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5.0 from 60 votes

Hoppin' John

Hoppin John is a Southern-style dish made with ham chunks or hocks to bring out the rich flavor of the black-eyed peas and veggies! Serve with collard greens.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 20 mins
Additional Time
12 hrs
Total Time
14 hrs 5 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 365 kcal
Course: Main Course , Soup
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups dried black eyed peas rinsed and sorted
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 small green bell pepper diced
  • 2 ribs celery chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 8 cups chicken broth low sodium *see note
  • 1 smoked ham hock or ham bone (see note)
  • 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice (canned)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup long grain white rice
  • 2 green onions for garnish

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Place the black-eyed peas in a large pot or bowl. Fill with cold water 1-inch above the peas and let soak at room temperataure overnight (see note). Drain well in the morning.
  2. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and seasonings and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the broth, bay leaf, ham hock/ham bone, and drained black-eyed peas. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes or until peas are tender (see note on cook time).
  4. Once the peas are tender, transfer the ham hock/bone to a plate.
  5. Ladle 2 cups of the broth into a medium saucepan. Add the rice, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and let rest covered for 5 minutes.
  6. While the rice is cooking, add tomatoes with their juices and meat from the ham bone to the black-eyed peas. Simmer uncovered.
  7. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the black-eyed peas with salt and black pepper to taste.
  8. To serve, spoon the rice into bowls and top with the ham and peas.

Notes

  • Broth I add 8 cups broth/water so I have enough to cook the rice in. If you are not using the cooking liquid to cook your rice, reduce the broth to 6 cups.
  • Ham If you do not have a ham bone or ham hock, cubed ham can be added after the first 30 minutes of cooking.
  • Quick Soak Beans To quickly soak black-eyed peas, place them in a large saucepan. Add enough water to cover 2-inches above the peas. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let rest 60 minutes.
  • Cook Time Allow for extra time, black-eyed peas can sometimes take even longer if they are dried (up to 90 minutes). If your dish is ready ahead of time, simply turn off the heat and keep it covered until serving time.
  • If using a ham hock in place of a ham bone, I like to allow the hock to simmer for about 60 minutes before adding the peas to make it extra tender.

Nutrition Information

Calories 365 (18%) Carbohydrates 57g (19%) Protein 20g (40%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Cholesterol 24mg (8%) Sodium 1307mg (54%) Potassium 1016mg (29%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 206IU (4%) Vitamin C 46mg (51%) Calcium 106mg (11%) Iron 6mg (33%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 365

% Daily Value*

Calories 365 18%
Carbohydrates 57g 19%
Protein 20g 40%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 24mg 8%
Sodium 1307mg 54%
Potassium 1016mg 22%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 206IU 4%
Vitamin C 46mg 51%
Calcium 106mg 11%
Iron 6mg 33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.