Let’s explore four distinctive southern pea varieties that deserve a place in your pantry and on your table.

Lady Cream Peas: The Delicate Jewel

Lady Cream peas stand out for their delicate appearance and elegant flavor. These small, pale legumes cook to a creamy consistency while yielding a clear pot liquor, prized in southern households for their subtle sweetness and refined texture. The key to perfect Lady Cream peas lies in gentle simmering and careful seasoning – they absorb flavor beautifully without requiring heavy spicing.

Lil’ Auntie’s Lady Cream Peas

This treasured family recipe enhances the peas’ natural creaminess with seasoning meat (or butter), aromatics, and herbs. After gentle simmering, they develop a tender texture perfect alongside cornbread or as a base for grilled fish.

Crowder Peas: Bold and Beautiful

Named for the way they crowd themselves within their pods, Crowder peas deliver robust flavor and hearty texture that stands up to bold seasonings. These hardy peas thrive in the southern climate, creating a deep, dark broth when cooked. Crowder peas offer a perfect foundation for building complex flavors with smoky pork, onions, garlic, and herbs.

Clayton’s Crowder Peas

This family recipe honors the peas’ natural earthiness with classic southern cooking methods – simmering with seasoning meat before adding sautéed aromatics and herbs, resulting in a rich pot liquor perfect for sopping up with bread or serving over rice.

Field Peas: The Soul Food Staple

Field peas are similar in flavor and texture to blackeye peas but with their own distinctive character. Part of the cowpea family brought to America from Africa, these adaptable, heat-tolerant legumes have become a cornerstone of soul food cooking. When prepared traditionally with smoked pork, sautéed aromatics, and herbs, they develop a flavorful pot liquor that carries their unique earthy essence.

Patricia’s Perfect Field Peas

This heritage recipe showcases the peas’ distinctive flavor, while the Field Peas & Snap Beans variation adds fresh green beans, salt pork, and dried red chili pepper for color, texture, and a gentle heat that complements their natural earthiness.

Blackeye Peas: The Good Luck Charm

Perhaps the most widely recognized of all southern peas, blackeye peas have earned their place as both a cultural icon and a culinary staple. No southern pea holds more cultural significance than the blackeye pea on New Year’s Day. Served with greens and pork in Hoppin’ John, they’re believed to bring prosperity, with the peas symbolizing coins and the greens representing paper money.

Bessie’s Best New Year Blackeyes

This cherished recipe enhances the peas with seasoning meat, aromatics, and a touch of herbs like thyme and sage. For a classic Hoppin’ John, simply add rice, tomatoes, and green onions – served alongside collard greens for both flavor and fortune.

The Southern Pea Heritage

From humble beginnings, southern peas have evolved into beloved ingredients that carry cultural significance and family memories. Each variety offers its own personality and cooking properties, but all share the adaptability, nutritional benefits, and rich history that make southern peas truly special.

As you experiment with these recipes, you become part of the continuing story of southern cuisine—a tradition of transforming simple ingredients into soul-satisfying meals that bring people together.

Photo: Kat Kimball

Elevating the Meat-and-Three

Like many beloved Southern restaurants, Hot Stuff may look like an unassuming building on the outside with a smoker in the parking lot — but on the inside, a culinary party is waiting to start.

Nathan Barfield, the co-owner of Hot Stuff, wanted to open a “meat-and-three” restaurant – an old school, Southern, cafeteria-style plate lunch spot centered around the tradition of one meat accompanied by three sides and bread.

It’s a style of restaurant found across the South, though mostly outside of New Orleans. But at Hot Stuff, the concept has found a new home.

The menu features meats that include fried chicken, hamburger steak au poivre, Mississippi pot roast, and smoked chicken wings with pineapple habanero white barbecue sauce. Daily specials include New Orleans’ favorite Monday dish, red beans and rice

Photo: Kat Kimball

A Monday Must: Red Beans and Rice

Barfield starts his red beans by soaking the beans overnight. When it’s time to make the beans, he adds the Trinity (bell pepper, onion and celery) to another pot, and sautés it in vegetable oil until soft. Then comes the Creole seasoning, Crystal Hot Sauce, black pepper, salt, red beans and usually a smoked meat.

“It could be a ham hock, or any of the trim when we smoke ribs — in general, some sort of smoked pork,” says Barfield, adding that sometimes it could contain just one type of pork, or a mixture of all three, giving each Monday’s offering a slightly different flavor, but still consistent in taste.

Rather than adding smoked sausage during the cooking process, he instead adds Conecuh sausage on top when serving. Diners can also request the red beans and rice with a piece of chicken or a pork chop.

Barfield, a native of Monroeville, Alabama, learned how to make red beans and rice when he moved to New Orleans. He worked at The High Hat Café, followed by a stint at Turkey and the Wolf. There, he met Hot Stuff’s co-owner Mason Hereford, and the duo came up with the idea for the restaurant.

Barfield only uses Camellia Red Kidney Beans for the dish, as well as the company’s Blackeye Peas for one of the restaurant’s vegan sides.

“It’s the standard. They’re good,” he says, about Camellia Beans. “With other beans, you have to sort through them to see if there are rocks and other things. In the years I have been cooking, I have never had a bad bag of beans. It gives me peace of mind knowing I can just open the bag to use it, and it’s good.”

Photo: Kat Kimball

An Homage to Southern and New Orleans Culture

The attention to detail can also be found in the décor of Barfield’s restaurant with its homage to Southern and New Orleans culture. A Mardi Gras Indian suit from the 9th Ward Seminole tribe, sewn and worn by one of the restaurant’s cooks, Durel Randall, is one of the first things you see upon entering the restaurant.

Photo: Kat Kimball

The back patio — its Southern shack feel adorned with old signs, including one from Bojangle’s — is Barfield’s pièce de résistance. “I like to say it’s like your redneck uncle got hit by a bus, finally got his insurance payout, and he needed to spruce up the area where he drank his beers.”

Hot Stuff, 7507 Maple St.; Mon, Wed, Thurs, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri and Sat. 11 a.m. – Midnight, Sun. 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.; hotstuffneworleans.com; @hotstuffneworleans.

With so many options to choose from, it wasn’t easy to select the top ten bean dishes of 2023! But here they are – flavorful favorites you’ll return to again and again. From traditional Creole and Cajun dishes to soups, appetizers, snacks, and more, there’s something delicious for everyone to enjoy.

Shrimp & White Bean Soup

This heartwarming classic features sweet Louisiana shrimp. Make it with your favorite white beans – whether they’re Great Northerns, Cannellinis, or Navy beans.

Instant Pot New Orleans-Style Red Beans for 2

Fast and easy, our Red Beans for 2 brings authentic Louisiana comfort food to your kitchen with small-batch cooking in your pressure cooker or Instant Pot.

White Bean Soup with Tasso, Winter Squash & Chard

This one’s a winter weeknight favorite that’s delicious, easy to make, and a great meal-prep recipe.

Southern Quesadillas

Oh-so-southern, these blackeye pea quesadillas are a tasty twist on the Tex-Mex version.

Blackeye Peas and Jammy Eggs

The creamy yolk from soft-boiled eggs mixes with blackeye peas for a delightfully savory flavor.

Field Pea Caviar

This colorful, southern caviar makes a great dip, snack, or side.

Braised Lady Peas

This classic southern dish will be a welcome accompaniment to any dinner table. A touch of tang and crunch from pickled onions hits the spot.

White Beans with a Cajun Accent

Whether it’s for a casual Sunday supper or a larger family gathering, a big pot of White Beans with Tasso and Ham is a crowd pleaser.

Red Bean Huevos Rancheros

A different take on the usual Huevos Rancheros, this delicious dish switches out traditional refried beans with tasty refried red beans.

Chocolate Hummus

Try this  healthy, vegan chocolate treat. Just add graham crackers, pretzels, or fruit for dipping.

Ready to start your good-luck meal? Find Camellia Blackeye Peas in a store near you—or shop online.

Simple Slow Cooker Blackeye Peas

A classic dump & go recipe for the slow cooker, no hands-on attention is required for this simple favorite. The deep flavors come together all by themselves.

The Best Meatless Blackeye Peas

Hearty, healthy, and full of nuanced flavor from a variety of veggies, seasonings, and spices, these vegetarian blackeye peas benefit from a final addition of balsamic vinegar.

Garlicky Shrimp and Blackeye Peas

This dish is perfect for celebrations and get-togethers, especially New Year’s. Putting two Southern favorites together in one dish — blackeye peas and Gulf shrimp — makes for a wonderful combination that everyone loves.

Blackeye Peas & Sausage

This easy, make-ahead recipe includes directions for prepping and freezing the ingredients beforehand. When ready to use, simply dump the ingredients into a slow cooker along with blackeye peas, water, and broth, and cook for 5-6 hours till tender and delicious.

Potlikker Greens with Blackeye Peas

Potlikker is the tasty, nutritious broth left behind after simmering a pot of collard, turnip, or mustard greens. And both the broth and the greens are particularly delicious when combined with blackeye peas. Get your full-on combo for good luck in the new year with this traditional southern staple.

Hoppin’ John

A lowcountry classic, Hoppin’ John is one of the simplest and most humble of the region’s favorite dishes. This version, made with blackeye peas, ham hocks, onion, rice and seasonings, is southern comfort food at its finest.

Instant Pot Southern Large Limas with Ham Hocks

An Instant Pot favorite with slow-cooked flavor, this recipe offers all the comforts of home.

Bourbon-Bacon Field Peas with Collards

Featuring both bourbon and bacon, this field peas dish will win over everyone with great taste. Be sure to serve it alongside fried chicken.

Simple Slow Cooker Blackeye Peas

Nothing’s more foolproof than this slow cooker blackeye peas recipe. No hands-on attention needed!

Mosquito Supper Club White Beans

This recipe and photo are excerpted from Mosquito Supper Club by Melissa Martin (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2020. Photographs by Denny Culbert.

Hailing from Chef Melissa Martin of the Mosquito Supper Club, this recipe celebrates authentic Cajun cuisine, just like her restaurant does.

Instant Pot New Orleans-Style White Beans

Another recipe to turn to when you’re short on time, this Instant Pot dish will taste like it simmered all day.

Zydeco Chop-Chop Red Beans & Rice

No fresh vegetables on hand? No problem. If you’ve got Zydeco Chop Chop, you’ve got great red beans & rice.

Instant Pot White Bean Chili

Fast, comforting, and delicious, this Instant Pot white chicken chili recipe warms the belly — whether it’s a weeknight or game day.

Dump and Go: Slow Cooker Red Beans & Rice

This recipe relies on pre-chopped trinity and your slow cooker to do all the work. Just dump it in and go!

Soup Beans

This Appalachian dish featuring pinto beans and bacon is simple and homey.

Simple Southern Lima Beans

If you love creamy butter beans, you’ll love this dish. But don’t forget the cornbread or biscuits.

Never mind moonshine – it’s potlikker that traditionally fueled the South, from the mountains of Appalachia to the tumbleweeds of Texas. Potlikker is the rich liquid left over in the pot after a long, slow simmering of greens (like collards, turnips or mustards) when seasoned with a bit of salty meat (like ham hock, smoked turkey wings or slab bacon). This leftover cooking liquid might seem like something to discard for those not in-the-know, but as it turns out, potlikker is divine, providing such a transcendent experience when soaked up by cornbread (or even sipped on its own) that you’ll quickly learn to savor it down to the last drop.

The original nutritious green drink?

Potlikker originated as a staple in the African American cuisine of the American South – a culinary tradition known worldwide as Soul Food. This nutrient-dense liquid was – and still is – used as a base for soups and other dishes. Simmering greens such as in this Potlikker and Blackeye Pea recipe for such a long time causes nutritive goodies like vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, iron and a host of minerals to leach out into the cooking water, creating the kind of nurturing drink that should probably be bottled and marketed as a wellness elixir! And when the greens are simmered down with a few beans or field peas, it only adds to the flavor and the nutritive value.

The Great Potlikker and Cornpone Debate

But potlikker’s influence doesn’t just stop at the dinner table—oh, no. It’s played an outsized role in provoking strong feelings in Southern art, literature and politics over the years, creating plenty of interstate rivalries and public outcry over how best to eat the dish. Perhaps most notable is a 1931 squaring off between Atlanta Constitution editor Julian Harris and Louisiana Governor Huey Long. Harris crumbled his cornbread into the potlikker to eat with a spoon, while Long did the far less “fashionable” thing by dunking his handheld cornbread hunk into the juices. The entire South was thrown into a tizzy, but Long eventually got the last word on potlikker: In 1935, he included an explanation of all its merits as part of a long-winded filibuster on the U.S. Senate floor.

Bean Liquor vs. Potlikker

Similar to the debate over whether “real chili” contains beans or not, Southerners differ in their ideas of how to spell the word “potlikker” and what goes in it. While it’s well established that the broth from cooking beans is called “bean liquor” or “liquor” and that the word “potlikker” refers to the liquid from cooking greens, there are plenty of folks who throw field peas or beans in with their greens and still call the leftover liquid potlikker. Either way, home cooks and chefs alike are finding delicious new uses for potlikker these days, from cocktails (potlikker martini, anyone?), to potlikker vinaigrette for salads, to outside-the-box potlikker breakfast stews. And when beans and greens get together with plenty of potlikker? That’s the kind of second-and-third helping dish that’s warming down to the bones. In any case, don’t forget the cornbread!

Written by Sarah Baird, a writer and editor based in New Orleans. An award-winning former restaurant critic for the city’s alt-weekly and seasoned tippling enthusiast, her work appears regularly in print and online for Lucky Peach, Food52, AFAR, Pacific Standard, Saveur, The Atlantic, Eater, The Village Voice, PUNCH, The Guardian, GOOD, Liquor.com and beyond. 

Blackeye Pea Salad

This delicious recipe from Chef Jennifer Hill Booker is a real crowd pleaser, no matter what the occasion. A slightly different take on the ever-popular Cowboy Caviar, it features cooked Camellia Brand Blackeye Peas, fresh thyme, parsley, red and green bell pepper and a tangy apple cider vinaigrette with a touch of honey and red pepper flakes. Serve it with big Frito scoops, crackers, and chips and watch it disappear.

White Bean Antipasto Salad

A colorful, refreshing dish that’ll step up your appetizer game, our White Bean Antipasto Salad pairs deliciously with a spread of salami, olives, almonds, cheeses, crackers and crostini — offering a little something for everyone. (In fact, you can make a meal out of a platter like this.) A mix of cooked Camellia Brand Great Northern Beans, carrots, tomatoes, yellow bell pepper and celery, it features red wine vinaigrette, fresh basil & parsley (but you can use whatever leafy greens you have on hand), and just a touch of dried Italian seasoning. Serve it chilled or at room temperature and enjoy.

The Best Baked Beans

A favorite recipe from food personality Poppy Tooker, The Best Baked Beans feature Camellia Brand Great Northern Beans, bacon, brown sugar, and molasses and are cooked on the stovetop and then baked in the oven — low and slow. Totally worth the wait, this pot of beans is nothing short of creamy perfection. Everyone will love ’em alongside grilled sausage, barbecue chicken, coleslaw, potato salad and cornbread!

Stewed Tomatoes, Corn & Peas

Another classic summer recipe from Chef Jennifer Hill Booker, this simple dish allows the goodness of fresh produce to really shine. Featuring 1 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes, 2 cups fresh corn kernels, onion, garlic, vegetable stock and Camellia Brand Crowder Peas, this colorful, delicious favorite is so good, folks will ask for seconds. A green salad, crusty bread, and grilled chicken round out a wonderful meal.

Succotash with Tarragon and Creme Fraiche

A luscious concoction of cooked Camellia Brand Green Baby Lima Beans (or regular Baby Limas), hickory-smoked bacon, sweet onion, fresh corn kernels, heavy cream and fresh tarragon, this summer-must Succotash is downright heavenly. Do right by this dish, and be sure to serve it alongside fried chicken and cornbread.

Summer fun is on the menu with all-round great dishes like these that are sure to please. Your friends and family will no doubt eat ’em up. And keep coming back for more.

‘Tis the season to celebrate with intention — and hosting a festive dinner party or Reveillon feast for friends, neighbors and family is a great way to pull out all the stops. Invite those whose company you enjoy the most, and plan a menu that includes one or two truly special dishes like the ones featured here — recipes that require a little extra time and effort but are worth all the love you put into them. Set a colorful, glittery table, let the wine and champagne flow freely, and treat yourself and your lucky guests to the kind of delicious mains that are worthy of becoming an annual tradition.

Lamb Shanks with Garlic & Butter Beans

Lamb Shanks with Garlic & Butter Beans is one of those incredibly flavorful entreés that makes a gorgeous presentation and a beautiful meal. A savory recipe from Chef Jennifer Hill Booker’s latest cookbook Dinner Déja Vu, it features slow cooked Camellia Brand Large Lima Beans (also known as butter beans) and fork-tender lamb shanks in a rich, creamy sauce. Made with garlic, shallots, brandy, ripe tomatoes, and copious amounts of white wine, it’s actually an easy-to-follow recipe, and any home cook can tackle it with a little time and patience. You’ll need a large dutch oven (at least an 8-qt.) with a tight-fitting lid because it simmers first on the stovetop, and then gets baked in the oven, and you should plan for about 4 hours of cook time. (Keep in mind that while a dutch oven is doing the work, that’s hands-off cook time that allows you to prep other parts of your menu.) The wonderful smells wafting from your kitchen will be so tempting, everyone will have trouble waiting to sit down at the table before digging in.

And since Lamb Shanks with Garlic & Butter Beans is both a main and side dish all in one pot, you can simply add a green salad, some crusty bread or soft dinner rolls and a few bottles of your favorite red wine. Your guests will be talking about how delicious it was long after the last plate is cleared.

Cassoulet

Another dinner party-worthy recipe for a rich, slow cooked bean casserole is Chef Jennifer Hill Booker’s fabulous Cassoulet, also from her Dinner Déja Vu cookbook. Featuring four different kinds of pork — smoked ham hocks, boneless pork shoulder, salt pork and Andouille sausage — as well as two pounds of Camellia Brand Pinto Beans and fresh herbs and vegetables, this heartiest of dishes will feed a large crowd of party guests.

You’ll need to start prepping the day before you plan to serve it, but the extra time and care involved is worth every bite. Like the Lamb Shanks & Butter Beans recipe, you’ll need a large dutch oven (at least a 6-qt.) with a tight-fitting lid, as well as about 6 hours to cook (plus more for prep time). After simmering the Cassoulet on the stove and then baking it in the oven, a rich brown crust of bread crumbs adds the finishing touch. With unbelievable flavor and the creamiest pintos ever, this dish is a total show-stopper.

Garlicky Shrimp & Blackeye Peas

Our Garlicky Shrimp & Blackeye Peas dish is also perfect for seasonal celebrations and get-togethers — especially New Year’s. Throughout the South, blackeye peas are popular New Year’s fare for the promise of luck and money (and because they taste so good).

In this recipe, we flavored Camellia Brand Blackeye Peas with bacon and Andouille sausage, lots of garlic and chicken stock, and made them extra special by topping with seasoned, sautéed shrimp cooked in butter, more garlic, lemon juice and white wine. Putting these two Southern favorites together in one dish — blackeye peas and Gulf shrimp — makes for a wonderful combination that everyone will love.

Pan-Seared Snapper with Red Bean Sauce

Another elegant choice is Pan-Seared Snapper with Red Bean Sauce. For the sauce, perfectly cooked Creole Red Beans are added to tomatoes, shallots and chicken stock, puréed in a blender, and then simmered on the stove with whipping cream. Seared snapper fillets are drizzled with the sauce and sprinkled with cubed, browned tasso. Talk about decadent! It’s a fabulous new way to enjoy your favorite red beans.

This holiday season, let one or more of these delicious dishes grace your dinner table, and make your festive dinner party a truly memorable occasion. Looking for great appetizers to serve before the special meal? These will create a colorful spread.

Camellia beans are now available on more grocery store shelves throughout the Southeastern U.S. — and you can find them at Winn-Dixie and Harvey stores in Florida and Alabama. Fourteen different products are making their debut, including Camellia’s legendary and the nation’s top selling Red Beans, Blackeye Peas, Great Northerns, Large Limas, Pinto Beans, Black Beans, Green Split Peas, and Lentils. The family-owned company is based in the New Orleans area, and its passion for bean quality spans four generations.

“People are responding to our authentic heritage brand, and we’re excited to be part of their meals,” commented owner Vince Hayward. For generations, Camellia has been a part of New Orleans culinary traditions, particularly through the city’s favorite Red Beans and Rice dish. Hayward credits that popularity for crystalizing national demand for Camellia Beans. “We’ve found that visitors and former residents want to experience the delicious iconic dish wherever they are. Their satisfaction with Camellia Red Beans inspires them to reach for our other offerings,” Hayward added.

While the company has fans around the nation and ships internationally, this is the first time that Camellia has been widely distributed beyond its traditional Louisiana, Texas and Gulf Coast strong-hold. Camellia’s dried beans, peas and lentils are versatile and appeal to both home cooks and chefs. They’re loaded with protein, fiber, and nutrients, are economical, and are delicious as a main course – with or without meat.

Since 1923, Camellia Brand has been deeply rooted in New Orleans and beyond. Camellia is honored to help bring people together over delicious southern meals and celebrations. Here at camelliabrand.com, you’ll find recipes, cooking videos, nutritional information, and entertaining tips to feed a hungry crowd. Check out the Red Beans Parade, and read more about the family behind the brand whose beans, peas and lentils exceed USDA standards.

Red Beans & Rice is an iconic New Orleans dish that’s talked about, debated, cooked, and beloved across the southern United States. And just like other traditional rice and bean dishes that prevail throughout North and South America, it inspires tremendous local pride and is a key component of our cultural identity.

Red Kidneys: From Ancient Mexico to the Caribbean and Beyond

In ancient Mexico, the Olmec, Maya, Toltec, and Teotihuacan peoples, and eventually the Aztecs, grew kidney beans. The beans were originally grown alongside corn and squash; beans were trained to climb the stalks of corn. The agricultural trifecta provided much-needed nitrogen to replenish the soil and a well-rounded diet to its eaters. The three moved together upward into the Caribbean and throughout the North American mainland.

On November 4, 1492 Christopher Columbus “discovered” the kidney bean on the island of Cuba, writing in his diary, “The country is very fertile . . . They have beans of kinds very different from ours.” He called these American beans fabas, because they reminded him of favas of Western Europe, and the Latin name stuck: phaseolus. The American beans were taken back to Europe and adopted into local foodways centuries before tomatoes, peppers, corn, and potatoes. According to Beans: A History, kidneys were largely deemed peasant food for centuries, a history revealed by its eventual Latin designation, Phaseolus vulgaris, aka the vulgar, or ‘common’ bean.

French Glandoulat

Kidneys buttressed and amplified stewy dishes throughout early modern Europe. Like in Glandoulat, a southwestern French dish in which red kidney beans join pork, carrots, spices, Armagnac, and goose fat.

Rice and Beans – A Classic Combination

The classic combination of rice and beans, or some starchy substitute, has long been equated with sustaining life. “Rice is god,” a Hindu proverb says, “but lentils are my life.” In many corners of the world, rice and beans, peas, or lentils are often paired — the Japanese celebrate certain holidays with a bowl of white glutinous rice and red adzuki beans. But nowhere are beans and rice more prominent than in the Americas, both North and South, where the pairing of grain and legume is often the unofficial national dish.

Brazilian Feijoada

In Brazil, the unofficial national dish is Feijoada, a stew of black beans and salted pork commonly served alongside a heaping of rice.

Cuban Frijoles Negros

In Cuba, they eat Moros y Cristianos, ‘Moors and Christians,’ a name given for the combination of black beans (Moros/dark) and rice (Christians/white), as well as Frijoles Negros, where the black beans are served on top of, or alongside rice.

Nicaraguan & Costa Rican Gallo Pinto

According to Rice and Beans, A Unique Dish in a Hundred Places, Nicaraguans and Costa Ricans fight over who invented Gallo Pinto, or ‘spotted rooster,’ another melange of black or red beans and rice.

Caribbean Rice & Beans

Caribbean Rice & Beans (often called Caribbean Rice & Peas) is a popular Sunday lunch dish made with red kidney beans, rice, scotch bonnet peppers, and coconut milk.

Hoppin’ John

The red beans and rice equivalent in other parts of the South, especially in South Carolina, is Hoppin’ John, a mix of salt pork, rice, and blackeye peas or cowpeas (some French-speaking Louisianians might call this dish jambalaya au congri). Cowpeas are the preferred legume in the Carolinas. George Washington Carver, the African-American scientist, said of the lowly cowpea: “As a food for man, the cowpea should be to the South, what the White, Soup, Navy, or Boston bean is to the North, East, and West: and it may be prepared in a sufficient number of ways to suit the most fastidious palate.”

African Red-Red

Hailing from Ghana, African Red-Red is a red stew made with blackeye peas and served with rice and plantains. Blackeye peas were brought by or with enslaved West Africans to the Americas, first to the mid-Atlantic seaboard, likely alongside rice.

Rice: Red Beans’ Most Popular Partner

Some rice was grown in Louisiana as early as the 1840s, with some imported from the rice capital of South Carolina. Rice cultivation in the state finally took off in the 1870s, with a massive expansion occurring around 1900. Today, Louisiana is ranked third in the production of rice in the United States, after Arkansas and California.

No one knows for sure why and how New Orleanians began to eat red beans and rice. “Red beans are to New Orleans what the white bean is to Boston and the cowpea is to South Carolina,” reporters for the Federal Writers Project wrote in 1938. No definite answers exist in the historical record, though it probably travelled over with early nineteenth-century exiles from the French Caribbean.

Rien Fertel is a Louisiana-born and based food writer, historian, and teacher. He grew up in his family’s chain of restaurants across the country. His work has appeared in Oxford American, Garden & Gun, Southern Living, Spirit, Saveur, The Local Palate, and many other publications. He holds a PhD in History and teaches in New Orleans.

Looking for good fortune and prosperity in the new year? In most cultures, traditional dishes made for New Year’s Day are said to bring luck and money. Often, they include beans — which resemble coins or closed circles signifying the end of one year and prosperity in the next, greens — which represent wealth, and pork — because pigs root forward as they eat — symbolizing a positive direction in the upcoming year.

Throughout the South, blackeye peas and collard greens flavored with pork are popular New Year’s fare for the promise of luck and money (and because they taste so good). So, to cover all of your bases for a prosperous new year, we’ve created a complete menu of comforting dishes that are perfect for a New Year’s Day feast. These recipes are simple to make, big on flavor, and feed a crowd easily. After the champagne’s been consumed and the noisemakers set aside, invite family and friends to come on over (whenever they manage to wake up) and enjoy a casual New Year’s Day celebration that’ll start things off right.

Southern Blackeye Peas

Our classic Southern Blackeye Peas recipe gets its great taste by starting with a savory base of diced ham and chopped bacon. The aromatic trinity of onion, celery, and red bell pepper (for a nice hint of color) gets sautéed in the pot with the ham, bacon, and bacon fat combo. Then chicken stock is added along with the blackeye peas, for even more richness in the final dish. Blackeye peas simmer till tender relatively quickly compared to other beans, so you can make and serve this delicious dish in short order and without much pre-planning.

Southern Collard Greens complement blackeye peas beautifully and also incorporate the wonders of bacon and its grease. First, the fat is rendered out of the bacon, and the crispy, crumbled bacon is reserved for topping. Chopped onion and garlic are cooked in the grease until translucent, and then chicken stock, rice vinegar, sugar, and seasonings are simmered with bright bunches of chopped collard greens till tender. Finally, the greens are topped with the reserved crumbled bacon for an amazing dish that doesn’t disappoint.

Southern Collard Greens

Finally, our Easy Pan Fried Pork Chops round out the menu. So fast and so simple! Thin cut, bone-in pork chops are dredged in a mixture of flour, Creole seasoning, and garlic powder, and then fried in vegetable oil in a skillet. After three minutes per side, they’re done — as well as delightfully golden brown and tasty.

Easy Pan Fried Pork Chops

This whole menu can be cooked up in a little over an hour and is an extremely satisfying way to usher in the new year. Let the prospect of good luck and money (and a wonderful meal) put it on your must-do list for January 1st.

And don’t forget the cornbread!

Buttermilk Cornbread

Cowboy Caviar

One of our most popular recipes, Cowboy Caviar is a refreshing dip that combines cooked Camellia Brand Blackeye Peas, tomatoes, peppers, red onion, and cilantro in a tangy red wine vinaigrette. Great as an appetizer served with tortilla or corn chips, it also works well as a cool summer side to chicken, beef, or seafood. It’s a versatile recipe that’s often changed to please the palates of Texans, Californians, Mississippians and more. Some add corn or avocado, and some use pinto beans, black beans, or red kidney beans. Any which way you tweak it, it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Field Pea Salsa

A different take on a cool bean salad, this salsa is made with cooked Camellia Brand Field Peas, corn, red onion, red bell pepper, cilantro, olive oil, and lime juice. Light and flavorful, it pairs well with chips and crackers, adds protein, fiber, and flavor to a green salad, and complements both grilled fish and chicken.

Lima Bean Spread

Made with cooked, buttery Camellia Brand Large Lima Beans, this creamy spread gets puréed in a food processor and spiked with lemon juice, garlic, red onion, fresh parsley, cumin, and cayenne. Serve spread on toasted baguette slices, your favorite crackers, or on a sandwich wrap.

Navy Bean Salad

A refreshing combination of cooked Camellia Brand Navy Beans, julienned carrots, red onion, and corn kernels tossed in a rice vinegar dressing with fresh parsley, this dish is sure to cool things off in a hurry. Serve alongside grilled sausage or burgers, and get ready to dig in to summer.

Delicious Blackeye Pea Recipes & More To Start Off The Year Lucky

Who doesn’t hope for a new year filled with good fortune and prosperity? In most cultures, foods prepared for New Year’s Day are said to bring good luck. Every culture has variations, but the recurring themes are: beans – resembling coins or closed circles signifying the end of one year and prosperity in the next;  greens – representing wealth; and pork products because pigs root forward as they eat – symbolizing a positive direction in the upcoming year.

African Americans in the 18th and 19th centuries made one of the most enduring contributions to the modern holiday. Starting in the Carolinas – but later extending throughout the South – Hoppin’ John (blackeye peas and rice) and greens (collard, mustard, or turnip,) became traditional New Year’s fare. Blackeye peas to bring luck, and greens to represent money and prosperity. The tradition of using ham, salt pork, or sausage used to flavor the greens and the blackeye peas started as a frugal way to use less popular cuts from the pig, but the smoky flavor and richness they impart have become an essential and beloved flavor in the dishes.

Garlicky Shrimp & Blackeye Peas

Southern Blackeye Peas

Blackeye Peas One Pot Meal Recipe

Pork, Collards and Black Eye Pea Gumbo Recipe

New Orleans Style Blackeye Peas Recipe

Blackeye Peas and Spinach

Bessie’s Best New Year Blackeyes

Hoppin’ John Recipe

Slow Cooker Spicy Blackeye Peas

Cowboy Caviar

Blackeye Pea Salad

Camellia Brand Black-Eyed Peas

Southern Collard Greens

Braised Collard Greens Recipe

Ana’s Brazilian Style Collard Greens Recipe

Easy Pan Fried Pork Chops

Pork for the New Year

From Humble Origin to Holiday Favorite

The association of blackeye peas with prosperity and a new start can be traced to Western Europe in the Middle Ages, with the symbolic round shape of the dried beans signifying that the old year has been completed, and a new one can begin. Seeing the small dried beans expand in size as they absorbed the cooking liquid also came to symbolize expanding fortune in the coming year. And peas also resemble small coins.

Despite the centuries-old tradition in the Old World, American colonists originally rejected blackeye peas as beneath them. Prior to the Civil War, Northerners typically regarded the humble legume as suitable only as feed for livestock, while Southerners considered them a rough meal for field workers, as the beans were first introduced to the region by enslaved West Africans. When the Civil War finally ended, desperate and starving Southerners revised their opinion of the readily available and nutritious blackeye pea. Slow cooked with smoked ham hocks, or other “lowly” parts of the pig, pots of nutrient-rich blackeye peas literally saved the lives of many families, and that led to their inclusion into the Southern culinary canon, where they remain firmly entrenched and much beloved to this day, most notably as part of the New Year’s Day meal.

Southern Blackeye Peas

Blackeye Peas One Pot Meal Recipe

New Orleans Style Blackeye Peas Recipe

Hoppin’ John Recipe

Blackeyed Peas-and Spinach Recipe

Pork, Collards and Black Eye Pea Gumbo Recipe