Hoppin John with Black-Eyed Peas (Printable)

Savory black-eyed peas with smoky bacon and aromatic vegetables over fluffy white rice—a Southern classic.

# What you need:

→ Meats

01 - 6 oz thick-cut bacon, diced

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 green bell pepper, diced

→ Legumes

06 - 1½ cups dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and drained, or 3 cups cooked canned black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

→ Liquids

07 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
08 - 1 bay leaf

→ Spices & Seasonings

09 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
10 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Rice

12 - 2 cups long-grain white rice
13 - 4 cups water
14 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or oil
15 - Pinch of salt

→ Garnish

16 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
17 - Hot sauce to taste

# Directions:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove half the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside for garnish, leaving the rest and the drippings in the pot. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper to the pot and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
02 - Add the soaked black-eyed peas, bay leaf, thyme, cayenne, and broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 35 to 45 minutes, or 20 to 25 minutes if using canned peas, until the peas are tender but not mushy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf.
03 - While the peas cook, combine rice, water, butter, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
04 - Serve the black-eyed peas over the fluffy rice. Top with reserved crispy bacon and sliced scallions. Add hot sauce if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's honestly foolproof, even though it tastes like you've been cooking Southern food your whole life.
  • The smoky bacon transforms simple peas into something that feels luxurious without any fussing around.
  • One pot means more time talking to whoever's keeping you company in the kitchen instead of washing dishes.
02 -
  • Dried black-eyed peas cooked from scratch taste measurably better than canned, but canned works fine if you're short on time—just use them three minutes before the end of cooking so they don't turn to mush.
  • Don't skip the overnight soak; it cuts cooking time roughly in half and makes the peas cook evenly instead of spotty.
  • Season gradually toward the end instead of all at once—dried peas can be unpredictable, and you want to taste what you're actually making.
03 -
  • The crispy bacon garnish makes all the difference in texture and feels like an earned indulgence; save it for the very end and don't skip it.
  • If you're cooking for a crowd, this recipe doubles easily—just give yourself an extra 10 minutes on the simmer time and taste as you go.
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