This is two recipes in one! Learn how to make traditional Southern black eyed peas and then use them in my flavorful vegetarian Hoppin John dish.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time3 hourshrs
Soaking Time8 hourshrs
Total Time11 hourshrs15 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Keyword: peas, rice
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Black Eyed Peas
2 cups dried black eyed peassee notes
1/2tspcrushed red pepper flakesYou can add this to the peas as they cook or to the rice as it cooks.
1tbspsugar
1/2tbspsalt
2tbspvegetable oil
1 tbspblack pepper
Hoppin' John's Vegetarian Version
cooked black eyed peas
1medium cauliflower riced in the food processor, or any rice you like
3minced garlic cloves
1/4tspsalt
1/4tspblack pepper or to taste
1/2cupchopped fresh herbs (parsley, dill, cilantro, or basil)
1tbsplemon or lime juice
1small onion, chopped
4tbspbutteror preferred cooking oil for vegetarians
1-2tbsphot sauce
Instructions
Black Eyed Peas
Sort beans and soak them overnight (see notes). Drain off the soaking water and pour the peas into a pot, covering them with water and leaving enough extra to prevent the peas from cooking down. Add remaining ingredients and cook for roughly two to three hours or until tender. Start cooking rice with the instructions below after about 1-2 hours of cooking the peas.
2 cups dried black eyed peas, 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp black pepper
Vegetarian Hoppin John
Heat the skillet and add 2 tablespoons of butter. When the butter is melted, add the garlic. Stir that garlic around the pan until it's fragrant (20-30 seconds).
3 minced garlic cloves, 4 tbsp butter
Add the cauliflower rice (or cooked rice), salt, and black pepper (more or less depending on your taste). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower rice starts to crisp up and turns light brown in some bits (approx 7 to 10 minutes).
1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste, 1 medium cauliflower
Take it off the heat, and then stir in the fresh herbs and lemon juice. Give it a taste then add more lemon juice or salt and pepper, if you like.
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, dill, cilantro, or basil), 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
Drain off the black-eyed peas when they are tender. Set aside while you start to saute.
cooked black eyed peas, 1 medium cauliflower, 1/4 tsp salt
In a saute pan, saute onion in the remaining butter or oil until tender.
1 small onion, chopped, 4 tbsp butter
Place the rice, black-eyed peas, and onion in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add 1-2 tablespoons of hot sauce and stir again.
1-2 tbsp hot sauce
Notes
You need to sort through your beans. Sometimes there are little stones in there, so you want to just pour them into your hand before you put them in the bowl and check a handful at a time.
Red pepper flakes: you can leave these out completely or add them to the peas while they are cooking for a more subtle flavoring, or to the rice while it's cooking for a bit of an obvious flavor. Depends on what you like.