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Home » Recipes » Blog

Hoppin’ John Patties

Published: Feb 1, 2017 · Modified: Feb 1, 2020 by Marisa Moore·

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hoppin john patties with tomatoes

These Hoppin’ John Patties with Tomato Salsa transform traditional black-eyed peas and rice into an easy, healthy, vegetarian meal that’s packed with protein and fiber.

Hoppin John Patties

Hoppin’ John is traditionally a combination of white rice and field peas or black-eyed peas. Though my Grandma used field peas, I had Hoppin’ John at least once a week while growing up in South Carolina.

For a healthier spin on the classic, this recipe uses black-eyed peas and brown rice. It puts them together in one patty and adds fresh tomatoes and herbs for even more flavor. Full of protein and fiber, these Hoppin’ John Patties make a filling dinner or lunch.

raw black eyed peas in a bowl

Best black-eyed peas for patties

These black-eyed pea patties are easy to make – especially if you already have cooked brown rice in the fridge. I find that fresh, canned or thawed, frozen black-eyed peas work the best. You can also use leftover black-eyed peas, if they aren’t too mushy.

Try this spin on a classic: Hoppin' John Patties with Southern-Style Tomato Salsa! Click to Tweet

What to eat with hoppin’ john patties?

These patties are almost like a black-eyed pea burger. You can top with tomatoes or your favorite vegetables and salt. These patties work really well solo because of the rice. But they are also delicious with the tomatoes on top.

Another great option? Add some greens. My Easy Honey Cider Collard Greens would be a perfect addition to the plate.

hoppin john patties with tomatoes

Choose the best rice

I used leftover brown rice for this recipe. It’s best to use cold rice – not one that’s freshly cooked. The cold, leftover rice will stick better. And it’s a great way to use up leftovers.

You can use white rice if you’d like. But the brown adds a nice nutty flavor that I love. If you use white rice, you might need to add ¼ cup or so more if you find that the patties don’t stick at first. I am guessing on this as I have not yet tried it!

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How to make vegan black-eyed pea patties?

You can make these patties vegan by swapping the egg out for a different binder. Try a vegan egg substitute such as a chia egg or flax egg to help keep the patties together. With that easy swap, the patties will be vegan!

Hoppin’ John is a traditional southern recipe but you can enjoy black-eyed peas in many other ways.

Easy black-eyed pea recipes

Black-eyed pea fritters for an appetizer

Roasted black-eyed peas for a healthy snack

For more recipes with soul check out these…

Black History Month Recipes

I’m sharing this recipe as part of a Black History Month Potluck! I’m excited to join 27 other black food bloggers from around the globe to share our favorite recipes for what we like to call a Virtual Potluck.

From African to Creole and Caribbean to Southern there is something for everybody; with each blogger contributing their recipes each day of Black History Month. Check out my Hoppin’ John Patties and the other delicious recipes from the participating bloggers below.

And a special shout out to Aaron of The Hungry Hutch! This brilliant idea started with him. Be sure to check out his beautiful and delicious Blood Orange Cornmeal Cake.

Find out more about the Black History Month Virtual Potluck and get all of the recipes!

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Hoppin John Patties on a plate with sliced tomatoes

Hoppin' John Patties with Herbed Tomatoes

Marisa Moore, RDN
Hoppin’ John is traditionally a combination of white rice and field peas or black-eyed peas. This recipe puts the two together in a patty and adds fresh tomatoes and herbs for even more flavor. Chock full of protein and fiber, this makes a hearty vegetarian meal. 
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Entree, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 (2 patties)
Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups cooked black-eyed peas
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice
  • 1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ cup green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Herbed Tomatoes

  • 2 cups fresh grape tomatoes, quartered
  • ½ cup Vidalia or other sweet onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon cracked black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Make the herbed tomatoes. In a small bowl, mix all ingredients. Set aside. Let the flavors meld. This is a southern-style salsa.
  • Make the patties. In a large bowl, mash the black-eyed peas with a fork or potato masher. Add the rice to the bowl. Set aside.
  • In a medium skillet, heat half the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, bell pepper until soft. Add the sautéed vegetables and the remaining ingredients to the black-eyed pea and rice mixture. Mix well – you’ll want to use your hands.
  • Once blended, score the mixture into four equal parts. Create two equal patties from each of the parts. If the patties are too loose, refrigerate them for an hour or overnight.
  • Wipe out the skillet. Heat the rest of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the patties in batches and cook over medium heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
  • Top the patties with the tomatoes. Serve. 

Notes

Nutrition Info: 300 calories, 13g fat ( 2g saturated fat), 37g carbohydrate, 8g fiber, 11g protein
 

What to eat with Hoppin' John Patties?

These fritters work really well solo because of the rice. But they are also delicious with the tomatoes on top. 
Another great option? Add some greens. My Easy Honey Cider Collard Greens would be a perfect addition to the plate. 

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Filed Under: Blog, Entrees, Recipes

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Comments

    5 from 2 votes

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Kaitlin (Kay)

    February 19, 2021 at 8:23 pm

    5 stars
    Super fast, super simple, super healthy, and super delicious! What more could you want?! These are surprisingly spicy for only a little cayenne and bell pepper! Not too hot, but just enough heat to make an impression on your tongue it will not soon forget. Will 100% be making again.

    Reply
  2. Kate S

    December 29, 2020 at 2:28 pm

    5 stars
    This is an excellent recipe! The salsa is simple and delicious. I served these as an app before Thanksgiving, and will be making them again for NYE. Thanks, Marisa!

    Reply

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Marisa Moore in a yellow top in a white kitchen

MARISA MOORE

Hi! I'm Marisa, a registered dietitian nutritionist living in Atlanta, GA. I use this blog to share (mostly) vegetarian recipes, credible nutrition information and a peek into my Southern roots and travels!

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