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Home » Recipes » Hoppin' John Recipe

Hoppin' John Recipe

by Mike Hultquist · Dec 20, 2023 · 73 Comments

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Hoppin John Recipe

Hoppin' John is a classic Southern dish of black-eyed peas cooked low and slow, traditionally with rice, flavored with smoked pork and loads of seasonings. It's an incredible dish you need to try. 

Hoppin John Recipe

Classic Southern Hoppin John Recipe

We're cooking with black-eyed peas and we're making a classic Southern dish that is usually served as a side dish, only it's so good, you might want to serve it as the main course.

The dish is called "Hoppin' John", known more locally as Carolina Peas and Rice in North and South Carolina, and I'm sure you're going to love it.

It is often served on New Year, offering up good fortune to all. It's good luck to serve black eyed peas on new years day, but I love them anytime.

I've seen many versions of this recipe, but Hoppin' John essentially breaks down to the following ingredients - Black-eyed peas, rice and pork.

Traditionally, hoppin john is made by slowly cooking the rice and beans together with broth and the pork for flavoring, but you'll often see newer versions of the dish made by cooking the beans alone and serving them over the rice.

It's really up to you how you want to prepare it, though prepare yourself for the purists to argue that you can't cook the rice and beans separately.

I've made this both ways and I love them both, so however you want to do it!

What are Black-Eyed Peas?

Black-eyed peas are also known as goat peas, which is a subspecies of the cowpea. They are not peas, however, but beans, pale brown in color with a distinctive black spot. Other cowpeas include crowder peas or field peas, and cream peas.

They soften up and become creamy when cooked, and they're very flavorful.

About the Pork

I have seen and enjoyed Hoppin' John made with different types of pork, from bacon to pork belly, smoked ham, ham hocks, hog jowl, country sausage and even version with other meats, like smoked turkey and chicken.

Pork is traditional, and you'll see variations from chef to chef, from region to region, so plan accordingly. I used smoked ham in my recipe, with ham that I smoked at home in my smoker, but consider adding sliced bacon, pork belly, and/or andouille sausage.

Why is it Called Hoppin' John?

There is no clear reason how the name "Hoppin' John" came about, aside from anecdotes. One story is that an old man named Hoppin' John was well known for selling peas and rice in Charleston, so buyers began to refer to his dish that way.

Historians mostly believe the name is a variation of "pois pigeons", which is French for "dried peas".

Let's talk about how to make Hoppin John, shall we?

Hoppin John in a bowl, ready to serve

Hoppin' John Ingredients

  • Oil. Olive oil, or use vegetable oil, for cooking the vegetables.
  • Vegetables. Use onion, green bell pepper, celery (the Cajun Holy Trinity), along with garlic. I also add in jalapeno pepper for extra flavor and some heat. 
  • Smoked Ham. I use smoked ham, usually tasso ham, though you can use andouillle or other cuts of pork.
  • Seasonings. I use my own Cajun seasoning blend, though use your favorite. You can also use salt and black pepper to taste. Sometimes I toss in a bay leaf or two.
  • Black Eyed Peas. Dried black eyed peas sorted through, rinsed, soaked and drained.
  • Chicken Stock. Chicken broth as needed, though you can use other stocks or broths, such as vegetable or beef.
  • Rice. Cooked white rice for serving. Brown rice is good for this recipe, if you'd prefer. Carolina Gold Rice is ideal here, or other long grain rice.
  • For Serving. Chopped parsley or green onions and crushed red pepper for serving

How to Make Hoppin' John - The Recipe Method

First, heat a large pot to medium high heat and add in a bit of olive oil.

Cook down the onions, green peppers and celery until they are nicely softened.

Add in a bit of garlic and smoked ham (or whatever pork you're using), and heat them through.

Cooking down vegetables and smoked ham to make Hoppin John

Add in your Cajun seasonings (check out my Cajun Seasoning Blend) along with your pre-soaked black eyed peas and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.

Simmer the beans for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or until the peas are tender and nicely softened, but not mushy. We don't want no mushy beans!

Simmering Hoppin John in a pan

How to Serve Hoppin' John

I like to serve mine over rice, though some prefer to cook the rice into the dish.

It is very often served with collard greens for the New Year, the green symbolizing wealth and prosperity, and the black eyed peas representing coins. We can all use a bit of luck for the New Year, so be sure to serve this up!

Hoppin John in a serving bowl mixed with rice

Recipe Tips & Notes

Greens. Aside from choices of pork and whether or not to cook the rice with the beans, popular variations include adding collard greens or spinach to the dish.

Any greens will work. Consider Swiss chard, kale, mustard greens, etc.

Tomatoes. I've made hoppin' john with diced tomatoes and loved it. Give that version a try.

Cheese. Some people like to include cheese. Just a bit sprinkled over the top.

The Beans. You CAN use canned or frozen black-eyed peas for this recipe instead of dried. Just follow the recipe and simmer until they are nice and soft.

You'll get more flavor from starting with dried beans because the simmering time, and hence flavor building time, is longer.

Slow Cooker Hoppin' John. You can make Hoppin' John in a slow cooker as well. To do so, cook down the vegetables in the pan first, then add them to your slow cooker or crock pot along with the remaining ingredients.

Cook them on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 8-10 hours, or until the beans are softened but not mushy.

Should I Soak the Beans Before Cooking?

I have always soaked my beans to soften them up before cooking. However, some people swear by cooking straight from the dried beans.

Soaking can reduce cooking time and softening of the beans. However, if you drain the beans, you may be losing some of the nutrients from the beans that have leached into the water.

Soaking does help to soften the tough bean skins. I like to add about 3 tablespoons of salt to the water for more of a brine when soaking, which helps soften the beans and adds a bit more flavor and creamy bean interiors.

Also, some people report experiencing bad gas from unsoaked beans, so consider and decide accordingly.

Cooking time for soaked beans is about 1 hour, to soften them up.

How to Soak the Beans

First, sort and rinse the beans. Add the rinsed beans to a pot with 6 cups of water. Leave it overnight, 6-8 hours for a long soak.

For a quick soak method, add the rinsed beans to a pot with 6 cups of water, then bring to a quick boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then remove from heat.

Cover and soak for 1 hour. Be careful not to oversoak the beans, or they can split.

Storage & Leftovers

Store any leftover hoppin' john in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can easily reheat it on the stovetop in a pot to enjoy again.

You can freeze leftovers in freezer containers for 3 months or longer.

That's it, my friends! I hope you enjoy your Hoppin' John!

Try Some of These Other Popular Southern Recipes

  • Black Eyed Peas Recipe
  • Black Eyed Peas Soup
  • Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
  • Cajun Pasta with Shrimp and Smoked Sausage
  • Shrimp Creole
  • Creole Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
  • Jambalaya
  • Maque Choux (Cajun Corn)
  • Cajun Red Beans and Rice
  • Dirty Rice
  • Boudin Balls
  • Succotash
  • Baked Turkey Wings Recipe
A spoonful of Hoppin John being served

If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.

Hoppin John Recipe
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Hoppin’ John Recipe

Hoppin' John is a classic Southern dish of black-eyed peas cooked low and slow, traditionally with rice and smoked pork, a New Year tradition, easy to make!
Save Recipe Saved!
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beans, black-eyed peas, one pot, southern
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour
Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
Calories: 115kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 12
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5 from 29 votes
Leave a Review

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 large green bell pepper chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper chopped (optional – I like it for a bit of extra heat)
  • 1 stalk celery chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 pound smoked ham chopped
  • 2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning blend (or more to taste)
  • 1 pound blackeyed peas sorted through, rinsed, soaked and drained
  • 4 cups chicken broth or more as needed
  • Cooked white rice for serving
  • Chopped parsley for serving

Instructions

  • Heat a large pot to medium heat and add the olive oil.
  • Add the onion, peppers and celery and cook them until softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and smoked ham and cook another minute, stirring, until fragrant.
  • Add the Cajun seasonings, blackeyed peas and chicken broth. Bring to a quick boil, then reduce the heat.
  • Simmer for 1 hour, or until the beans are nicely softened, but not mushy.
  • Serve over rice and garnish with chopped parsley.

Video

Notes

Serves 12 as a side dish.
Heat Factor: Mild
Many factors may affect the cooking time of the black-eyed peas, including the age of the beans, where they were grown, even the water you are using. They will usually soften in about an hour, but time could run from 30-120 minutes, so be sure to test as you go along.
If using canned black eyed peas, reduce chicken broth to 2 cups.
Calories calculated without the rice.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 115kcal   Carbohydrates: 11g   Protein: 11g   Fat: 3g   Saturated Fat: 1g   Cholesterol: 18mg   Sodium: 488mg   Potassium: 344mg   Fiber: 3g   Sugar: 2g   Vitamin A: 643IU   Vitamin C: 11mg   Calcium: 24mg   Iron: 2mg
Hoppin John Recipe
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

NOTE: This recipe was updated on 12/20/23 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 10/29/2018.

 

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Jess says

    January 22, 2025 at 11:53 am

    5 stars
    Woah, this is delicious! Perfect amount of spice/heat. I added one bay leaf before simmering and one bunch of chopped kale at at the end. Served over quinoa for extra protein. YUM!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      January 22, 2025 at 10:55 pm

      Awesome!! Thanks, Jess!

      Reply
  2. Donna says

    January 10, 2025 at 10:26 am

    5 stars
    This is fantastic recipe! My family and neighbors love it! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      January 10, 2025 at 10:42 am

      Awesome!! Glad everyone is loving it, Donna! Thanks!

      Reply
  3. Tracy says

    January 02, 2025 at 8:05 am

    5 stars
    Very mild (as written) and very flavorful! Ham, bacon and broth bring a wonderful flavor to the peas! This is a keeper recipe, and not just for New Year's Day ☺️

    This recipe is perfect for people that 'don't like spicy stuff' lol. (that's NOT me )

    I'm going to spice it up more next time I had to try it first to see about it!

    Reply
    • Mike H. says

      January 02, 2025 at 2:00 pm

      Super happy you are enjoying it, Tracy! Thank you.

      Reply
  4. Tiffany says

    January 01, 2025 at 8:05 pm

    5 stars
    This was delicious. I left out the jalapeno and only used half the Cajun seasoning, because two of my kids will only eat stuff in the medium spicy range, but ALL THREE kids loved it! This is unheard of around here. This will have to go in our regular rotation.

    Reply
    • Mike H. says

      January 02, 2025 at 4:46 am

      Super happy to hear it, Tiffany. Enjoy!

      Reply
  5. Joe says

    January 01, 2025 at 8:03 pm

    5 stars
    A great recipe - I didn’t pre-soak the beans, just cooked until tender. Absolutely fantastic! This will be for more than New Years Day!

    Reply
    • Mike H. says

      January 02, 2025 at 4:46 am

      Awesome! Have fun with it, Joe!

      Reply
  6. Les says

    January 01, 2025 at 6:20 pm

    5 stars
    Hello from southern Alberta, and have a happy and prosperous new year ! I love southern style foods and the heat that naturally comes with it. I've made several of your recipes and never had a bad one yet. Making Hoppin John today and the whole house smells great, even the dogs are drooling. Thanks for the great recipes Mike, keep em coming!

    Reply
    • Mike H. says

      January 02, 2025 at 4:49 am

      Thank you, Les and Happy New Year to you, too!

      Reply
  7. Paula Stevens says

    January 01, 2025 at 5:35 pm

    5 stars
    This is the best Hoppin John I've made. I used a 12oz ham steak and an andoui sausage. It was absolutely delicious!

    Reply
    • Mike H. says

      January 02, 2025 at 4:49 am

      Thank you, Paula. Happy to hear it!

      Reply
  8. Deborah Smith says

    December 30, 2024 at 3:57 pm

    5 stars
    Can leftovers be frozen?

    Reply
    • Mike H. says

      January 02, 2025 at 5:07 am

      Absolutely, you can freeze the leftovers for 3 months or longer!

      Reply
  9. Julie Campbell says

    December 29, 2024 at 3:51 pm

    5 stars
    A very delicious recipe that we've returned to for years on New Year's Day! We love this one!

    Reply
    • Mike H. says

      December 30, 2024 at 5:54 am

      Fantastic, thank you, Julie!

      Reply
  10. Paul:-) says

    August 13, 2024 at 1:25 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Mike & Patty,

    I’ve just finished a plateful of this and it was wonderful.
    I wasn’t sure if I should use cooked or uncooked ham so opted for the latter. I will say that this resulted in quite a salty gravy so for tomorrow’s leftovers I shall add some pork tenderloin to balance.
    I used your recipe for the Cajun seasoning. Thankfully I chose the salt free version!
    I’ve never tried Hoppin John before but will definitely make it again.

    Paul:-)

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 13, 2024 at 1:46 pm

      Glad you enjoyed it, Paul! This is a southern U.S. classic!

      Reply
      • Paul:-) says

        August 14, 2024 at 4:47 pm

        5 stars
        Mike, I have to now say that I should’ve given 10 stars for this!
        Pork tenderloin wasn’t available today so subbed a thick slice of Belly Pork, de-rinded and cooked with more beans and seasoning until tender and then mixed in last night’s salty leftovers. Utterly amazing mate!

        Thank you.

        Paul:-)

        Reply
        • Mike Hultquist says

          August 14, 2024 at 6:24 pm

          Awesome!!! Thanks, Paul!

          Reply
  11. Charles Annand says

    January 10, 2024 at 10:45 pm

    5 stars
    I just made your Hopping John for the second time since New Year's. It certainly gets a permanent spot on my home kitchen menu.

    Reply
    • Mike H. says

      January 11, 2024 at 5:09 am

      I am happy to hear that, Charles. Enjoy!

      Reply
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