Vegetarian Black Eyed Peas Recipe (Hoppin’ John)

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.

This vegetarian black eyed peas recipe for Hoppin’ John is a healthy and meatless version of the southern classic. Onions, bell pepper, celery, and kale are sautéed in spices with black eyed peas and a smoky finish served with brown rice. It’s a complete meal in one pan!

This easy vegetarian Hoppin’ John recipe is a delicious and nutritious weeknight meal. It’s made with brown rice, tons of veggies, and black eyed peas. Packed full of flavor this is a great family meal that everyone will love!

This is a great recipe for when you don’t know what to have for dinner. It’s made with pantry basics and comes together so quickly, but tastes like it’s been cooking all day.

We lightened up the traditional ham hock version of Hoppin John with a vegetarian friendly option that is so hearty, even the meat eaters you serve it to will love it!

Latest Recipe Video!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works

• Packed with fresh veggies
• Perfect dish for new year’s day or anytime of the year
• Made in the southern style, but plant based
• Vegan Friendly
• Gluten Free
• Tastes Great
• Super Filling Dish
• Best vegetarian black eyed peas recipe ever!

🥘 Ingredients

This vegan black eyed peas recipe calls for simple ingredients that can be found at most grocery stores. For step by step instructions and nutrition information, see the recipe card below.

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Garlic and Salt: The base of flavor for this tasty meal! You can also use coconut oil if you don’t have olive oil.
• Veggies: I used onions, red bell pepper, celery, and kale but you can really use any veggies you have on hand. Baby spinach or mustard greens would work great instead of the kale,
• Brown Basmati Rice: I like to cook the rice in vegetable stock for additional flavor, but you can cook it in water as well.
• Spices: You’ll need smoked paprika (or liquid smoke), regular paprika, dried thyme, crushed red pepper flakes (or hot sauce or cayenne pepper), and black pepper for this black eyed pea recipe. If you don’t have this particular mix of spices, cajun seasoning would also work. Feel free to add a bay leaf for more flavor.
• Canned black-eyed peas: Because you can’t make Hoppin Johns without this key ingredient! I like to use canned beans to save on time, but you can use dried beans as well. Just be sure to soak peas if you’re using them dry before cooking them. If you don’t have black eyed peas, black beans or pinto beans would both work in this recipe.
• Toppings: Diced tomato and green onions add brightness and crunch to finish this black eyed pea stew.

🔪 Instructions

StoveTop

Step 1: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery; sauté 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook 2-3 more minutes.

Step 2: Cook brown rice according to package directions. For best results, cook in vegetable broth for more flavor. Add spices (salt through black pepper) and kale to the large skillet, bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat, cook another 5-10 minutes until combined.

Step 3: Add black eyed peas and cook another 5-10 minutes until tender.

Step 4: Add in cooked rice, stir until combined. Add more salt and spices to taste, if needed.

Step 5: Serve this healthy black eyed peas recipe with diced tomato and green onions for topping.

Instant Pot

To cut down on the cooking time, you can also make pressure cooker or instant pot black eyed peas. To make in the instant pot:

• Press the sauté button and saute the onion, olive oil and garlic for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the remaining ingredients into the instant pot
• Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, natural release for 10 minutes, then manual release pressure.

❓Recipe FAQs

🧊 How To Store

This is a great dish to make a large batch of as it keeps really well! Let any leftovers cool completely, then place in the fridge in an airtight container. It will keep for around 5 days in the fridge, and can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. It is great eaten when just cooked, but you can also have this as a cold lunch (like a cold salad!).

👨‍👩‍👧 How To Serve

This quick vegetarian black eyed peas recipe is one bowl meal. It’s full of vegetables, protein, and whole grains. But if you’re looking to go the traditional route or want to serve it on New Year’s Day for good luck, serve it with golden cornbread and collard greens. Top with diced onions and fresh tomatoes.

If you’re making this recipe for kids, feel free to reduce the amount of kale (if your kids aren’t a fan), or you can chop up the kale super fine so that when it cooks down it resembles more of an herb than a leafy green! You can also reduce the spices to suit your kids’ palates.

💭 Expert Tips

• You don’t need a lot of oil to sauté the vegetables. Adding too much oil increases the fat and calories. You need just enough to coat the vegetables, 1 tablespoon.
• Add the garlic after the other vegetables have sautéed. This will keep the garlic from burning and enhance the garlic flavor.
• Brown rice can take 45-55 minutes to cook. Start cooking the brown rice before you begin chopping your vegetables for this Vegan Hoppin’ John recipe so that is ready when it’s time to add it to the sauté pan. 
• Drain and rinse the black eyed peas before adding them to the pan.
• The smoky paprika is what gives this dish a smoky flavor with using bacon. You can increase this spice if you like a smokier finish. Or if you want that meaty bacon texture, feel free to add in some diced vegan bacon.
• To make this vegetarian black eyed peas and greens for kids: cut back or remove the crushed pepper and smoked paprika, and chop the veggies up super small.

🍲 More Vegan And Vegetarian Recipes!

• Vegan Black Bean Burgers
• Vegan Butternut Squash Chili
• Vegan Chocolate Mousse
• Vegan Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
• Vegan Shepherd’s Pie Recipe by Yup It’s Vegan

📋 Recipe Card