Vegetarian Hoppin John (Printer View)

Hearty Southern-style black-eyed peas with vegetables and aromatic spices over fluffy rice.

# What you'll need:

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Legumes

06 - 2 cans (15 ounces each) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

→ Seasonings

07 - 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
12 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1.5 teaspoons sea salt
14 - 2 bay leaves

→ Liquids

15 - 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
16 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari

→ To Serve

17 - 4 cups cooked long-grain white or brown rice
18 - 0.25 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
19 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
20 - Lemon wedges, optional

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt. Stir well to coat the vegetables evenly in spices.
04 - Pour in the drained black-eyed peas, vegetable broth, soy sauce, and bay leaves. Stir to combine thoroughly.
05 - Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat, and cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and flavors meld together.
06 - Discard bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Spoon Hoppin John over warm cooked rice. Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro, green onions, and a squeeze of lemon if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like comfort but keeps your conscience clear, especially when meat-free cooking still feels like it should taste compromised.
  • The smoked paprika does all the heavy lifting, creating a depth that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
  • Thirty-five minutes from start to finish means you can pull off a proper dinner on a Tuesday without losing your mind.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned black-eyed peas, because the starchy liquid makes everything cloudy and tastes vaguely metallic if you let it hang around.
  • The smoked paprika needs heat to release its flavor properly, so don't add it to cold oil or it stays trapped and flat.
  • If your broth tastes weak halfway through cooking, resist the urge to add more salt right away; let it simmer longer first and the flavors will concentrate naturally.
03 -
  • Don't stir constantly during the simmer because it breaks down the peas into mush; a gentle stir every five minutes keeps things moving without crushing them.
  • Taste as you go and remember that you can always add more spice, but you can't take it back out, so go cautiously with the cayenne if you're unsure of your crowd's preferences.
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