A new years day soup recipe for luck is a warm bowl of collard greens, black-eyed peas, and smoked pork that many Southern tables serve on January 1. The idea is that each ingredient carries a symbol: greens for folded money, peas for coins, and pork for forward progress. This version keeps the tradition but builds it as a one-pot soup so you get tender vegetables and a savory broth without standing over several pans.
You’ll end up with a pot that feeds six people and reheats better on day two than day one. The peas stay creamy, the collards soften into a silky bite, and the smoked meat gives the whole pot a rounded, bacony depth. If you want a lucky meal that doesn’t ask for special equipment, this is a straight shot from cutting board to bowl. If you enjoyed this, our pizza dough new is worth trying next. Making this new years day soup recipe for luck at home is surprisingly straightforward once you know the key steps.
Why You’ll Love These New Years Day Soup Recipe For Luck
- One pot, minimal dishes, and a clear payoff of tender greens and creamy peas.
- Symbolic ingredients that actually taste good together, not just tradition for show.
- Freezes solid for up to three months so you can prep before the holiday rush.
- Flexible with smoked meat or a vegetarian base if you skip the pork.
- Budget friendly at roughly nine dollars for the full pot.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1 tablespoon olive oil – coats the aromatics so they sweat instead of brown.
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced – builds the sweet base note in the broth.
- 2 cloves garlic, minced – adds a sharp aromatic lift near the start.
- 1 smoked ham hock (about 12 ounces) – gives collagen and smoky pork flavor.
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth – keeps the salt controllable while the hock adds seasoning.
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) black-eyed peas, drained – the coin symbol, creamy when simmered.
- 1 bunch collard greens (about 10 ounces), stemmed and sliced – the money symbol, hearty and mild.
- 1 cup diced tomatoes with juice – balances the smoke with light acidity.
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper – a low background heat, not a hot soup.
- 1 bay leaf – holds a quiet herbal note through the simmer.
Ingredient Substitutions
Smoked ham hock: Replace with 6 ounces of smoked turkey neck or 4 ounces of bacon cut into strips. Turkey neck gives a lighter smoke and needs about 10 fewer minutes of simmer to soften the meat off the bone. Bacon renders more fat, so cut the olive oil to a half tablespoon and expect a saltier, crisp-edged finish in the broth. The new years day soup recipe for luck works well for weeknight cooking when time is limited.
Black-eyed peas: Use 3 cups of cooked cowpeas or canned chickpeas in equal volume. Chickpeas hold their shape and read as nuttier, so the coin symbolism stays but the texture turns firmer. Add them in the last 15 minutes so they warm without breaking down. Storing leftover new years day soup recipe for luck correctly keeps it tasting good for days.
Collard greens: Swap with an equal weight of curly kale or mustard greens. Kale cooks 5 minutes faster and tastes grassier, while mustard greens add a peppery bite that pairs with the red pepper. Strip the stems the same way or the soup gets stringy. For the best results with this new years day soup recipe for luck, read through all the steps before starting.
Chicken broth: Use vegetable broth plus 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika for a pork-free version. The paprika replaces some of the hock’s smoke but the body will be thinner, so simmer uncovered for the final 10 minutes to concentrate it. For another easy option, check out our new york white.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat and add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes until translucent, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds until it smells sharp.
- Add the ham hock, chicken broth, diced tomatoes with juice, crushed red pepper, and bay leaf. Raise to medium-high heat and bring to a gentle boil where small bubbles break the surface every second.
- Lower to medium-low heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes so the hock renders and the broth turns lightly cloudy from collagen.
- Stir in the black-eyed peas and collard greens, pressing the greens down with a spoon to submerge them. Keep at medium-low heat for 20 minutes until the collards are silky and tender when pinched.
- Remove the bay leaf and the ham hock. Pull the meat off the bone, discard fat and bone, and chop the meat, then return it to the pot and stir.
- Taste the broth and adjust with a pinch of salt only if needed, since the hock already seasons. Serve immediately in wide bowls with the peas and greens visible.
Pro Tips
Stem collards with a sharp paring knife by slicing along each side of the rib, then stack and slice the leaves into half-inch ribbons so they cook evenly.
Brown the ham hock lightly for 2 minutes on each side before adding broth if you want a deeper roast note in the finished soup.
Skim the surface once at the 15-minute mark with a spoon to lift any gray foam from the hock for a cleaner broth.
Let the pot sit off heat for 10 minutes before serving so the collard flavor settles into the peas. Read more on gentle simmering technique from The Kitchn if you want the science behind it.
Freeze flat in quart bags so the soup thaws in under an hour in cold water when you want a quick lucky bowl later.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Adding the greens too early makes them mushy and dull; wait until after the hock simmer so they keep a slight bite and bright color.
Using regular sodium broth with a ham hock often oversalts the pot because the hock already carries cure; always start low and adjust at the end.
Rushing the hock simmer under 20 minutes leaves the broth thin and the meat tight, so give it the full uncovered time to release collagen.
Skipping the tomato juice lets the smoke dominate; the acid is what keeps the bowl from tasting like plain pork water. You might also like our image.
Serving Suggestions
Ladle the soup over a scoop of lentil soup style rice if you want more body, though it stands alone with bread. A side of garlic knots soaks the broth without competing with the greens. For a fuller table, pair with ciambotta as a vegetable side cooked the same day.
Storage and Reheating
Cool the soup to room temperature within 2 hours then store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until steaming and the pork reaches 165°F internally. The soup freezes for up to 3 months in flat bags; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Yes, this freezes well for up to 3 months without the greens turning bitter.
Recipe Variations
Vegetarian Version
Drop the ham hock and use vegetable broth with smoked paprika as noted in substitutions. Add 1 cup of diced carrots at the onion step for sweetness and a firmer texture. The result is lighter but still reads as a lucky bowl with the peas and greens intact.
Spicy Version
Double the crushed red pepper and add 1 diced jalapeño with the garlic for a clear heat line. Keep the simmer time the same but taste at 15 minutes since the pepper mellows as it cooks. The smoke stays, now with a sharp edge that cuts the collard richness.
Slow Cooker Version
Sweat the onion and garlic on the stove, then move everything to a 4-quart slow cooker on low for 6 hours. The hock falls off the bone and the peas soften without splitting. This fits a holiday morning when the stove is busy with other dishes.
Tomato-Free Version
Skip the diced tomatoes and add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar at the end for the missing acid. The broth stays clearer and the pork note is more forward. Use this if you avoid nightshades but keep the collards and peas for the luck symbols.
new years day soup recipe for luck
Description
A warm one-pot soup of collard greens, black-eyed peas, and smoked ham hock simmered in savory broth for New Year's luck. Each bowl carries symbolic greens for money, peas for coins, and pork for forward progress, with tender vegetables and rounded smoky depth.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Sweat Onion and Garlic
Heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat and add the diced yellow onion. Cook for 5 minutes until translucent and softened, then stir in the minced garlic for 30 seconds until it smells sharp and aromatic without browning.
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Add Base and Boil
Add the smoked ham hock, 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, diced tomatoes with juice, crushed red pepper, and bay leaf to the pot. Raise heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle boil where small bubbles break the surface every second, about 3-4 minutes of heating.
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Simmer Ham Hock
Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes so the hock renders and the broth turns lightly cloudy from collagen. You should see a faint haze in the liquid and the hock surface loosening when checked with a spoon.
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Add Peas and Greens
Stir in the drained black-eyed peas and sliced collard greens, pressing the greens down with a spoon to fully submerge them in the broth. Keep at medium-low heat for 20 minutes until the collards are silky and tender when pinched between fingers.
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Remove and Chop Meat
Remove the bay leaf and ham hock from the pot with tongs and set on a plate to cool slightly. Pull the meat off the bone, discard fat and bone, chop the meat into bite pieces, then return it to the pot and stir to distribute evenly.
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Adjust and Serve
Taste the broth and adjust with a pinch of salt only if needed, since the hock already seasons the pot. Serve immediately in wide bowls with the peas and greens visible, and ensure the pork pieces reach 74°C (165°F) internal before eating.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 320kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 11g17%
- Saturated Fat 3g15%
- Cholesterol 28mg10%
- Sodium 620mg26%
- Total Carbohydrate 34g12%
- Dietary Fiber 8g32%
- Sugars 5g
- Protein 21g42%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Storage: Cool the soup to room temperature within 2 hours then store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- Make ahead: Freeze flat in quart bags so the soup thaws in under an hour in cold water when you want a quick lucky bowl later; learn more from our garlic knots side idea.
- Pro tip: Let the pot sit off heat for 10 minutes before serving so the collard flavor settles into the peas.
- Reheating: Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until steaming and pork reaches 74°C (165°F); do not reheat the same portion more than once.
