The best Southern New Year’s meal, featuring our favorite black eyed peas, collard greens, cabbage, and cornbread recipes!
There’s nothing like ringing in the new year with a plate full of comfort, tradition, and good luck!
In the South, New Year’s Day is a time to gather with friends and family and enjoy a meal steeped in history and symbolism. From black-eyed peas for good fortune to collard greens and cabbage to bring prosperity, every dish tells a story—and sets the stage for a year filled with new blessings.
In this recipe roundup, we’re serving up everything you need to create the ultimate Southern New Year’s Day meal. Whether you’re craving the rich, smoky flavor of ham hocks, a warm slice of Southern cornbread, or a twist on traditional greens, we’ve got you covered!
Why do we eat black eyed peas on New Year’s Day?
- Eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day is rooted in Southern and African American tradition.
- Black-eyed peas were brought to the Americas by enslaved Africans, and they became a staple in the South.
- In the Black community, Black-eyed peas are believed to bring good luck for the new year.
- They’re traditionally paired with collard greens and cornbread to bring about financial prosperity and wealth. Pork is also often commonly prepared with black-eyed peas for New Year’s Day.
Our Southern Soul Food New Year’s Day Menu
Black Eyed Peas
Our Black Eyed Peas features smoked neck bones, onion, bell pepper, and celery.
Collard Greens with Ham Hocks
This soul food collards recipe features slow simmered greens with ham hocks, onions, and a dash of red pepper flakes. It’s a quintessential Southern comfort food dish.
Southern Cornbread Recipe
Our soul food cornbread recipe is easy to follow and yields a moist, tender crumb. It combines the rich tang of buttermilk with classic ingredients like butter and sugar for a delightful side dish that complements any Southern meal.
Deep Fried Pork Chops
Indulge in the nostalgic charm of Grandma’s southern kitchen with these mouthwatering deep fried pork chops – a timeless recipe that is the essence of home-cooked comfort.
Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey
This is the best collard greens recipe, featuring smoked turkey legs and a blend of savory spices. Simmered to perfection, these soul food style collard greens are tender, full of flavor, and sure be a crowd pleaser on Christmas Day.
Cabbage
This Southern cabbage recipe features boiled cabbage in a smoky, meaty broth with seasonings and spices. A savory and succulent Southern side dish that is a staple on our Christmas dinner table!
Southern Smothered Pork Chops Recipe
Our soul food southern smothered pork chops features juicy pork chops pan fried until golden brown and smothered in a brown onion gravy.
Black Eyed Peas Recipe (Vegetarian)
This black eyed peas recipe is vegetarian, made with tomatoes and leeks. No overnight soaking required!
Smoked Ham Hocks
Smoked ham hocks are a staple ingredient used in Southern and soul food cooking. They are commonly used to season broths when cooking collard greens, beans, and more.
Collard Greens and Cabbage (Mixed Greens)
Collard greens and cabbage (mixed greens) are cooked together, simmered in a flavorful smoky broth, with seasonings, onions, ham hocks, and red pepper flakes.
Southern Fried Cabbage
Southern Fried Cabbage is a soul food side dish elevated by the combination of crispy bacon, smoked sausage, and a medley of seasonings. Serve it alongside your favorite main for a simple, satisfying, and flavorful meal.
Whether you’re embracing long-standing traditions or starting new ones, this meal ideas are all about comfort, connection, and hope for the year ahead.
We’d love to see how you bring these recipes to life—snap a picture, share your plate, and tag us @cookswithsoul on Instagram and Facebook.
Wishing you and yours a joyful New Year filled with good food, great company, and endless blessings. Let’s make it a year to savor!
I love your recipes. They take me back to my grandmother’s cooking
Thank you so much for your kind comment! It means the world to us. That connection to family and tradition is exactly what we hope to share with every dish.
I love it all.. I’m a Oakland CA native but both of my parents from Louisiana..I can appreciate Southern cooking
Black eyed peas
Collard and cabbage
Chitterlings and hog maw
Corn bread
Chess pie
Pork is the traditional meat because the hog roots forward, symbolizing moving ahead in the new year (vs the cow and chicken, which scratch backward). A few other historical tidbits: collards become slightly sweeter and less bitter after a light freeze, which happens by late December in most southern states And, prior to the U.S. Civil War, black-eyed peas were mainly used as fodder for animals.
Thanks for sharing! I love the connection to “moving ahead” in the new year. Thank you for adding such rich context to the discussion! 🐷🍃🌱
Southpot=hammocks pig feet neckbones, blackened peas greens cornbread rice baked Mac n cheese. Good old fashioned yellow cake with chocolate icing Miller lite and a little bourbon. Bon appetit!!
Wow, that sounds absolutely delicious! 🍽️🤤 A true Southern feast with all the fixings—perfect from start to finish.
Doing it the right way! I am from Monroe, Louisiana. These “New Year” recipes are truly the taste of the south. Preparing these now!
Yes thanks for the enlightenment!!
Most African Americans no longer use pork to season vegetables.
They use smoked turkey or go vegan.
I totally get that! We love using smoked ham hocks or neck bones for flavor, but occasionally switch it up with smoked turkey wings or legs. When we do, we like to smoke it ourselves, then vacuum seal and store it in the freezer so we always have some on hand for when we need that smoky flavor. It’s nice to have alternatives when you’re trying to avoid pork!