Hopping John Soup
Feb 11, 2026 12:41 PM
Hopping John Soup has black-eyed peas, ham, and collard greens, and this is my favorite dish to make for luck in the New Year! This lucky New Year’s soup does have some carbs, but see tips for making a version that’s lower in carbs if you prefer.
Hopping John Soup is a recipe I’ve been making for years for good luck in the New Year! And if you’re willing to eat a few carbs to get some good luck, I highly recommend making this soup; it has all the luck-bringing properties of traditional Hopping John.
If you’re not familiar with Hopping John, it’s eaten throughout the southern U.S. on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day. The origin of the name is uncertain, but it’s thought to have come from the Creole French pronunciation of the pigeon peas used in the dish.
I took the Hopping John ingredients of black-eyed peas, ham, and collard greens and turned them into a soup years ago. And this recipe is what I’ve been making for New Year’s luck ever since! And I hope you’ll make it and get some good lucky!
Ingredients:
- 1 small onion, chopped in fairly small pieces
- 1 cup celery, chopped in fairly small pieces
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 3 cups diced ham
- 8 cups homemade chicken stock
- 2 16 oz. packages frozen black-eyed peas
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 bunch fresh collard greens, chopped
- pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 T apple cider vinegar, or more to taste
- Optional: ham flavor base
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
120 minutes
Total Time:
130 minutes
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