7 Recipes to Bring You Luck in the New Year

New Year’s Day brunch should be long and leisurely, and full of dishes to bring prosperity and luck into the new year. Here are some ideas for the best way to start your year, with plenty of recipes to bring good fortune (and maybe some hangover-combating dishes).

Greens

In the New Year, greens are traditionally eaten to bring prosperity. Think: cabbage, mustard greens, and collard greens. 

In Todd Richards' recipe for Hoppin' John with Turnips and Turnip Greens, he spices up his family recipe for this Southern favorite (often enjoyed on New Year's Day) with harissa for extra heat. Richards says the traditional ham hock is optional, so vegetarians can enjoy the dish as well; he adds smoked paprika and cumin to deliver a similar savory depth. Turnips become soft and tender after a quick braise, adding body to the dish.

Fish

Around the world, fish symbolize abundance which is a great addition to any New Year’s Day spread. Serve salmon, trout, tuna, or even a Grilled or Roasted Whole Red Snapper. 

We personally adore this Rye and Crème Fraîche Strata with Smoked Salmon recipe, which is a playful riff on a bagel with cream cheese and lox. Food & Wine’s Justin Chapple makes a custardy rye bread pudding with capers, then tops it with smoked salmon and red onion. It’s warm, comforting and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Black-Eyed Peas

Black-eyed peas are associated with various superstitions, but they all say eating them will bring good fortune in the New Year. 

In this New Year's Day Black-Eyed Peas recipe, Ryan Hardy says "Growing up in a large family of mixed heritage in the South, it seemed only natural to make things up as we went along. My mother, a Yankee, insisted that it was good luck to have black-eyed peas on New Year's Day and she'd save the bones from country ham hunks just for that day." Hardy, who has childhood memories of black-eyed peas simmering on the front burner (and collards on the back burner), has adapted the recipe over the years; he now serves the hearty peas with garlic-rubbed toasts and garnishes them with generous amounts of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Cornbread

Cornbread is believed to bring prosperity into the New Year, its golden hue. Our Best Cornbread Recipes will aid you in this journey, especially this Blueberry Cornbread French Toast by chef Erick Williams of Virtue restaurant in Chicago. Dipping cornbread into the blueberry-infused batter gives the bread a beautiful blue marbled pattern while retaining its texture. Be sure to just dip the bread in the batter and not soak it; otherwise, it will fall apart. The cornbread and blueberry sauce can be made one day in advance; use frozen blueberries if fresh ones aren't available. The Chantilly cream on the side adds creamy goodness to this brunch dish, which is rich without being overly sweet or heavy.

Pomegranate

Pomegranates are associated with prosperous life, so it only makes sense to ring in the new year with jewel-like fruit. In this Pomegranate-Banana Smoothie recipe, the combination of the two fruits results in a refreshing and delightful smoothie to ring in the new year.

Noodles

Long noodles in the New Year are believed to bring longevity to life, particularly if they can be made without being broken in half. You can use any long noodles you like; one of our favorites is Eileen Yin-Fei Lo's Longevity Noodles recipe.

Champagne

It has been a tradition for centuries to pop champagne on New Year's. Drinking it at midnight (and into New Year's Day) welcomes prosperity into your life for the coming year, as Champagne has been associated with prosperity and prestige. Check out our 5 Festive Champagne Cocktails to Celebrate to continue the celebration.