Vegetarian Hoppin John (Printable Version)

Hearty plant-based Southern classic with black-eyed peas, vegetables, and smoky spices over rice.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 oz 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

# Directions:

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 pepper, black pepper, and salt. Stir well to coat the vegetables evenly in the spices.
04 - Pour in the drained black-eyed peas, vegetable broth, soy sauce, and add bay leaves. Stir to combine thoroughly.
05 - Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, 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 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 Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like the original but doesn't require hunting down ham hock or smoked meat, just smoked paprika doing all the heavy lifting.
  • One pot means less cleanup, more time sitting with whoever you're feeding.
  • It stretches a dollar further than most main dishes and gets better as leftovers.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned peas, that cloudy liquid can make the finished dish taste tinny instead of clean and bright.
  • Smoked paprika is not the same as regular paprika, the smoke is doing the heavy lifting that would normally come from meat, so don't substitute it.
03 -
  • Don't let the simmer turn into a boil, a gentle simmer concentrates flavors without breaking down the peas into mush.
  • Taste as you go during that simmering stage because the longer it sits, the saltier it gets, so you might need less salt than the recipe says.
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