from the cans.
- Veggies – This recipe uses a medley of fresh chopped veggies like onion, garlic, celery and bell peppers for sweetness.
- Protein – For extra protein and meaty flavor, use high quality bacon and spicy Andouille sausage.
- Seasoning – Use fresh or dried thyme leaves and cajun seasoning to get those smoky and savory flavors.
- Garnishes – Serve the black-eyed peas over long grain rice and garnish with a sprinkle of green onions.
Recipe Variations & Dietary Swaps
- Collard greens – Stir in some chopped fresh collard greens for a nutritional boost and extra flavor.
- Sweet potato – Add in some cubed sweet potato to give this dish a sweet twist and a pop of color.
- Extra heat – If you want to turn up the heat, add more chopped jalapenos or a dash of cayenne pepper.
- Vegan – Omit the bacon and sausage, and swap the chicken broth with a good quality vegetable broth for a vegan twist.
- Low-carb – Serve over cauliflower rice for a low-carb alternative.
How to Make Hoppin’ John
Find the full Teriyaki Chicken Pizza recipe with detailed instructions and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freezing Leftovers – You can also freeze leftovers in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheating Leftovers – You can reheat leftovers over medium heat whilst stirring frequently, or you can microwave in short bursts.
What to Serve With Hoppin’ John
Hoppin’ John can be served over rice or mixed into it as a fabulous peas and rice recipe. I prefer to pile it on the rice and let each person mix it.
For a healthier version, you can serve your Hoppin’ John on brown rice, or even quinoa!
You can also serve this black-eyed peas recipe as a side next to some crispy broasted chicken, smoked pork loin, or roasted turkey!
This is often known as part of the New Year’s Day meal. It’s believed that if you eat peas and rice every New Year, you are setting yourself up for prosperity and good fortune.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure! Start the pork and vegetables on the stovetop. Then add everything to a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. (Or high for 4-5 hours.) Cook the rice separately.
Yes! Dried black-eyed peas would also work in this beans and rice recipe, but it will take much longer to cook, about 1-2 hours. Be sure to cook until the beans are nice and tender, and you might have to add some extra liquid due to evaporation! Since you are cooking for a long time this way, I also recommend adding a bay leaf.
This cajun black-eyed peas and rice recipe is only slightly spicy! The Cajun seasoning has cayenne pepper which adds a bit of a kick. If you want, you can use a little less cajun seasoning and replace the rest with paprika.
Each Cajun seasoning is different, but it is generally made of black pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika. You can add other spices to the mix too like oregano or red pepper flakes if you would like!
Yes, you can easily substitute black-eyed peas for lima beans, navy beans, or even kidney beans.
This recipe has been around since the 1800s, gracing the tables of many homes in the South, especially during the holidays. This historical dish is believed to pass on good luck and peace to anyone who indulges in it during the New Year. The thought sounds lovely, however, the history doesn’t quite align.
We have been able to find Hoppin’ John Recipes in cookbooks dating back to the 1840’s hailing from the Low Country of South Carolina, a popular region for plantation owners. Black Eyed Peas are traditionally the bean used in this authentic dish which is what makes historians believe enslaved people replanted this West African native bean in American soil.
From there, the Hoppin’ John Recipe was born. The name’s origin is still a mystery. However, many believe that it is derived from the children of African slaves showing excitement to receive this dish for dinner.
Others say it comes from a man known as “Hoppin’ John” who hobbled around the streets of Charleston and sold peas and rice to the locals.
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Authentic Hoppin John Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- ¼ pound thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 2 andouille sausage links, halved and slice thin
- 1 small sweet onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped (any color)
- 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, seeded and diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ – 2 pounds frozen black eyed peas, or field peas
- 32 ounce chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
- ½ cup chopped green onions
- 2 cups long grain rice, rinsed well (or Carolina Gold rice)
Instructions
- Set a medium sauce pot over high heat. Add the rice and 3 ½ cups water. Cover and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and cook for 15-20 minutes, until light and fluffy. *See package instructions.
- Set a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bacon. Cook and stir for 3 minutes, then add in the sliced sausage. Brown until the sausage looks crispy around the edges. Stir regularly.
- Push the bacon and sausage to the sides of the pan and add in the onions, celery, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic. Sauté for 3-5 minutes to soften the vegetables.
- Pour in the black eyed peas, chicken stock, thyme, and Cajun seasoning. Cover with a tight lid and simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until the black eyed peas are soft and tender. (If the broth absorbs before the black eyed peas are soft, add a little water to finish them off.)
- Taste, then season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve warm over rice with a sprinkling of green onions, and hot sauce on the side.
I made this yesterday for the first time. My daughter doesn’t eat pork so I made adjustments. I used turkey bacon & beef uncased sausage. I also used purple peas since I couldn’t find black eye peas. Baby, let me tell you, this recipe is out of site!! My family loved every bite. I made it with fried fish & cornbread. Fantastic!! I’m about to go get some right now & I will be making this again. Thank you for this recipe.