Southern Black Eyed Peas Recipe (Hoppin’ John)
Easy, cozy, satisfying, and just plain fun. This has a deliciously smoky flavor and plenty of Cajun-inspired seasonings but is mild enough for most kids to enjoy. And it's traditionally served on New Year's Day to bring good luck for the year ahead!
Ingredients
- 5 slices bacon
- 1 package turkey smoked sausage 13 ounces or similar
- 1/2 large yellow onion chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 (15 ounce) cans black-eyed peas drained and rinsed
- 3-4 cups collard greens or kale washed and chopped
- rice and fresh thyme for serving
Instructions
- Set a large Dutch oven or deep sauté pan over medium-high heat. Place bacon slices in the hot pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, until crisp and brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.5 slices bacon
- While bacon cooks, chop the sausage into bite-sized pieces. After removing the bacon, add the chopped sausage to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, until it, too, is browned. Transfer sausage to the plate with the bacon; set aside.1 package turkey smoked sausage
- Add onion, celery, garlic, thyme, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, and cayenne pepper to the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the onions and celery are slightly softened, then stir in the broth and the beans.1/2 large yellow onion, 2 stalks celery, 3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 bay leaves, 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 2 (15 ounce) cans black-eyed peas
- Increase heat to bring the mixture to a rapid boil, then reduce heat back to medium or medium-low so that the mixture is simmering gently. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Chop or crumble the bacon into small pieces. Return the bacon and sausage to the pot, then stir in the greens. Cook for another 7-8 minutes, uncovered.3-4 cups collard greens or kale
- Remove the bay leaves and test a bean; it should be tender and creamy but not falling apart. Test the broth for flavor; add more Cajun seasoning or salt if desired. If the mixture is too dry, add more broth or water 1/2 cup at a time. If it is too watery for your liking, increase the heat for a couple of minutes to boil off more liquid.
- Ladle the mixture into bowls over rice and garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme. Enjoy!rice and fresh thyme
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Notes
- Leftovers are delicious reheated. Leftovers eaten the day after New Year’s are known as Skippin’ Jenny and supposedly bring you more good luck owing to your frugality!
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 394 kcal, Carbohydrates: 36 g, Protein: 31 g, Fat: 15 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g, Trans Fat: 0.2 g, Cholesterol: 58 mg, Sodium: 579 mg, Potassium: 900 mg, Fiber: 10 g, Sugar: 6 g, Vitamin A: 1191 IU, Vitamin C: 10 mg, Calcium: 109 mg, Iron: 5 mg