Hoppin' John: Southern-Style Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens Recipe

6 Servings | Serving Size: 1 Cup

When preparing this recipe, start with clean countertops and utensils. Wash hands with soap and water. Wash the whole, fresh produce by rinsing leafy greens and gently rubbing peppers and garlic under cold, running water. Prewashed, packaged items do not require further washing.

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon canola oil
• 2 medium orange or red bell peppers, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 small bunch (about 8 ounces) collard greens, trimmed and chopped
• 4 cups cooked black-eyed peas (plain frozen or cooked from dry)
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 cup water

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Add peppers and garlic, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown and smell fragrant, about 6 to 8 minutes. If garlic or peppers begin to stick, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time to the pan until they loosen.
2. Stir in cumin, paprika, cayenne, and salt. Stir in collard greens by the handful.
3. Add black-eyed peas, tomatoes with the juice, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the greens are tender, about 15 minutes.
4. Serve on its own or over a whole grain, like brown rice.

Tips

• This recipe uses black-eyed peas with no salt added to lower sodium levels. If using a canned version, choose no-salt-added or low-sodium options, if available. Otherwise, drain them in a colander and rinse to reduce the sodium content.
• Other leafy greens, like kale, can be substituted if collard greens are not available.

Recipe adapted from "Hoppin John with orange bell peppers" on EatingWell.com  (retrieved 2022)