Southern Black Eyed Peas New Year’s Day Recipe

Black-eyed peas, also known as Hoppin’ John, is a traditional southern New Year’s Day meal to bring luck and prosperity to those who eat it.

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There are a lot of traditions and superstitions centered around New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, including the Southern tradition of black-eyed peas. Many say that eating a serving of black-eyed peas will bring hope and prosperity in the coming year. While some of the popular Southern traditions for a Happy New Year seem a little strange, this one is an easy and delicious way to ring in the new year. 

​Southern Black-Eyed Peas Recipe Origin

The tradition has multiple origins, but some say it is part of African-American history during the Civil War. The Union Army raided the Confederate Army’s food supplies, leaving behind black-eyed peas and pork that they believed were for animals. The Confederates were lucky to have the remaining food to get them through the winter. Enslaved people ate black-eyed peas on January 1, 1863, the day the Emancipation Proclamation was passed. Sephardic Jews, who came to the South, may have inspired others to eat black-eyed peas for good luck on Rosh Hashanah, their New Year’s Day. 

New Year’s Day Traditions

Food Traditions

Black-eyed peas are often eaten in Southern cuisine with collard greens, which represent paper money. Some say that eating 365 black eyed peas, one for each day of the year, will bring the best luck. Others add a coin to the pot while cooking the peas, and whoever gets the coin in their dish will have the most luck.

• Served with greens (collards, mustard, or turnip greens, which vary regionally), the peas represent coins and the greens represent paper money. In some areas, cabbage is used in place of the greens.
• Cornbread, often served as a side dish for New Year’s Day, represents gold.
• Black-eyed peas eaten with stewed tomatoes represent wealth and health.
• In some areas, actual values are assigned with the black-eyed peas, representing pennies or up to a dollar each, and the greens representing anywhere from one to a thousand dollars.
• Adding a shiny penny or dime to the pot just before serving is another tradition practiced by some. When served, the person whose bowl contains the penny or dime receives the best luck for the New Year, unless, the recipient swallows the coin, which would be a rather unlucky way to start the year.
• Pork Consumption: In addition to black-eyed peas, eating pork is common because pigs symbolize progress. The idea is that pigs root forward, signifying moving ahead in life.
• Round Foods: Foods that are round, like cakes or certain types of pastries, are often eaten to symbolize the completion of the year and the hope for a full and prosperous new year.

Non-Food Traditions

• Cleaning the House: Many believe that cleaning the house before New Year’s Day sweeps away bad luck and makes way for good fortune in the coming year.
• Making Noise: It’s common to make noise at midnight to scare away evil spirits. This can include fireworks, banging pots and pans, or ringing bells.
• New Clothes: Wearing new clothes on New Year’s Day is thought to bring good luck, particularly if they are red, which is associated with good fortune.
• Resolutions: Making resolutions is also popular, as it’s seen as a way to set intentions for the new year and improve one’s life.
• Leaving the Door Open: Some believe that leaving the front door open at midnight allows the old year to exit and welcomes the new year in. It’s a symbolic gesture of letting go of the past.
• No Sweeping: It’s considered bad luck to sweep the floor on New Year’s Day, as it could sweep away good fortune. Instead, many wait until the day is over to clean.
• Midnight Kissing: Sharing a kiss with someone at midnight is thought to strengthen relationships and ensure love and happiness in the new year.
• Cleansing Rituals: Some families partake in cleansing rituals, such as burning sage or performing small ceremonies to rid the home of negativity and invite positive energy.
• Family Gatherings: New Year’s Day is often a time for family gatherings, where meals are shared, and stories are told. This reinforces community bonds and cultural traditions.
• Wish Papers: Writing down wishes or intentions for the new year on paper and burning them is a custom some practice. It’s believed that burning the paper sends those wishes into the universe.

Serving Suggestions & Tips

• Add more flavor by cooking with ham hocks or a ham bone in the soup. 
• Garnish with hot sauce, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or tobasco sauce for an extra spicy kick. 
• Make the recipe in the slow cooker by cooking the bacon and sausage, then transfer the bacon fat to the slow cooker pot. Add everything else and set to low. Your cooking time will be about 6-8 hours. 
• Add other vegetables to your black eyed peas recipe such as bell pepper, okra, garlic cloves, green beans, or fresh peas.
• Sprinkle your dish with black pepper or sliced green onions.
• Make sure to rinse and soak the dry beans well before cooking.   

Are Black-Eyed Peas a Bean or Pea?

Black eyed peas are actually a type of legume and are classified as a bean. Specifically, they belong to the species Vigna unguiculata, which is part of the broader family of legumes. So, while they’re commonly called “peas,” they are more accurately categorized as beans.

Black-Eyed Peas Step by Step

Ingredients

• 1 pound black-eyed peas
• 5 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 6 oz smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 ½ tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tsp Creole seasoning
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 head collard green, chopped

Preparation

Rinse the black-eyed peas, add them to a large pot, and cover them with water.

Let the beans sit for at least 3 hours, up to overnight, until the black-eyed peas double in size.

When ready to prepare, saute the bacon in a large stockpot until brown and crispy then add the sausage and saute for about 5 minutes.

Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.

Add the onions, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf to the pot and saute for 3-5 minutes until the onions are soft.

Pour the chicken broth into the stockpot.

Drain the soaked black-eyed peas, rinse, and place them in the broth.

Season with the Creole seasoning and bring to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Toss in the collard greens, bacon, and sausage and cook for another 10 minutes until the collard greens are wilted.

Add more stock if you want it more brothy. Remove the bay leaf. Serve warm.

Black-Eyed Peas Leftovers

Storage: Let the remaining soup come to room temperature then place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. 

Reheating: The best way to reheat black-eyed pea soup is in a large saucepan over medium heat until they are warmed through, about 5-10 minutes. If it’s too thick, add a little bit of chicken broth, cold water, or vegetable broth to the pan.

Freezing: Once the soup has completely cooled, place in freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. 

Recipe

Southern Black-Eyed Peas

Black-eyed peas, also known as Hoppin' John, is a traditional southern New Year's Day meal to bring luck and prosperity to those who eat it. 

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Rest Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours

Course:

Main Dish

Cuisine:

American

Keyword:

bacon

|

black-eyed peas

|

cajun

|

holidays

|

sausage

|

southern

|

southern cooking

Dietary Needs:

Dairy-Free

|

Egg-Free

|

Gluten-Free

|

Nut-Free

Meat:

Pork

Cooking Method:

One-Pan Meals

Servings: 8 cups

5 from 7 votes

Ingredients

• 1 pound black-eyed peas
• 5 slices thick-cut bacon (chopped)
• 6 oz smoked sausage (cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 1 large onion (diced)
• 2 stalks celery (diced)
• 1 ½ tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tsp Creole seasoning
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 head collard greens (chopped)

Recommended Equipment

• Stockpot

Instructions

• Rinse the black-eyed peas, add them to a large pot, and cover them with water
• Let the beans sit for at least 3 hours, up to overnight, until the black-eyed peas double in size
• When ready to prepare, saute the bacon in a large stockpot until brown and crispy then add the sausage and saute for about 5 minutes
• Remove the meat from the pan and set aside
• Add the onions, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf to the pot and saute for 3-5 minutes until the onions are soft
• Pour the chicken broth into the stockpot
• Drain the soaked black-eyed peas, rinse, and place them in the broth
• Season with the Creole seasoning and bring to a boil
• Reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes
• Toss in the collard greens, bacon, and sausage and cook for another 10 minutes until the collard greens are wilted
• Add more stock if you want it more brothy
• Remove the bay leaf
• Serve warm

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Nutrition Facts

Southern Black-Eyed Peas

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 255 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 5g25%

Trans Fat 0.03g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 7g

Cholesterol 35mg12%

Sodium 1209mg50%

Potassium 377mg11%

Carbohydrates 17g6%

Fiber 5g20%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 1451IU29%

Vitamin C 11mg13%

Calcium 90mg9%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

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