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Hoppin' John with black-eyed peas, collard greens and brown rice in a dark Dutch oven

Hoppin' John Recipe: One-Pot Southern New Year's Dinner

A lighter take on the Southern New Year's classic: black-eyed peas, collard greens and brown rice simmered in one pot with smoked paprika and a splash of vinegar. No ham hock, no fuss, and it still tastes like the real thing.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Southern American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup long-grain brown rice rinsed
  • 2 1/2 cups water plus 2-4 tbsp as needed
  • 2 15-oz cans black-eyed peas drained and rinsed
  • 4 cups collard greens stems removed, chopped
  • 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • to taste kosher salt and black pepper

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook 6 minutes, stirring, until softened.
  2. Add the garlic, smoked paprika and thyme; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the rice and 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer 20 minutes.
  4. Scatter the collard greens over the rice without stirring, cover and cook 15 minutes, until the rice is tender and the greens are soft.
  5. Fold in the black-eyed peas and cook 5 minutes more; add 2-4 tablespoons water if the pot looks dry.
  6. Turn off the heat, stir in the vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and rest 5 minutes before fluffing and serving.