Hoppin John Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Jan 5, 2026 
When I’m craving a comforting home-cooked meal in the winter, this classic Hoppin John recipe is 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 meld together. It has the same satisfying feeling as my hearty and easy red beans and rice recipe, with a unnique 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 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 into containers and enjoy them throughout the week, especially during colder months.
Easy to Make – All you need is one pot to make this cozy recipe, and you know what that means? 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 rinse and drain the peas before using.
- Veggies – To boost the heartiness of this dish, I use a medley of fresh chopped onion, garlic, celery, jalapeño, and bell peppers, which offers depth and 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 recipe calls for fresh (or dried) thyme leaves and Cajun seasoning.
- Long grain rice – This recipe isn’t complete unless it’s served over a bed of ridiculously fluffy rice. Make sure to rinse the rice really well before cooking it so it is fluffy, not sticky.
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 rinsed rice and water to a saucepan and bring it to boil. Then I lower the heat and let it 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 the sliced sausage and cook them both until they’re equally brown and crispy.
Sauté the vegetables – 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 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 a drizzle of hot sauce.
Recipe Variations
- Collard greens – Stir in some chopped fresh collard greens for a nutritional boost and extra flavor.
- Sweet potato – Add some cubed sweet potato for a sweet twist and a pop of color.
- Legumes – You can easily substitute black-eyed peas for field peas, 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 themselves. You can also serve this dish as a side with:
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 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 need to add extra liquid to account for 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. Or swap all the Cajun seasoning for Old Bay seasoning, which is similar but less spicy.
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 them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat any leftovers over medium heat, stirring frequently, or 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.
We make Hoppin’ John every year for New Year’s Day and this was the best recipe we have ever tried. I only had 12 oz. of frozen black eyed peas and I should have cut back on the liquid, but didn’t. However, we added a nice roux to the mixture and it was absolutely amazing spooned over rice. The roux was made with 3 tbsp. each of butter and flour, whisked over low heat until it was the color of peanut butter. We will save this recipe and make it again!
It was a hit over the traditional black eye peas for New Years.
So amazing, I left out the andouille and served pork tenderloin on the side, but some of the best hoppin john I’ve ever made…and I’m from Charleston.
I have never been a fan of black eye peas but always eat a spoonful for New Years. Made this recipe and cleaned my plate. I used spicy chicken bone broth and two jalapeños instead of one. Also added onion powder and Old Bay. Right before it was done 8 added 1/2 lb of ground pork just cause I had it lol. Will be making this all the time!!
I have made this numerous times as written and it is delicious served with cornbread. No changes needed to this perfect recipe to wow family and friends. As others stated it is an often reguested recipe. It is difficult in central Illinois to find good andouille sausage. I tried smoked sausage once and it was basically a flop. I have frozen this in small portions to take for lunch with no problem. I use small divided storage containers to put leftovers in, freeze and just grab one as I take off to work. Thank you for a great addidition to our menu rotation.
I made this dish for New Year’s and it was absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe exactly and followed the advice of pulling it atop rice and letting folks mix their own bowl. There were no leftovers and everyone asked for the recipe! I am making another batch as I type this. Definitely a keeper recipe! Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!
Made recipe..GREAT….I added smoked turkey drumstick…simmered it until tender and removed meat from bone, chopped up and return to pot …replaced chicken stock with beef broth. Used fresh peas that cooked really fast. Great recipe. Had to make it three time during New Year’s week due to requests from children and grandchildren….served with cornbread….
Second comment to rate.
How will this keep after? It made a lot for a family of 3. Really really good though.
Hi Candyce,
I should keep in the fridge for up to a week. :)
Good basic recipe. I’d substitute salt pork for bacon. I use dried peas and cook them with the salt pork. I’ve used Old Bay instead of any Cajun seasoning, plus smoked paprika too. Living in a Latino and African American neighborhood, I double the Serrano pepper. My neighbors love it. More than a few have asked my wife, white like me: “Who taught this man to cook like a sistah?”
I love a good stk with black-eyed peas and rice and a side salad. My favorite meal
We really enjoyed this! I served it over rice with a side of collard greens.
I think next time, I’m going to try to use dried beans, in the hopes that as they plump up, they’ll absorb more flavor. We’re definitely repeating this one… I think it will work great as a freezer meal!