Hoppin John is a fave of mine, full stop. Even my daughter (notoriously picky) gets down on it. But this ain’t ya mama’s recipe, y’all! This is a vegetarian hoppin John recipe by my boo Robin of Collards Are the Old Kale. You won’t find ham hock, bacon, or other meats in it, but it’s as smoky and Southern as the original one. And of course, I serve it with cornbread on the side. That’s just the Carolina way. Thank you Robin for sharing.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
How to Make Vegetarian Hoppin’ John
These step-by-step photos show how to make a vegetarian hoppin John, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Vegetarian Hoppin John Recipe
1. Soak the dried peas overnight
Drain the water, and rinse them well.
2. Simmer the peas with garlic, celery, spices, and stock
Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat and let it cook down.
3. Add the sliced okra and continue cooking
Let it all come together until the peas are soft.
4. Cook the quinoa and serve it topped with the peas and green onions
Toast it briefly in a saucepan, then add water, vegetarian stock, salt, and walnut oil, and simmer until fluffy. Spoon the peas right over the top to finish.
PRO TIP: If you don’t need this recipe to be vegetarian, you can use regular beef or chicken stock as well as add a smoked ham hock or smoked turkey wings.
Full Vegetarian Hoppin John Recipe
Vegetarian Hoppin John Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ingredients
For the Black Eyed Peas
- 4 cups fresh or dried black eyed peas
- 6 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 ½ cups okra
- ¼ cup celery
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp vegetarian chicken stock
- 2 tbsp vegetarian beef stock
- 1 tbsp Jane's Crazy Mixed Up Salt
- 2 tsp rubbed sage
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 dashes Colgin Natural Hickory Liquid Smoke
- 1 dash cayenne pepper optional
For the Quinoa
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups quinoa
- 1 tsp vegetarian chicken or beef stock
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp walnut oil
Instructions
For the Black Eyed Peas
- If using dried black-eyed peas: This is the norm, so the peas must be soaked overnight. Place the peas in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cool water being careful to remove any hard debris or blemished peas. Place the peas in a large pot and add water to about an inch above the peas and let them soak in an uncovered pot, overnight. The next day the peas will have absorbed some of the water they soaked in.
- If using fresh black-eyed peas, meaning you got them from a farm, someone’s garden or in the refrigerated section of a grocery store, place the peas in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cool water being careful to remove any hard debris or blemished peas.
- Add 2 Cups of water to the pot and place the pot on the stove, turning the burner to high.
- Mince the garlic and celery either with a paring knife or by using a food processor if preferred. Add to the pot. Add all remaining ingredients except the okra to the pot.
- Once the peas reach a rapid boil, turn the heat down to low. Wash the okra in the colander under cool water. Cut off the top stems and discard. Chop the remaining okra into ¼ inch pieces and add to the pot after the peas have been cooking 1 hour. Cook for 30 minutes to 1 additional hour.
For the Quinoa
- Place quinoa in a sauce pan on medium high heat to toast, allowing some of the grains to slightly brown. After approximately one minute, add the water and then the remaining ingredients and turn the heat down to low.
- Cook for approximately 20 minutes, stirring the last few minutes to ensure it doesn’t burn. Top with the black-eyed peas, fresh chopped green onions and enjoy!
Notes
- Fridge: Spoon any leftovers into an airtight container and pop it in the fridge. It’ll stay good for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Once cooled, store in freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 3 months. I like to portion it out so I can grab just what I need. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm it up on the stove over medium heat, adding a splash of veggie broth or water to loosen it up. You can also microwave individual servings!
Nutrition
Serving Suggestions
- Cornbread: A slice of my classic skillet cornbread is a MUST with this Southern hoppin John. You can also serve it with hot water cornbread, or sweet potato cornbread.
- Bread: Go with sour cream biscuits, potato rolls, or garlic bread.
- Southern Sides: Try your vegetarian hoppin John with fried green tomatoes, fried okra, or hush puppies.
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
pinterest 
facebook 
twitter 
email
This black eyed peas recipe was so hearty, flavorful and satisfying!! Love that it was a plant based meal too!
We enjoyed this Southern dish very much, it was packed with flavor, and moreover, I love that it has a lot of veggie protein… Pairing it with quinoa was perfect! thanks for the recipe!
This dish is new to me. Love the ingredients used here. So flavorful and delicious.
This looks so good! This is definitely a new one for me and I can’t wait to share with m family!
This looks delicious! I am always looking for new ways to use quinoa. Can’t wait to try this out.