Hoppin John Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Apr 11, 2025 When I’m craving a comforting home-cooked meal, this classic Hoppin John recipe is always my go-to. It’s rich, hearty and packed with flavor from those tender black eyed peas, smoky bacon, sausage and fresh veggies, all served over warm, fluffy rice.
There’s no other way to put it — this historic dish is literally Southern comfort in a bowl, and I love it! Every spoonful is a magical soul-warming combo of softened black-eyed peas, savory meat and sautéed veggies that have simmered until all those flavors melt together. It has the same satisfying feeling as my hearty and easy red beans and rice recipe, just with a Southern twist. And my favorite little tidbit about this dish? It’s traditionally served during New Year’s because it’s believed to bring good luck!
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
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! I love to portion leftovers in containers and enjoy them throughout the week, especially during colder months.
Easy to Make – All you need is one-pot to make this yummy recipe, and you know what that means? An easy cleanup! Win, win!
Key Ingredients 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 – To boost the heartiness of this dish, I use a medley of fresh chopped veggies like onion, garlic, celery, jalapeño and bell peppers, which give a little sweetness.
- Protein – For extra protein and meaty flavor, use a high quality bacon and your favorite brand of spicy Andouille sausage.
- Seasoning – To get those signature Southern flavors, it’s important to use the right spices. This recipes calls for fresh (or dried) thyme leaves and cajun seasoning.
- Long grain rice – This recipe isn’t complete unless it’s served over a ridiculously fluffy and warm bed of rice! Make sure to rinse the rice really well before cooking it.
How To Make
Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Make the rice – I kick off this recipe by making the rice first. I add rice and water to a saucepan and bring it to boil. Then, I lower the heat and let that cook for about 15-20 minutes until the rice is fluffy. Make sure to follow the package instructions here.
Cook the meat – Then I grab a big pan and set it over medium heat. Once that’s warm, I toss in the bacon and savor the incredible smells as it gets golden and crunchy. I add in the sliced sausage and cook them both until they’re equally brown and crispy.
Sauté the veggies – Into that same pan, I drop in the sliced veggies and sauté them for a few minutes until they’ve softened.
Simmer the peas – Then I add in the black-eyed peas, chicken broth and seasonings. I cover the pan and I let it simmer for about 30-40 minutes until the peas are tender. Sometimes the mixture dries out, but no fear! Just add in a splash of water if that ever happens.
Season – I always make sure to taste before I serve. Sometimes I add a pinch of salt and pepper if needed.
Serve – And finally, dinner is served! I plate a generous serving of warm rice in a bowl and top it with a heaping spoonful of the beans and meat mixture. I love to garnish this dish with sliced green onions and some hot sauce.
Recipe Variations
- 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.
- Legumes – You can easily substitute black-eyed peas for lima beans, navy beans, or even kidney beans, if you prefer.
- Extra heat – If you want to turn up the heat, which I always love to do, you can add more chopped jalapeños or a dash of cayenne pepper.
- Spices – Stir in some extra spices like smoked paprika, onion powder and oregano.
- Quinoa – If you’re looking for a lower carb alternative to rice, swap it with quinoa.
Serving Suggestions
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. You can also serve this dish as a side alongside some:
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.
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.
Storing
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can also freeze leftovers in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat any leftovers over medium heat whilst stirring frequently, or you can microwave in short bursts.
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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.
This is one of the best recipes for Hopping John I’ve made and I’ve been making it for over 30 years. The only deviation I made was adding extra bacon, a 8 oz ham steak and smoked ham shanks. Yes, I like my Hopping John meaty. This came out slightly smoky with just the right amount of spice and flavor. Definitely a keeper.
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.