Hoppin John is a Southern one-pot dish of black-eyed peas and rice, simmered with smoky bacon or ham hock and the classic Lowcountry trio of onion, celery, and bell pepper. It is best known as the dish Southern families eat on New Year’s Day, when the peas are said to bring coins and good luck for the year ahead, but it is hearty and inexpensive enough to make any night you want a filling, protein-rich dinner that comes together in one pot.
This version uses dried black-eyed peas simmered low and slow with a ham hock for deep, smoky flavor, then finished with rice cooked right in the pot so it soaks up every bit of the seasoned broth. It is a straightforward recipe: there is no hard technique to master, just good timing and a well-seasoned pot.
Quick Recipe Overview
- Prep time: 15 minutes active (plus an 8-hour or overnight soak for the dried peas)
- Cook time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Total time: About 1 hour 35 minutes active, plus soaking
- Servings: 6 (about 1 1/2 cups per serving)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: Southern American / Lowcountry
- Category: Main dish or side dish
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One pot start to finish, so cleanup is simple.
- Budget-friendly ingredients that still taste rich and smoky.
- A make-ahead-friendly dish that tastes even better the next day.
- Naturally high in plant protein and fiber from the black-eyed peas.
- Rooted in a real tradition, so it carries meaning as well as flavor.
Hoppin’ John (Southern Black-Eyed Peas and Rice)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Soak the peas. Place the dried black-eyed peas in a large bowl and cover with at least 3 inches of cold water. Let soak at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse before cooking. (If you are short on time, use the quick-soak method: boil the peas in water for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 1 hour, then drain.)
- Render the bacon. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the diced bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp and the fat has rendered, about 6 to 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Cook the vegetables. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery to the bacon fat. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper, and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Simmer the peas. Return the cooked bacon to the pot. Add the soaked and drained peas, the ham hock, bay leaf, chicken broth, and water. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the peas are tender but not mushy, about 45 to 55 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Shred the ham hock. Remove the ham hock from the pot and let it cool slightly. Pull the meat from the bone, discard the skin, fat, and bone, and shred the meat. Return the shredded meat to the pot and discard the bay leaf.
- Cook the rice. Stir the rice directly into the pot. Bring back to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 18 to 20 minutes. Avoid lifting the lid too often, since escaping steam is what finishes cooking the rice.
- Rest, season, and serve. Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork, then taste and season with salt and black pepper. Serve hot, topped with sliced green onions and hot sauce on the side.
Notes
• Keep the simmer low and gentle once the rice goes in. A hard boil breaks the rice grains and turns the texture starchy instead of fluffy.
• Taste the broth before adding rice. This is your last easy chance to fully adjust the salt, since rice absorbs seasoning as it cooks and is harder to correct afterward.
• If the pot looks dry before the rice is tender, add a splash of hot water or broth rather than stirring vigorously, which can turn the peas mushy.
Recipe Tips
- Do not skip resting the pot for 5 minutes after cooking the rice. This lets the steam finish evenly distributing moisture, so the rice is tender rather than gummy on the bottom and dry on top.
- Keep the simmer low and gentle once the rice goes in. A hard boil breaks the rice grains and turns the texture starchy instead of fluffy.
- Taste the broth before adding rice. This is your last easy chance to fully adjust the salt, since rice absorbs seasoning as it cooks and is harder to correct afterward.
- If the pot looks dry before the rice is tender, add a splash of hot water or broth rather than stirring vigorously, which can turn the peas mushy.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the soak: unsoaked dried peas take much longer to cook and can turn out unevenly tender. If you forget to soak, use the quick-soak method above rather than skipping it.
- Adding rice too early: rice added before the peas are tender will overcook and turn mushy by the time the peas catch up.
- Under-seasoning the broth: black-eyed peas are mild on their own, so a broth that tastes bland before the rice goes in will make a bland finished dish.
- Lifting the lid too often while the rice cooks: this releases the steam the rice needs and can leave it undercooked or unevenly done.
Variations
- Vegetarian Hoppin John: omit the bacon and ham hock, saute the vegetables in 2 tablespoons olive oil, use vegetable broth, and stir in 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika for depth.
- Spicy Hoppin John: add a diced jalapeno with the vegetables and increase the cayenne to 1 teaspoon.
- Hoppin John with sausage: substitute sliced smoked andouille sausage for the ham hock and brown it with the bacon.
- Instant Pot version: pressure cook the soaked peas with the ham hock, broth, and seasonings on high pressure for 12 minutes with a natural release, then saute the rice in using the pot’s saute function and simmer, covered, until tender.
- Brown rice version: use brown rice, increase the added liquid by about 3/4 cup, and extend the rice simmer to about 40 minutes.
What to Serve With It
- Southern collard greens or mustard greens, for the traditional New Year’s Day pairing
- Buttermilk cornbread
- Braised or roasted pork, such as pork chops or a glazed ham
- A simple green salad with vinaigrette, to balance the richness
- Hot sauce and extra sliced scallions at the table
Storage
- Refrigerator: store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Rice dishes can change texture slightly after freezing, so expect a softer bite once reheated.
- Container tip: let the dish cool to room temperature before sealing to avoid trapping excess steam, which can make the rice mushy in storage.
Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of broth or water to loosen the rice, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. To reheat in the microwave, cover loosely, add a tablespoon or two of water, and heat in 1-minute increments, stirring between each, until hot.
Make Ahead
You can soak the peas up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate them, drained, until ready to cook. The finished dish also keeps and reheats well, so it is a good candidate for cooking a day ahead of a New Year’s Day gathering and reheating gently before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hoppin John?
Hoppin John is a Southern American dish of black-eyed peas and rice, traditionally cooked with bacon, ham hock, or another smoked pork product along with onion, celery, and bell pepper. It originated with the Gullah Geechee people of the South Carolina and Georgia Lowcountry and has roots in West African rice-and-bean cooking traditions.
Why do people eat Hoppin John on New Year’s Day?
In Southern tradition, the black-eyed peas are said to represent coins and are eaten for good luck and prosperity in the coming year. Collard greens, which resemble folded paper money, and cornbread, which is the color of gold, are commonly served alongside it to round out the symbolism.
Can I use canned black-eyed peas instead of dried?
Yes. Use 3 (15-ounce) cans, drained and rinsed. Skip the soaking step, add the peas after the vegetables are cooked, and shorten the simmer time before adding the rice to about 15 minutes, since canned peas are already tender.
Do I really need to soak dried black-eyed peas?
Soaking is recommended because it shortens the cooking time and helps the peas cook more evenly. Black-eyed peas generally need less soaking time than larger dried beans, but an overnight soak still gives the most consistent texture in this recipe.
What is the difference between Hoppin John and jambalaya?
Hoppin John is built around black-eyed peas and rice with pork, while jambalaya is a rice dish typically built around meat, sausage, or seafood with the Cajun holy trinity of vegetables and tomatoes. They are both one-pot Southern rice dishes, but Hoppin John is a peas-and-rice dish rather than a meat-and-rice dish.
Can I make Hoppin John vegetarian?
Yes. Omit the bacon and ham hock, saute the vegetables in olive oil, use vegetable broth, and add smoked paprika to help replace the smoky flavor the pork would normally provide.
What do you call Hoppin John leftovers?
Leftover Hoppin John eaten the day after New Year’s is traditionally called Skippin’ Jenny, and eating it is considered another small nod to frugality and continued good luck.
How long does Hoppin John last in the fridge?
Stored in an airtight container, it keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
