Vegetarian Hoppin’ John… what?!  What about the sausage (or ham, or bacon)?  Seriously, you guys, this is so good that I don’t think you’ll miss the sausage.  Not even a little.  It’s perfect for days like today–cold and rainy.  It’s hearty and comforting, and I’m all about some comfort food!

I’m very traditional.  I used to be so intimidated by the thought of changing up a recipe and going against the classic versions.  If I’ve learned anything, it is that it’s perfectly ok (and acceptable) to change it up and create new versions of favorite foods.  Our entire food culture is based on these little tweaks, whether from one generation to the next or from one culture or country to the next.  Anyway, if we didn’t keep trying new variations, all the food magazines and food programs on television would be out of business in a heartbeat.

I just had to give this a go because I’ve made black-eyed peas for New Year’s Day, so it’s nice to get creative and do something different with them.  This fits the bill perfectly!

So what is the secret ingredient to making a vegetarian hoppin’ John soup?  I think my version has two, yes two, secret ingredients!  The first one is portobello mushrooms.  They give a dense, meaty texture without the meat, and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the outcome.  The second secret tool is smoked salt–I LOVE smoked salts in recipes that traditionally use meat, especially one that often has a smoked flavor itself.  The smoked salt combined with the mushrooms really add something special to this dish, and I can’t wait for you to try it!  There are several smoked salts on the market. The one I used for this recipe is a Yakima Applewood Smoked Salt.

So, what you’ll need for this:

2 cups of black-eyed peas (cooked) or 2 cans, drained and rinsed

1 cup of rice, cooked (I use long-grain white rice or basmati rice)

8 oz portobello mushrooms, sliced

Smoked salt, to taste (I used approx 1 1/2 teaspoons)

2 cups of vegetable broth (only if using canned, drained peas)

1 rib of celery, finely diced

1/2 cup of onion, diced

1 tsp minced garlic

Cooking oil, 1-2 Tablespoons

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning, or more if you prefer

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Prepare the blackeyed peas ahead of time if cooking dried peas.  You may soak them overnight or do the quick soak per the directions on the bag.  Be sure to prepare ahead for this step as needed.

Prepare the rice per the directions on the bag or container.  While the rice is cooking, place the sliced mushrooms on a cookie sheet or baking dish and drizzle with oil.  If desired, lightly sprinkle with salt or sprinkle with the Cajun seasoning.  Place in oven and roast the mushrooms approx 10-15 minutes, until they become sort of charred around the edges.

While the rice is cooking and the mushrooms are roasting, lightly saute the celery, onion, and garlic, approx 5 minutes…just enough to create an aroma that is heavenly.

Once the rice has cooked and absorbed the liquid, add the drained peas, vegetable broth, and rice together in the same pot.  Add the celery, onion, and garlic mixture and stir.  Sprinkle approx 1 teaspoon of smoked salt.  Cook over medium heat and let simmer approx 10 minutes, long enough to mix the flavors well and fully soften the vegetables.  Add the roasted, chopped mushrooms.

You may add more liquid as desired based on how thick or thin you want your soup.  Also, if I’m cooking the peas from the dried state, I don’t drain them–I just keep the liquid in the pan with them and add vegetable broth (or water) to the desired consistency once everything is all mixed together.

Season per your preference.  I have also added Creole seasoning and a Spanish smoked paprika salt to the soup, as well, which gives it a nice flavor.  Green or red pepper gives it another variation. Another option is to leave the beans separate from the rice and spoon it over the rice.  No solid rules here, so don’t be afraid to make it your own.  You may serve with cornbread or eat as is.  Enjoy!