New Year's black-eyed peas recipes and the meaning behind the tradition

As we prepare to ring in 2024, there's a Southern food tradition involving black-eyed peas that dates back to the Civil War, which many believe is a way to attract prosperity in the new year. So why not give it a try?

"Southerners start thinking about that special first big dinner, with all of its symbolic dishes that tradition tells us will bring wealth and good fortune in the coming year," Stacey Lynn, founder and recipe developer of the website Southern Plate, explained to "Good Morning America."

"Back in the days of [the] Civil War, Union troops swept through the South, confiscating crops and livestock to use as provisions for their troops," she said. "Southerners who weren't off fighting were left with precious little, save for peas and greens. These dishes became cherished and appreciated as what saved many a family from starvation during those times and the tradition of celebrating these dishes on the new year was born."

Lynn shared two recipes that can be prepared in a slow cooker, and another vegetarian version of the classic dish.

Crock-Pot black-eyed peas

"This two-ingredient meal of Crock-Pot black-eyed peas and smoked turkey leg cooks low and slow in the slow cooker for the most tender and flavorful dish," Lynn said.

Ingredients
12 to 24 ounces dried beans of your choice
1 smoked turkey leg for seasoning
1 tablespoon salt

Instructions
Place the turkey leg in the slow cooker. Sort the beans and pour them on top of the turkey, then add the salt. Completely cover with water and fill the slow cooker to within one inch of the top. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or overnight if having for lunch the next day.

Recipe reprinted courtesy of Southern Plate.

Vegetarian Hoppin' John

"This is two recipes in one!" Lynn said. "Learn how to make traditional Southern black-eyed peas and then use them in my flavorful vegetarian Hoppin' John dish."

Ingredients
2 cups dried black eyed peas
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (you can add this to the peas as they cook or to the rice as it cooks.)
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp black pepper

Hoppin' John's vegetarian version
Cooked black-eyed peas
1 medium cauliflower riced in the food processor, or any rice you like
3 minced garlic cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, dill, cilantro or basil)
1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
1 small onion, chopped
4 tbsp butter or preferred cooking oil for vegetarians
1-2 tbsp hot sauce

Instructions
Black eyed peas: Sort beans and soak them overnight (see notes). Drain off the soaking water and pour the peas into a pot, covering them with water and leaving enough extra to prevent the peas from cooking down. Add remaining ingredients and cook for roughly two to three hours or until tender. Start cooking rice with the instructions below after about 1-2 hours of cooking the peas.

Vegetarian Hoppin' John: Heat the skillet and add 2 tablespoons of butter. When the butter is melted, add the garlic. Stir that garlic around the pan until it's fragrant (20-30 seconds).

Add the cauliflower rice (or cooked rice), salt, and black pepper (more or less depending on your taste). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower rice starts to crisp up and turns light brown in some bits (approx. 7 to 10 minutes).

Take it off the heat and stir in the fresh herbs and lemon juice. Give it a taste then add more lemon juice or salt and pepper, if you like.

Drain the black-eyed peas when they are tender. Set aside while you start to sauté.

In a sauté pan, sauté onion in the remaining butter or oil until tender.

Place the rice, black-eyed peas, and onion in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add 1-2 tablespoons of hot sauce and stir again.

Recipe reprinted courtesy of Southern Plate.

Joy Wilson, a New Orleans-based food creator, cookbook author, baker and editor in chief of Joy the Baker, offered her take on the traditional food that combines the key ingredient with another classic comfort food.

"I've been living in the South for over a decade and love embracing Southern food traditions. Having black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is meant to bring good luck in the new year and who doesn't want that?" she told "GMA."

Check out her recipe below.

Black-eyed peas with cornbread dumplings

"This black-eyed peas and cornbread recipe is a play on chicken and dumplings – one of the most comforting dishes there is – and the perfect relaxing way to start the new year," Wilson said. "It's best enjoyed on the couch watching a movie with your friends and family. Cheers to a Happy New Year!"

Ingredients
For the black-eyed peas:
2 Italian sausage links, uncased
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced (a scant 1 tablespoon)
3 cups chicken stock
1 16-ounce package frozen black-eyed peas (about 2 1/4 cups)
1 cup water
2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste if desired
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

For the dumplings:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup buttermilk

For garnish:
Hot sauce
Chopped fresh parsley

Instructions
Heat a large Dutch oven (I used a 10-inch-wide pan) over medium heat. Add the uncased sausage and cook, breaking the sausage up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Once the sausage has released some oil and started to cook through, add the onions. Cook until onions are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add chicken stock, peas, water, thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, partially cover the pan and reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

While the peas simmer make the cornbread dumplings. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter cubes and break the butter bits into the dry ingredients until the butter bits resemble oat flakes. Toss in the scallions. Add the butter milk and stir until thoroughly combined.

Once the peas have simmered to tender, spoon the cornbread batter into the simmering peas, making 8-12 dumplings. Cover and allow to simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and enjoy warm with a sprinkle of parsley and hot sauce.

"I find that this dish is best the day it's made, but you can store leftovers in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop within a day or two," Wilson said.

Recipe reprinted courtesy of Joy the Baker.