Hot Hoppin' John Salad
Submitted by teale
Hot Hoppin’ John salad with black-eyed peas, rice, ham, and crispy bacon served over stir-fried cabbage. A Southern rice and pea dish with a kick of hot sauce.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
5 minCOOK
40 minREADY
45 minHoppin’ John gets the warm salad treatment here, and it works beautifully. Rice cooked in chicken broth gets mixed with black-eyed peas, chopped ham, and a hit of hot sauce, then spooned over a bed of stir-fried shredded cabbage with crumbled bacon on top.
The ham and garlic brown together first, building a savory base before the rice and peas go in. Cooking the bacon separately lets you render it crispy and use a tablespoon of those drippings to stir-fry the cabbage. That bacon fat gives the cabbage a smoky richness that plain oil just can’t match.
Serve it hot right off the platter or let it come to room temperature. It holds well either way.
Chef Tips
- Cook the rice in chicken broth instead of water. That extra layer of flavor is what makes the base taste like a real Hoppin’ John, not just rice with beans.
- Shred the cabbage as fine as you can. Thick pieces won’t get tender-crisp in the quick stir-fry.
- Crumble the bacon over the top right before serving so it stays crunchy.
- Adjust the hot sauce to your taste. Start with the teaspoon, then add more at the table.
Variations
- Serve cold over the cabbage for a summer salad version.
- Use collard greens or kale in place of cabbage for a heartier green base.
- Add diced tomatoes and a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness.
Ingredients
Directions
Cook ham, ½ cup onion, and garlic in oil until lightly browned.
Stir in rice, peas, hot sauce, pepper and salt.
Cook until thoroughly heated.
Place bacon in large skillet; cook until crisp; set aside.
Drain all but 1 tablespoon drippings.
Add cabbage and remaining onion; stir-fry until tender-crisp.
Spoon onto large platter. Ladle rice mixture into center of cabbage; crumble bacon over top of salad.
Serve hot or at room temperature.
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