Enjoy this easy Hoppin’ John recipe, a delicious Southern New Year’s Day staple featuring black-eyed peas, smoked pork, and rice for prosperity and luck.
The South is a place that’s steeped in tradition – not unlike other places, I’m sure. But there’s something quirky about the traditions and superstitions that make up the holiday season in the South – especially New Year’s Day.
Now, every culture has some pretty interesting traditions around the New Year’s holiday, and most of them are built on the idea that carrying out a specific task will guarantee good luck and prosperity in the new year. In Spain, they eat 12 grapes at midnight. In Brazil, they throw white flowers into the ocean. In Greece, they hang onions on their doors. It’s a Danish tradition to throw plates at friends’ and neighbors’ front doors. In Turkey, they sprinkle salt on their doorsteps at midnight. And while those of us in the American South have some traditions like that as well, most of the focus here is on the meal on New Year’s Day.
It has always been a tradition, in my family, to gather for a big meal on New Year’s Day. Spending time with family is always important around the holidays, but especially on the first day of the new year.
My grandmother has always been pretty superstitious and those superstitions are on full display on January 1st. She insists that you can’t wash clothes on New Year’s Day or you’ll find yourself washing the clothes of a close relative for the last time in the coming year. Any time you walk out of the house, you have to bring something back in with you. And, she absolutely mandates that greens, black-eyed peas, cornbread, and pork be on the menu.
Even though it features all my grandmother’s food mandates for the first day of the year, one of my favorite dishes for New Year’s Day actually isn’t super traditional in my family at all. In fact, I was an adult before I ever had it. And that dish is Hoppin’ John.
What is Hoppin’ John made of?
Hoppin’ John is a rich dish of black-eyed peas, rice, and pork is a staple of the New Year in the Carolina Low Country. Most people serve this with collard greens and cornbread – as is traditional in the Carolinas – and often just mix it all together for one big bowl of comfort.
Now, I’ve put my own little spin on this dish by incorporating a can of tomatoes with chilis for a little acid and have opted to use frozen black-eyed peas rather than dried to speed up the cook time. You will find all kinds of variations, and I’m almost willing to bet each family has their own unique twist for this delicious New Year’s Day dish. Enjoy!
Why do they call it Hoppin’ John?
When it comes to the name, some say it was named after a hobbled man who sold rice and peas on the streets in Charleston. Others think it comes from the fact that children would hop around the table in anticipation of the dish being ready to eat. That said, many food historians believe that the names come from a simplified version of the French term for dried peas, “pois pigeons” – pronounced like “pwah pee-jon.”
The origin of the dish itself lies with the Gullah people. The Gullah are direct descendants of enslaved West Africans who were brought to America to work the rice and cotton plantations. They are also most likely the reason we have black-eyed peas today.
Oddly enough, right before the holiday break one year, Jack had a project at school on the Gullah people, and it was a great way to connect what he had learned about them with food that he’d seen on our table. Those kinds of connections help us learn about other cultures and our own cultures as well. And, I think that’s so cool!
What is the traditional Southern New Year’s Day menu?
While there are many variations to the traditional Southern New Year’s Day menu. Most Southern menus for this special day feature greens, black-eyed peas, cornbread, and pork.
Greens – Greens, be they collard greens, turnips greens, cabbage, spinach, etc. are a must on the New Year’s Day menu as legend says that they represent money. Eating them on New Year’s Day means you’ll be blessed with riches in the coming year.
Black-Eyed Peas – Black-eyed peas are always on our menu as my grandmother says they represent good luck. Some folks even go as far as eating 365 black-eyed peas, sometimes called cowpeas, for each day of the new year for good fortune.
Cornbread – Cornbread is also required as the golden color is said to symbolize riches and prosperity as well.
Pork – And last, but certainly not least, is pork. In any way, shape, or form. In fact, we often have pork as an ingredient in many of the dishes we have on New Year’s Day as well as having it as the entree. As is common with many traditional Southern dishes, we season our greens and our peas with pork in the way of smoked ham bone, smoked ham hocks, or even diced smoked ham. The smoky flavor of the pork adds a depth of flavor to those dishes that is an integral part of the dish itself. It’s said that pork brings prosperity. As pigs root forward, it’s a sign of moving forward into the new year. When it comes to the pork in this dish, I went with chopped smoked ham. The trick is to make sure you use smoked pork so you get that nice smoky flavor.
Recipe Card
Southern Hoppin’ John
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or bacon grease)
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups unsalted chicken broth or stock
- 1 1/2 cups chopped smoked ham (or 1 smoked ham hock)
- 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- 1 (1-pound) bag frozen black-eyed peas
- salt to taste
- 2 cups uncooked rice (I like to use converted or parboiled rice)
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or stock pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until the onions are translucent and tender – about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add the broth, ham (or ham hock), and undrained tomatoes and stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Stir in the black-eyed peas. Add salt to taste. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 to 35 minutes or until the peas are tender to your liking.
- While the peas cook, prepare the rice according to the package instructions. The 2 cups of uncooked rice should yield 6 to 8 cups of cooked rice depending on the exact kind. Serve peas over the cooked rice – mixing together if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
Sylvia Anne Schronk
The Hoppin John is SO good. My husband and I loved it !!! We had it with cornbread and fried cabbage. Thank you for great recipes.
It looks amazing, Sylvia! So glad y’all enjoyed it!
Dot Diambra
We moved to west Virginia in 1998. My neighbor brought us a pot of these, with an added surprise. Her family, for decades, always put a silver dollar in the pot while cooking. Whoever got the soon full of peas with the silver dollar was extra lucky.
Can’t deny that.
Hers, and yours are delicious, since they’re the same.
Hope you and your have a blessed year ahead.
What a great story! I love the tradition of the silver dollar—what a fun way to add a little extra luck! Glad to hear my recipe brings back those memories. Wishing you and your family a blessed year too!
Laurie
This is so wonderful !! We LOVED it !! Had it for New Year’s Day !! We weren’t big on black-eyed peas, so I figured I would check your recipes because if we were going to love them I knew one of your recipes was the answer !! Thank you so much !! Wishing you & your family a happy, joyous and blessed New Year !!
I’m so happy to hear y’all enjoyed it, Laurie! Happy New Year!!
Myrna
Oh yum ! For years, the big discussion was do you eat the black eyed peas New Years Eve or New Years Day ?
My daughter and friend have already said ” No way I am eating black eyed peas” Fine. More for me.
Happy New Year !
Ha! Happy New Year, Myrna!
Amy King
Aloha Stacey, Our family version for New Year’s Eve is Portuguese Red Bean Soup with fresh-made bread. Portuguese Sausage, ham bone, red beans, tomato sauce, several veggies–including cabbage, and a bit of pasta. Served with fresh bread, it makes a delicious and filling meal. Cornbread would be great with it, too! Your Hoppin’ John looks great, however. I’ll have to fix it for dinner another time. Happy New Year, or as we say in Hawaii, Hau’oli Makahiki Hou!
Happy New Year, Amy! That soup sounds absolutely amazing!!
Sissy Jackson
You need the cornbread to sop up the liquid from the greens! My mother is gluten free and recently made a batch of gluten free cornbread. It was terrible! I will bring my own! Happy New Year!! 🎉
No doubt! Happy New Year!
Lisa-Jo
We cook a big slow cooker full of collards, blackeyes, and ham or smoked sausage (sometimes both) for our New Year’s day meal, and many other times throughout the year. “Peas & Greens” as we call it, is one of our favorite meals. We serve it up with cornbread and sometimes cooked brown rice. (We just like the brown rice better than white.)
Such a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Rebecca
Try this with some Carolina Gold (which is actually light brown) rice. Delicious!
Sounds amazing!!
Aileen
Stacey, I buy the fresh peas that you can find in the produce section this time of year. Delicious! But I’ve also gotten frozen and they’re good as well. Either one of those over the canned if I can help it!
I love being able to find those this time of year!
Billie
I do not need a holiday to eat Hoppin John! This is a great recipe, always comes out perfect!
I agree this is great anytime of the year!
Jo
I made this today for our New Year’s dinner. It was absolutely delicious! It will be a new tradition in our house! Happy New Year!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it so well!
Meatman
What about HOG JOWLS
They’ll work just fine!
Mary Penton
We eat Hoppin’ John and cornbread every New Year’s Day – along with Milk Punch. Thank you for this easy and delicious version. Happy New Year, Stacey!
Happy New Year, friends!!!
Margaret
Only thing I do differently is the addition of Conecuh sausage cooked in the peas. One of my favorite meals of the year.
That’s a perfect substitution!
Aileen
Stacey, you know the black cans of Ranch Beans? Their factory used to be in Fort Worth on the left of the highway driving into the city. The building itself was black, too! Huge letters saying Ranch Beans at the top. It was torn down a few years ago and I don’t know where they are made now. The cans still say Fort Worth at least here in Texas although I know they are now sold in other states as well. Anyway, the cans used to have a recipe for Hoppin’ John on the back and that’s what I always made on New Year’s. My main point actually was that I like the way you’ve combined the rice, Hoppin’ John, greens and cornbread in one bowl! How come I never thought of that?? Looks easier to eat than on a plate because they sure are good combined in one bite!
Thanks, Aileen! I hope you’ll enjoy this version! Happy New Year!!
Doris Geisenhaver
we had the sausage and gravy over biscuits for our park (mobile), for our private party for a breafast, can you show that gravy? it was this southernbite.com.
Hi Doris! Is this what you’re looking for? https://southernbite.com/sausage-gravy/