Peas mean late spring — bright, fresh, and a little earthy. Peas are tasty on their own with butter and salt, but add a note of grassiness to any recipe. They're also inexpensive when bought frozen. There are many ways to cook with peas, from steaming or boiling to folding them into batter for fritters. Peas are also chock full of Vitamins C, E, and zinc. Give peas a chance with these easy-peasy and inexpensive recipes.
The classic peas recipe you probably remember from childhood. Rich, light, and buttery smooth, the salt from the butter makes all the difference in this simple recipe. Serve with any protein — beef, fish, chicken or poultry. This version of peas goes with everything.
Recipe: Epicurious
Related: 30 Recipes That Celebrate the Bounty of Cheap Spring Produce
This hash works with the silkiness of the vegetable counteracting the spiciness of chorizo. Make the recipe a hearty meal by adding a crusty piece of bread and perhaps a small salad.
Recipe: Tesco
A gnocchi recipe can be a chef’s best friend. Home cooks can appreciate the inexpensive nature of the dish, while not feeling as if they are missing out on anything. Make a little extra, if you can. Gnocchi taste great as leftovers.
Recipe: Gordon Ramsay
Peas fritters can make eating vegetables feel utterly decadent. The fried patties, crisp on the outside while the mixture inside remains silky, make a delicious appetizer or main dish. The fritters can be served with anything from a simple salad or your choice of protein, fresh from the grill.
Recipe: My Lovely Little Lunch Box
For more great meal ideas and grocery tips, please sign up for our free newsletters.
A nice alternative to the standard potatoes au gratin, this classic dish combines peas, cream, salt, and pepper with cheddar and panko to yield a dish that warms the soul. Use the best cheddar you can find for maximum richness.
Recipe: Made In A Day
Making roasted peas is so easy, you’ll wonder why you never tried it before. In addition to peas, all you need is olive oil, garlic salt, and about 30 minutes. Let cool, then serve as you would potato chips.
Recipe: Super Healthy Kids
Related: With These Healthy Recipes, You Won’t Miss Packaged Snacks
A British staple, this take on mashed potatoes is made with milk, butter, salt, and black pepper. Mushy peas work as a side dish for any number of comfort foods, from meatloaf to roasted chicken.
Recipe: Allrecipes
Made with lettuce, creme fraiche, a sprig of mint, and green onions, this side dish’s take on peas is both savory and filled with tasty pea-ness. Make it extra fancy by serving alongside a glass of crisp white wine.
Recipe: Food
Related: Cheers to Julia Child: 11 Recipes for Leftover Wine
Hearty and rich, a bacon pea salad certainly falls on the decadent side of the recipe book. Made with sour cream, bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and red onion, the salad would be a hit at any neighborhood barbecue. Once you make the salad you can fiddle with the recipe a bit by substituting different proteins (diced chicken would be tasty) or vegetables.
Recipe: Spend With Pennies
Crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside, peas are often the side dish in most samosa recipes. Not this recipe. The mild yet memorable flavor make them a great dish to round out your meal. Serve with everything from salad to soup to salmon.
Recipe: Food and Wine
Peas are the star of the show in a silky and creamy soup, all of the other ingredients are merely supporting players. Choose to blend all the ingredients for a bisque-like consistency or keep it chunky — whatever serves the current mood of the chef.
Recipe: Food Network
Related: 30 Fall Soups Perfect for a Chilly Day
Once you learn how to make green pea flour, you can make pancakes and even cookies. This recipe calls for cooks to bake the flour before milling it, which the recipe author says makes for a less oily taste than if you fried it.
Recipe: Nyona Cooking
You can either buy green pea flour, or make your own (as seen in the previous slide). However, the recipe’s author says buying store bought pea flour will result in a less vibrant cookie.
Recipe: Nyona Cooking
Peas mix with potatoes well in this curry, otherwise known as Bombay Potatoes and Peas. The recipe offers step-by-step instructions for the balance of flavor, with the marriage of peas and potatoes as the main ingredients. Spices and aromatics include cumin, mustard, red onion, garlic, turmeric, salt, chili powder, garam masala, and cilantro, all of which are available at most grocery stores.
Recipe: Vegan Richa
Related: Hearty Winter Meals in 30 Minutes
The combination of mint, peas, sugar, honey, eggs, and cream may sound like a nonstarter, but think about it: all of the main ingredients are there. Sweet, milk, creamy, and fresh — all the elements work well together. For full effect, serve after a spicy meal; you’ll appreciate the subtle flavors after giving your palate a workout.
Recipe: Food 52
Combining peas with bananas, almond milk, spirulina, and matcha gives a new twist to the same old smoothie recipes. Experiment by adding different fruits to the mix, like strawberries or blueberries.
Recipe: Hashtag Vegan
Who doesn’t like a frittata? Nobody, that’s who. This simple but elegant egg dish showcases the mild flavor of peas with the savory umami-ness of spinach. Serve for breakfast, lunch, or dinner with a green salad.
Recipe: The Petite Cook
Related: 20 Restaurant-Worthy Twists on Boring Pantry Staples
A grown up version of the buttered peas and onions of our youth, this dish screams luxe, even when sporting humble ingredients: butter, salt, peas, pepper and 12 cloves of garlic. Yep — 12.
Recipe: Mantitlement
Think more ‘chicken pot pie’ and less ‘cherry pie’, and you’ve got a good handle on this savory dish. The recipe calls for chicken stock, cream, peas, butter, dill, and pie crust. The result is a dish that puts the freshness of peas front and center - right where it should be.
Recipe: Gourmandistan
Peas lend texture and a lightly sweet, earthy flavor to this take on a veggie burger. The addition of garbanzo beans give the patty some oomph while the bread crumbs and help hold the mixture together. Serve as you would any other tasty burger.
Recipe: Joy The Baker
Related: Can’t Get Ground Beef? This Meatless Burger Fooled Our Tasters
