Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John Recipe (2024)

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Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John Recipe (1)

Last Updated on December 13, 2022 by Anne-Marie

A healthy slow cooker Hoppin' John recipe. Make this hoppin' john recipe on New Year's Day in your crock-pot!

Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John Recipe (2)

Why this recipe works

It’s a shame that people only eat hoppin’ john recipes on the first day of the new year. You see, traditional hoppin’ john recipes are served on New Year’s Day to bring you fortune in the year to come.

You see, counting the number of peas in your serving predicts the amount of riches you’ll have in the coming year. So eat up!

Ingredients

canned black-eyed peas

chicken broth

smoked turkey sausage

canned diced petite tomatoes with diced green chilies

chopped onion

collard greens

sea salt

bacon salt

ground black pepper

cooked quinoa or rice

How to make this recipe

Make this healthy Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John recipe year-round. Not only is it delicious, but it’s also an easy-to-make dinner in your crock-pot that’s super good for you!

1. Empty the cans of black-eyed peas into a colander and place them in the sink. Drain and rinse until the water runs clear.

2. Place black-eyed peas, chicken broth, and turkey sausage in the six-quart slow cooker.

3. Stir in tomatoes with chilies, chopped onion, and collard greens.

4. Add sea salt, bacon salt, and ground black pepper. Stir thoroughly.

5. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours until sausage is cooked through.

6. Serve over quinoa or rice.

7. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John Recipe (3)

FAQs

Is Hopping John healthy?

A traditional hoppin’ john recipe can be high in calories since it’s usually cooked with pork and pork fat.

Here’s how this slow cooker black-eyed peas dish is a much healthier recipe:

Using turkey sausage: Traditionally, a smoked ham hock is used in hoppin’ john. Instead, we used lean smoked turkey sausage.

We kept the smoked sausage whole instead of chopping them up. This way, you can keep a better eye on portion size.

Cut the smoked sausage into bite-sized pieces if you like.

Canned black-eyed peas: Black-eyed peas are low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium and are a good source of fiber, protein, folate, thiamin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper.

We used canned instead of dried black-eyed peas to make this recipe more convenient for busy folks. You can also use frozen black-eyed peas if you like.

Bacon salt instead of bacon: By using bacon salt, you add flavor without the calories and saturated fat.

Eat your greens: Collard greens are low in saturated fat, very low in cholesterol, and a good source of fiber, protein, and many vitamins and minerals.

You can also add a bag of diced bell pepper if you like to add even more good nutrition.

Broth: if you wish, you can use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

Salt: If you want, cut back on the sea salt, and add another seasoning - garlic, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, garlic powder, etc. to this hoppin’ john recipe.

Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John Recipe (4)

How to serve

You can serve the slow cooker hoppin’ john recipe on quinoa or white rice.

Serve it on brown rice, which is used in more traditional hoppin’ john recipes for the New Year.

You can also add your favorite hot sauce or sprinkle on some pepper flakes or Cajun seasoning.

Can I make this into a vegetarian hoppin’ john recipe?

Yes, you can make this into a vegetarian dish! Here’s how:

Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

Use vegan sausage instead of turkey sausage.

Then add more seasoning like Cajun seasoning, pepper flakes, some chopped cloves garlic, etc. Or omit them altogether and add more veggies, like a bag of frozen chopped bell pepper.

And yes, bacon salt is vegan!

Do you like Southern comfort food?

Check out this if you like Southern cooking.

You’ll also like Raspberry Pecan Pie and Easy Buttermilk Pie.

If you’re a fan of waffles or fried chicken, try this Gluten Free Chicken and Waffles Recipe or Nashville Hot Chicken and Waffles Recipe.

Love corn bread? Serve a batch of this unique Easy Gluten Free Skillet Cornbread Recipe along with this slow cooker black-eyed peas recipe.

And if you’re a pimento cheese fan, check out this Pimento Cheese Spread Recipe, which you can shape into a pumpkin for the fall holidays.

What’s your favorite Southern recipe?

Yield: 10 SERVINGS

Slow Cooker Hoppin' John Recipe

Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John Recipe (5)

Make this crock-pot hoppin’ john recipe a New Year’s Day tradition. This slow cooker hopping john recipe is a snap to make.

Prep Time20 minutes

Cook Time8 hours

Total Time8 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 15.5-ounce cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 13.5-ounce package smoked turkey sausage, keep whole
  • 1 14.5-ounce can diced petite tomatoes with diced green chilies
  • 1 medium onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
  • 1 bunch collard greens, rinsed, chopped, and ribbed
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon bacon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa or brown or white rice

Instructions

  1. Empty the cans of black-eyed peas into a colander and place them in the sink. Drain and rinse until the water runs clear.
  2. Place black-eyed peas, chicken broth, and turkey sausage in the six-quart slow cooker.
  3. Stir in tomatoes with chilies, chopped onion, and collard greens.
  4. Add sea salt, bacon salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly.
  5. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours until sausage is cooked through.
  6. Serve over quinoa or rice.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 212Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 1056mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 14g

Nutritional information is automatically calculated per the ingredients list. Serving size may not be accurate. Please double-check with your preferred nutritional app for the most accurate information.

Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John Recipe? ›

What's the difference between Hoppin' John and black-eyed peas? Hoppin' John has black-eyed peas in it, but it also has other ingredients. In this recipe, the black-eyed peas are stewed with onion, garlic, celery, and a ham hock, similar to how some Southern-style black-eyed peas would be cooked.

What is the difference between Hoppin John and black-eyed peas? ›

What's the difference between Hoppin' John and black-eyed peas? Hoppin' John has black-eyed peas in it, but it also has other ingredients. In this recipe, the black-eyed peas are stewed with onion, garlic, celery, and a ham hock, similar to how some Southern-style black-eyed peas would be cooked.

Why is Hoppin John called Hoppin John? ›

Some say an old, hobbled man called hoppin' John became known for selling peas and rice on the streets of Charleston. Others say slave children hopped around the table in eager anticipation of the dish. Most food historians think the name derives from a French term for dried peas, “pois pigeons.”

Why do people eat Hoppin John for New Years? ›

And our tastiest superstitious tradition is eating Hoppin' John on New Year's Day. This classic Southern dish, a one-pot meal of black-eyed peas, ham hock, and rice, is believed by many (not just the Sterlings) to ensure wealth and bring good luck in the upcoming year.

What are Hoppin John leftovers called? ›

On the day after New Year's Day, leftover "Hoppin' John" is called "Skippin' Jenny" and further demonstrates one's frugality, bringing a hope for an even better chance of prosperity in the New Year.

Which is healthier navy beans or black-eyed peas? ›

Navy beans have no vitamin A in them whatsoever, while black-eyed peas have 1,305 international units of vitamin A in one cup. The large amount of vitamin A in black-eyed peas can help skin and eye health, but navy beans do not offer these benefits. Navy beans contain significantly more calcium than black-eyed peas.

Do you need to soak black eyed beans before cooking? ›

The black-eyed pea, which is also known as a cowpea, doesn't necessarily need to be soaked. But if you find yourself short on time, soaking black-eyed peas can make a true difference in regards to cooking time.

What day do you eat Hoppin John? ›

For some, the tradition of eating Hoppin' John begins at midnight (New Year's Eve), when the dish is served with a champagne toast. New Year's Day is the traditional day to eat Hoppin' John. Any leftovers can be enjoyed on later days, but be aware that the name of the dish changes to Skippin' Jenny.

What do you eat with Hoppin John? ›

You'll find this Hoppin' John recipe gracing most tables in the South on New Year's Day. Served alongside it is a side of collard greens and freshly baked cornbread; the greens are a symbol of paper money, while the cornbread represents gold. For a complete New Year's Day spread, you'll need some pork, too.

Why do African American eat black-eyed peas? ›

Find the recipe for black eyed pea fritters and more in Mariah-Rose's new international cookbook and guide, COOK LIKE YOUR ANCESTORS. It's a tradition for Southern people — especially those of African descent — to eat black-eyed peas around the New Year to bring good luck and prosperity for the year ahead.

What is the Southern tradition of Hoppin John? ›

Hoppin' John is just the Southern (aka the proper) name for this black-eyed pea dish. The tradition of feasting on black-eyed peas cooked with pork—in large quantities—on New Year's Day is a must for every Southerner. It brings the whole family together under one roof around one big pot of delicious beans.

What are 3 foods that are eaten on new year's day? ›

Looking for prosperity? As Southern tradition dictates, black-eyed peas, greens, and cornbread represent pennies, dollars, and gold, respectively, so eating them together on New Year's will keep your purse full all year long.

What state is Hoppin John from? ›

Each location developed its own distinctive rice and bean dishes—the Moros y Cristianos of Cuba (made with black beans), the Pois et Riz Collé of Louisiana (made with red beans), and the Hoppin' John of the South Carolina Lowcountry.

What is a Charleston Hoppin John? ›

A staple of the Southern table, Hoppin' John is famously eaten on New Year's Day, but is just as good any other day as well. This version features tender and earthy field peas cooked with fluffy rice and rich and smoky ham hocks.

What did slaves use black-eyed peas for? ›

After being domesticated there 5,000 years ago, black-eyed peas made their way into the diets of people in virtually all parts of that continent. They then traveled to the Americas in the holds of slave ships as food for the enslaved.

Is Hoppin John Gullah? ›

A highlight on the culinary map of the Palmetto State is Hoppin' John. Derived from the Gullah culture, this dish is as legendary as it is savory. Locally sourced ingredients, flavorful seasonings and spices and a certain level of flare are all part of what makes this a classic Southern dish.

Is there another name for black-eyed peas? ›

The black-eyed pea is a variety of the cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), which is a member of the legume, pea, or bean family. Besides the popular name "black-eyed pea," it is also known as "goat pea" and "southern pea," and the most common commercial variety in the United States is called the California Blackeye.

What are black-eyed peas called in the South? ›

What are the different names for southern peas? The southern pea, Vigna unguiculata, has its own lexicon of names. Yankees call it the cowpea, a name never heard south of the lilac–crape myrtle line.

What's the closest thing to black-eyed peas? ›

Other Legumes: Many legumes can be used as substitutes for black-eyed peas in recipes. Examples include lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, navy beans, pinto beans, or black beans. These legumes have different flavors and textures, so choose one that complements your dish.

What is the proper name for black-eyed peas? ›

The black-eyed pea, Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata, is a subspecies of the cowpea, grown around the world for its medium-sized edible bean.

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