Holidays & Occasions New Year's 12 Delicious Ways with Hoppin' John Perfect for New Year's Day By Kaitlyn Yarborough Kaitlyn Yarborough Part of the Southern Living team since 2017, Kaitlyn Yarborough is a Georgia native living in Austin, Texas, who covers a wide variety of topics for both the magazine and website, focusing on culture and lifestyle content, as well as travel in the South.She earned a B.A. in Journalism at the University of Georgia. She hopes to inspire your travel bucket list with her features on road trips through Texas Hill Country, bourbon tours in Kentucky, and the best beach getaways on the Gulf Coast. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on August 16, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Johnny Autry; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham For many Southerners, New Year's Day means we're eating Hoppin' John with a side of collard greens and cornbread. A bowlful of this classic recipe filled with black-eyed peas, Carolina Gold rice, and ham hock (or bacon) ensures we kick off the year with a promise of good fortune. The black-eyed peas represent coins or, because they swell when cooked, growing prosperity. Collard greens represent paper money, and cornbread looks something akin to gold. Southerners eat this sacred trio because we're a tad superstitious. For those who aren't, it certainly doesn't hurt to chow on a New Year's Day meal this delicious. Hoppin' John might be ultra-traditional, but we're not afraid of tweaking it. Try our classic versions, whether made in the slow-cooker or served as a soup, or try something different, like our crispy Hoppin' John cakes and hush puppies. Whatever you choose, make one of these delicious Hoppin' John recipes New Year's Day. 01 of 12 Classic Hoppin' John Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton Recipe: Classic Hoppin' John Consider this the ultimate classic recipe. When served for the New Year, this Lowcountry dish promises prosperity with its perfect blend of Carolina Gold rice, black-eyed peas, and bacon. 02 of 12 Hoppin' John Cakes with Tomato-Jalapeño Gravy Photo: Alison Miksch Recipe: Hoppin' John Cakes with Tomato-Jalapeño Gravy These crispy cakes will make you rethink the one-pot version, at least for the day. A tomato-jalapeño gravy gives a warm, slightly fiery finishing touch. 03 of 12 Slow-Cooker Hoppin' John Jennifer Davick Recipe: Slow-Cooker Hoppin' John If you're still nursing the post-holiday blues, this slow-cooker rendition makes it almost too easy to get back in the spirit. Just set it, and forget about it until dinnertime. 04 of 12 Hoppin' John with Braised Oxtail Erin Kunkel; Styling: Melissa Padilla Recipe: Hoppin' John with Braised Oxtail Chef Sheldon Simeon updated the Lowcountry staple with braised oxtail as a nod to his time on Top Chef in Charleston. 05 of 12 Hoppin' John Hush Puppies Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner Recipe: Hoppin' John Hush Puppies We transformed this Lowcountry classic into a crispy, satisfying fritter—you can thank us later. Serve these bites with our tomato-corn relish, and it's absolute snackable heaven. 06 of 12 Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas Photography and Styling: Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas Woke up late after ringing in the New Year? Here's a shortcut to getting your black-eyed peas in. Just add sides of collard greens and cornbread. 07 of 12 Summer Hoppin' John Salad Iain Bagwell Recipe: Summer Hoppin' John Salad We'd happily serve Hoppin' John all year long, and this salad variationworks from New Year's Day to summertime picnics. 08 of 12 Hoppin' John Stew with White Cheddar Cheese Grits Photo: Van Chaplin Recipe: Hoppin' John Stew with White Cheddar Cheese Grits As far as we're concerned, grits are never an unwelcome idea. Though we're generally partial to Carolina Gold rice, these cheesy grits have us feeling okay about the switch. 09 of 12 Hoppin' John Salad Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Hoppin' John Salad Trust us, this dish uses the term "salad" loosely. Kick off the year feeling good with this take on Hoppin' John with fresh mint, parsley, and jalapeño peppers. 10 of 12 Hoppin' John Stew Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell Recipe: Hoppin' John Stew Smoked sausage is the unabashed star of this stew. This Hoppin' John recipe feeds a crowd. 11 of 12 Limpin' Susan Helen Norman/Dotdash Meredith Recipe: Limpin' Susan If you want to make a deliciously complimentary dish to enjoy with your Hoppin' John, try this okra-based recipe. 12 of 12 Hoppin' John Soup Johnny Autry; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham Recipe: Hoppin' John Soup The most important rule in making Hoppin' John is to cook everything together in the same pot. This soup makes it easy. Smoked turkey wings, country ham, and collard greens make it overflow with flavor. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit