Nova Scotia Hodge Podge
Nova Scotia hodge podge is a traditional summer stew made by gently cooking new potatoes, carrots, beans, and peas, then finishing them in a simple broth of cream and butter. Adding the vegetables in stages keeps them tender without letting the potatoes fall apart or the beans and peas overcook.
There are probably as many versions of hodge podge as there are Nova Scotia families who make it, and for many people here, the first batch of the year signals that summer has properly arrived.
If you can, I highly recommend picking up new potatoes, carrots, fresh beans, and shelling peas at your local farm market or farm stand. Some people use canned evaporated milk in hodge podge, but I prefer the flavour and texture of 10% cream, sometimes called blend. Combined with a bit of the starchy cooking water and lots of butter, it makes the lightest, silkiest broth.
I like to serve hodge podge hot with slices of buttered bread or warm dinner rolls to soak up the broth. We eat it as a meal on its own, but it also makes a lovely summer side for pan-fried haddock, baked ham, or roast chicken.
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A Note From Kelly
I don’t remember my mum ever making hodge podge when I was growing up. As an adult, I knew it was a beloved Nova Scotia dish, but I didn’t fully understand why until I made my first pot. It’s so light, and fresh, and summery! Now I understand why so many families look forward to making it when the first local vegetables appear.
Ingredients For Nova Scotia Hodge Podge
Ingredient Notes
- 10% Cream: Sometimes labelled as blend in Canadian grocery stores.
- Butter: I use salted butter for all of my recipes.
- Fresh Green Peas: These need to be removed from the pods before cooking. Shelling takes a little time, so plan for that when prepping.
- Green Beans: Trim the stem end and snap or cut in half before cooking. Choose beans that are firm and unblemished.
- New Carrots: These are young carrots with thin, tender skins and a sweeter flavour. You don’t need to peel them. Just rinse and scrub gently.
- New Potatoes: Small, freshly harvested potatoes with thin skins that don’t need peeling. Just give them a gentle scrub in fresh water. Smaller potatoes can be left whole if you like.
- Salt and Pepper: Start with the amounts listed in the recipe, then adjust to taste at the end.
- Yellow Beans: Prepare the same way as green beans by trimming the ends and snapping or cutting in half. They have a similar texture and cook time.
It’s important to note that when making substitutions in recipes, the texture and flavour may be slightly different. However, these substitutes are the best options for changing the original recipe.
Ingredient Substitutions
- 10% Cream: You can use an equal amount of canned evaporated milk.
- Butter: Use an equal amount of unsalted butter and add a small pinch of extra salt to the recipe.
- Salt & Pepper: Use any salt or pepper you like or have on hand.
- Fresh Green Peas: You can use whole or halved sugar snap peas or frozen shelled green peas as a quicker option.
Recipe Variations for Nova Scotia Hodge Podge
Try any of the following for a twist on this hodge podge recipe:
- Bacon: 4 slices, cooked and crumbled, sprinkled over each serving just before eating
- Basil: 2 tablespoons, thinly sliced, stirred in after the pot is removed from the heat
- Corn: 1 cup, fresh or frozen kernels, added with the beans
- Dill: 1 tablespoon, finely chopped, folded in after the butter has melted
- Garlic: 1 small clove, finely minced, added with the cream and butter
- Haddock: 1 lb (454g), skinless fillets cut into large pieces, nestled into the broth after the cream is added and gently cooked for 5 to 7 minutes
- Lemon zest: 1 teaspoon, finely grated, stirred in once the pot is removed from the heat
- Lobster: 2 cups, cooked meat cut into bite-sized pieces, folded in during the final 2 to 3 minutes of cooking
- Nutmeg: 1 small pinch, freshly grated, added with the salt and pepper
- Onion: ½ cup, white or yellow, finely diced, simmered with the potatoes until softened
- Pan-seared scallops: 450 g, patted dry and seared separately, placed on top of each serving just before eating
- Pesto: 2 to 3 tablespoons, stirred into the finished broth off the heat
- Thyme: 1 teaspoon, fresh leaves, stirred in during the final 2 minutes of cooking
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
How To Make Nova Scotia Hodge Podge
STEP 1. Scrub and halve the potatoes, wash and halve the carrots, trim the beans and cut them in half, and shell the peas.
STEP 2. Add the potatoes to a pot of salted water and bring to a simmer. Add the carrots once the potatoes start to soften.
STEP 3: Once the carrots are nearly cooked, add the green and yellow beans and continue simmering until they are just tender.
STEP 4: Add the peas during the last couple of minutes of cooking to keep them bright and crisp.
STEP 5: Drain off most of the water, then add the cream, butter, salt, and pepper.
STEP 6: Simmer gently until the butter melts and everything is heated through. Serve hot.
Kelly’s Top Tips
- For a lighter, yet still traditional variation, drain off most of the cooking water and finish the vegetables with only butter, salt, and pepper. No milk or cream.
- If your potatoes and carrots are quite small, leave them whole, so they hold their shape.
- If you have fresh corn on the cob, cut each ear crosswise into 3 or 4 chunks and add them to the pot with the beans.
Recipe Notes
- Keep the water at a gentle simmer instead of a hard boil to avoid breaking up the vegetables.
- Stir gently once the cream and butter are added. New vegetables are delicate and can easily fall apart.
- Taste the broth at the end and adjust the butter, salt, and pepper until it tastes good to you.
Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pot over low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Avoid boiling once the cream has been added, as it may split.
- Freezing hodge podge is not recommended, as the cream can separate and the vegetables may become mushy.
Recipes Related To Nova Scotia Hodge Podge
Printable Recipe Card
Nova Scotia Hodge Podge
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Large pot
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
Ingredients US cups or click for Metric grams
- 4 cups new potatoes
- 3 cups new carrots
- 1 ½ cups green beans
- 1 ½ cups yellow beans
- 1 cup fresh garden peas
- 2 cups 10% cream (sometimes called blend)
- ⅔ cup salted butter
- ¾ teaspoon table salt (plus extra for cooking the vegetables)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (freshly cracked)
Instructions
- Gently scrub the potatoes and cut them in half if they're large. Wash the carrots and slice them in half lengthwise. Trim the beans and cut them in half. Shell the peas.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with about 5 litres (5 quarts) of cold water. Add 2 tablespoons of table salt to the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle-yet-lively simmer for 8 to 9 minutes, or until the potatoes start to soften.
- Add the carrots and continue cooking for 5 to 7 minutes, or until both the potatoes and carrots are nearly tender.
- Add the green and yellow beans and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the beans are bright and just tender.
- Stir in the peas and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until they are bright green and just cooked.
- Drain off most of the cooking water, leaving about 1 cup (250 ml) in the bottom of the pot to help form the cream broth.
- Add the cream, butter, ¾ teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Return the pot to low heat and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the vegetables are heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve hot.
Notes
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- Keep the water at a gentle simmer instead of a hard boil to avoid breaking up the tender vegetables.
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- Stir gently once the cream and butter are added. New vegetables are delicate and can easily fall apart.
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- Taste the broth at the end and adjust the salt and pepper until it tastes right to you.
Storage
-
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pot over low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Avoid boiling once the cream has been added, as it may split.
-
- Freezing Hodge Podge is not recommended, as the cream can separate and the vegetables may become mushy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided as a courtesy. For precise nutritional data, please calculate it independently using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Kelly Neil is a recipe developer, food photographer, and lifelong Nova Scotian building a sense of home and identity through recipes. She lives in her hometown of Dartmouth with her partner, Chris, their daughter, Elodie, and their little dog, Skipper.
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