Vegetarian Hoppin John (Printable)

Hearty Southern black-eyed peas with vegetables and smoked paprika over fluffy rice.

# What You 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 - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
12 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1½ 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 - ¼ cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
19 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
20 - Lemon wedges, optional

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced 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, black pepper, and salt. Stir well to coat the vegetables in the spices.
04 - Pour in the drained black-eyed peas, vegetable broth, soy sauce, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
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.
06 - Discard bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning if 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 Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like comfort food with a secret, that savory warmth from smoked paprika that makes people ask what you did differently.
  • You can make it in under an hour with pantry staples, which means it works for weeknight dinners and fancy enough for company.
  • The black-eyed peas are hearty enough to satisfy, yet the whole dish stays light and doesn't leave you feeling weighed down.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of toasting your spices in the oil and vegetables, it's what transforms them from separate flavors into a cohesive whole.
  • The liquid will reduce as it simmers, so if you want it more brothlike, add an extra half cup of vegetable broth, or if you like it thicker, give it a few extra minutes on the heat.
03 -
  • Don't skip rinsing your canned black-eyed peas, it removes excess starch and keeps your broth from getting cloudy.
  • If you prefer more heat, add the cayenne, but you can always add heat at the table with hot sauce and let people decide their own temperature.
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