Growing up in Indiana, we never had Hoppin John for New Year’s. We usually had sauerkraut and weiners instead
Hoppin John, for those of you who have never heard of it, is a meal made popular in the southern part of the United States. Being from Kentucky, it’s strange my mom never made it, or at least that I remember. For some reason, she always made sauerkraut and weiners….ugh. And fried at that.
Hoppin John is simply smoked pork, black-eyed peas, and rice, and first appeared in a Carolina Cookbook back in 1847.
- Who was this John person, and why was he hopping?
- How did this recipe end up being a popular New Year’s Day meal?
- And what’s so lucky about it?
I honestly have no idea. I know the black-eyes peas are supposed to represent ‘coins’, and collard greens were added to resemble “cash”. And even the cornbread was said to represent ‘gold’. So apparently, this recipe was meant to bring financial luck.
Not sure how true that is, but I DO know it’s healthy with lots of protein, fiber, and of course all that amazing Dr. Esselstyn nitric-oxide from the greens.
As I mentioned, in the south, it is typically served with cornbread, and while I did not make any yesterday, you can find my recipe for a delicious Vegan, Oil-Free Cornbread right here.
This was totally a last-minute decision and honestly an impromptu ‘throw-together’ kind of meal, but it came out really good I think. So even though it’s a few days late, I still hope you enjoy it.
Happy New Year!
Vegan Instant Pot Hoppin John
As the name implies, this is an Instant Pot recipe. If you still don’t have one yet – they ARE handy in that they take the whole “soaking the beans all night” part of cooking dried legumes completely out of the equation. Instead, you can have a dish like this, or say a big pot of Soup Beans ready in about an hour.
I’ll leave my affiliate link below in case you are interested. As an Amazon Affiliate, I do make a few pennies from every purchase but at no extra cost to you.
The prep for this recipe couldn’t be simpler.
Dice an onion, a few ribs of celery, and a carrot (or 2) and add them to your pot. Toss in some minced garlic, your broth, and the water.
Then rinse your rice and your black-eyed peas and add them as well.
Finally, add 2 cans of your favorite diced tomatoes (I like fire-roasted) and all the seasonings.
Don’t add your greens at this point. Wait until after your beans have cooked and you have removed the lid. The heat of the soup will be enough to wilt them. Speaking of greens, I used kale but you can use collards, mustard, swiss chard, whatever greens you like.
Cook on manual, using the high-pressure setting, for about 20 minutes, then let it sit after it’s finished for another 10-15 minutes before carefully removing any remaining pressure.
Carefully remove the lid, add your greens, and I like to stir in a tablespoon (or 2) of balsamic vinegar. It really adds to the flavor.
Stir and serve.
Easy, simple, tasty, and cheap too!
Here’s wishing all of you a very prosperous and HEALTHY 2022!
Vegan Instant Pot Hoppin John
- Author: Brand New Vegan
-
Prep Time: 15 min -
Cook Time: 45 min -
Total Time: 1 hour -
Yield: 8 -10 servings -
Category: Beans, Holidays -
Method: Instant Pot -
Cuisine: American - Diet: Vegan
Description
Growing up in Indiana, we never had Hoppin John for New Year’s. We usually had sauerkraut and weiners instead
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 2 ribs celery
- 1 carrot
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 2 cups dried black-eyed peas
- 1 cup rice (I used white)
- 2 cans fire-roasted tomatoes (15oz ea)
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 bunch kale
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- hot sauce to taste
Instructions
- Dice onion, carrot, and celery and add to instant pot
- Rinse black-eyed peas and rice, and add to instant pot
- Add tomatoes, broth, and water
- Add the garlic and spices
- Stir to mix well and attach lid. Seal.
- Cook on manual for 20 minutes
- Allow steam to vent naturally for 15 min then carefully release any remaining pressure
- Remove the tough ribs from the kale and shred the leaves
- Stir kale into the beans and add balsamic to flavor
- Taste for seasoning
Notes
Tips and Donations Are ALWAYS Welcome
Keywords: hoppin john, New Years
Did you make this recipe?
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