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Make the Southern classic dish, Hoppin’ John quickly and easily in the Instant Pot. Made with ham hock, black-eyed peas and served over rice, everyone will love this traditional New Years’ Day meal.
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Hoppin’ John is one of my favorite New Years Day traditions. Originating from Charleston, Carolina, this southern dish is loaded with flavor. Because of its origin, some people call it Carolina peas and rice.
This Instant Pot Hoppin’ John takes just a fraction of the time to make than the traditional stovetop version and is a hands off process, but the results are just as flavorable.
For more Instant Pot recipes, be sure to try my Pot Roast and White Chicken Chili.
Why You Will Love This Instant Pot Hoppin’ John
- Healthy: Made with all-natural ingredients, this black-eyed peas and rice dish is high in protein and low in saturated fat. It’s also gluten-free.
- Easy: This Hoppin’ John recipe is a great dump-and-go meal, perfect for when you don’t have time to be stirring pots on the stovetop.
- Make ahead: This recipe tastes better the day after to allow the flavors to develop, so it’s a great way to get ahead of things.
Ingredients
To make this southern black-eyed peas and ham, you will need the following ingredients:
- Vegetables: Onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic.
- Seasonings: Thyme, pepper, salt, bay leaves, paprika.
- Chicken broth: You can also use vegetable broth if that’s what you have.
- Bacon and ham hock: For a wonderful smokey flavor.
- Black-eyed peas: Black-eyed peas are thought to bring good luck when eaten on New Years Day.
- Cooked rice: serve the black-eyed peas and ham over cooked rice.
How To Make Instant Pot Hoppin’ John
- Heat oil in the Instant Pot using the Sauté function.
- Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion starts to turn translucent.
- Add the thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt. Stir.
- Add the garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Add the broth, bay leaves, balsamic vinegar, bacon, and ham hock.
- Stir in the black-eyed peas.
- Place the lid on the pressure cooker and lock it. Set the steam release knob to the Sealing position. Cancel the Sauté function.
- Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button and cook for 17 minutes on high pressure.
- When the cooking cycle has ended and the pot beeps, let it sit undisturbed for 15 minutes (15-minute Natural Pressure Release), then turn the steam release knob to the Venting position to release the remaining steam/pressure.
- When the pin in the lid drops down, open it, and give the contents a stir. Discard bay leaves and ham hock. Serve warm over rice.
TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN
Recipe Notes and Tips for Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas & Rice
- Make this recipe with dry black-eyed peas rather than canned as they will overcook.
- Allow the pressure cooker to naturally release rather than a quick release. This will mean everything in the pot will keep cooking.
- Before discarding the ham hock, scrape off any meat left on it and add it to the pot with black-eyed peas.
- You can make it vegan or vegetarian by omitting the bacon & ham hock and replacing chicken stock with vegetable stock.
Serving Suggestions
Hoppin’ John is best served over a bed of cooked rice, if you want a healthier option, you could use cauliflower rice. As this is a Southern dish, it’s often accompanied by sides of collard greens and cornbread.
Can you make this bean and rice dish ahead of time?
Yes! You can absolutely serve this as soon as you’ve made it, but the taste the next day is so much richer, so feel free to make it the day before! Once it has cooled, transfer the Hoppin’ John to an airtight container and keep refrigerated. It will keep well for up to 4 days and can be reheated gently on the stovetop.
Can you freeze black-eyed peas and ham?
Yes, this Instant Pot Hoppin’ John freezes really well and will keep for up to 6 months. So while it is traditionally enjoyed on New Years Day, it makes for a great freezer meal! Thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stovetop.
More Instant Pot Recipes
If you enjoyed this Instant Pot Hoppin’ John recipe, be sure to check out some of my other pressure cooker recipes:
If you enjoyed this Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas and Rice recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
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Instant Pot Hoppin’ John (Black-Eyed Peas and Rice)
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Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, stalks, diced
- 1 bell pepper, red or green
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed
- 3 ½ cups chicken broth
- 2 small bay leaves
- 4-5 slices bacon, chopped (or 8 oz)
- 1 small ham hock, or meaty ham bone
- 16 oz black-eyed peas, dry
- Cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- Heat oil in the Instant Pot using the Sauté function.
- Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to turn translucent.
- Add the thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt. Stir.
- Add the garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Add the broth, bay leaves, bacon, and ham hock.
- Stir in the black-eyed peas.
- Place the lid on the pressure cooker and lock it. Set the steam release knob to the Sealing position. Cancel the Sauté function.
- Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button and cook for 17 minutes on high pressure.
- When the cooking cycle has ended and the pot beeps, let it sit undisturbed for 15 minutes (15 minute Natural Pressure Release), then turn the steam release knob to the Venting position to release the remaining steam/pressure.
- When the pin in the lid drops down, open it and give the contents a stir. Discard bay leaves and ham hock. Serve warm over cooked rice.
Video
Notes
- Make this recipe with dry black-eyed peas rather than canned as they will overcook.
- Allow the pressure cooker to naturally release rather than a quick release. This will mean everything in the pot will keep cooking.
- Before discarding the ham hock, scrape off any meat left on them and add it to the black-eyed peas.
- You can make it vegan or vegetarian by omitting the bacon & ham hock and replacing chicken stock with vegetable stock.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates and may vary with ingredients, brands, and portion sizes. For accuracy, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this recipe is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical or nutritional advice. I am not a doctor or a dietitian. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized guidance regarding your diet or health. For more details, please read my full disclosure page.
I have made this recipe the last several new years’ and it’s delicious! I add carrots for a bit of sweetness and more vegetables and serve with a big side of collard greens
That makes me so happy to hear! 😊 I love that this recipe has become part of your New Year’s tradition. You can never go wrong with a big side of collard greens for New Year’s. Thanks for sharing!
Really easy and delicious. I just used ham and no stock. Turned out perfectly.
This is delicious. I fried some of the bacon in the instant pot and then sautéed the veggies in the bacon grease. I didn’t even need the ham for flavor. It is really a keeper recipe!
Absolutely delicious, the flavors are amazing! Made exactly as listed.
I am going to make this tonight. I am not particularly fond of black-eye peas, so it was never on my New Year’s Eve menu, but this recipe is so inviting that I am going to give it a try!
Do I need to soak the beans first?
Also, if I double the recipe should I double the cooking time?
No, you don’t have to double the cooking time. Just make sure that all of your ingredients fit in the instant pot. Hope you enjoy it!
Hi Monica, no, you don’t have to soak the beans and you don’t have to double the cooking time. As long as all of your ingredients fit in the instant pot, you should be good.
Can’t wait to try Hoppin’ John In my Crock Pot Multi Cooker. I make it every New Year’s Eve but using frozen black eyed peas on the stove top, then finishing it in the oven.