Low Carb Hoppin' John

Low and slow is how you’ll keep this Keto rendition of Hoppin’ John tasting as flavorful and traditional as possible. Serve as a celebratory lunch for good luck, or you can divide the original recipe here into 3-4 servings for a Keto side dish to a larger meal. Further down in this introduction is a description of Hoppin’ John’s origins and modifications made to the traditional recipe. For this recipe, you will be best off choosing slab-style bacon as opposed to cheap pre-sliced bacon you buy in the refrigeration section of your grocery store. However, you can substitute with pre-sliced bacon that is your only option. Smoked bacon is going to be key to developing the most flavor in your Hoppin’ John, so this recipe is worth splurging on “the good bacon”! A few vegetables and the most important ingredient - black-eyed peas - bulk up this recipe before buttery cauliflower rice is added to the dish. The cauliflower rice soaks up all the flavorful juice you’ll create while cooking.

What Is Hoppin’ John?

Hoppin’ John is a Southern comfort food recipe believed to be derived all the way from parts of Africa and modified throughout the years of slavery in the U.S. Originally, Hoppin’ John began as a simple ‘rice and beans’ dish since these were pantry staples available to poor or enslaved people. Over the years, ham hock or bacon was introduced. Then, other vegetables and leafy greens started appearing in varying renditions of the recipe. Now, Hoppin’ John is often served on New Years Day for good luck. Below are additional variations and substitutes that can be used for Hoppin’ John. The Keto ingredients you’ll need every time are cauliflower rice, black-eyed peas, and the listed spices to stay true to the traditional recipe.

Modifications and Substitutions For Keto Hoppin’ John

Since not every traditional ingredient in original Hoppin’ John is Keto-friendly, a few modifications had to be made. Of course, regular rice is substituted with cauliflower rice. Bell pepper is another ingredient often found in Hoppin’ John, but this was substituted with spinach to keep the Keto recipe low in carbs. Onion is another typical ingredient in Hoppin’ John, but onion powder is an easy substitute that maintains flavor. While traditional recipes usually start with dried black-eyed peas, it takes a very long time for the beans to be prepared for the recipe. Using canned black-eyed peas eliminates any preparation time and works just as well for our purposes. Bacon has a lot of fat and is great for a Keto recipe, but you may substitute the bacon with diced ham for a similar flavor. Let other users know what modifications or additions you made to your Keto Hoppin’ John in the comments!

Jessica L.