Grandma's Hoppin' John Recipe: A Classic Southern Recipe From the 1800s by 30Seconds Food

Hoppin' John is a southern recipe of black-eyed peas and ham or bacon served over rice. The first written recipe for this classic dish appeared in The Carolina Housewife in 1847. But food historians believe Hoppin' John has African, French and Caribbean roots. Regardless, it is delicious and a recipe grandmas, moms and dads have been making for a long time (1847?!). 

This easy Hoppin' John recipe has simple ingredients: celery, onion, green bell pepper, garlic, black-eyed peas, a bay leaf, dried thyme, Cajun seasoning and a meaty ham hock. The ingredients are simmered gently on the stovetop until the black-eyed peas are tender. 

Serve this flavorful Hoppin' John recipe over rice for dinner, and with a bottle of hot sauce close by. This southern recipe is perfect for meal prep and reheats well for lunch or dinner. 

Cuisine: American/French/African/Caribbean
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil 
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 pound dried black-eyed peas
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (or to taste)
• 4 cups water
• 1 meaty ham hock (you could also use thick slab bacon)
• cooked rice, for serving
• chopped green onions, for garnish

Here's how to make it: 

1. Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the celery, onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
2. Add the black-eyed peas, bay leaf, thyme and Cajun seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the water and add the ham hock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour or until peas are tender. 
3. When the peas are tender, remove the ham hock and pick off the meat. Add the meat back to the pot. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve over rice and garnish with green onions. 

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