 Credit: Style My Soul, www.stylemysoul.com | Cooking with Peas Unlock the vibrant versatility of peas with practical tips and expert-backed culinary techniques. These experts deliver a fresh take on cooking with peas, including exclusive insights from seasoned chefs. Dive into innovative recipes and expert advice to elevate simple peas into extraordinary dishes.
Highlight Peas with Spring Pea Puree Peas are one of the most versatile and underrated ingredients in the kitchen. To truly highlight their natural sweetness and vibrant color, one of my favorite ways to use them is in a Spring Pea Puree. It’s an elegant, flavorful base that pairs beautifully with seafood, roasted vegetables, or even as a spread for artisan bread. Spring Pea Puree Recipe Ingredients: 2 cups fresh or frozen peas 1 small shallot, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons heavy cream (or a drizzle of good olive oil for a lighter version) Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste Zest of half a lemon Fresh mint or basil (optional, for a fresh herbaceous note) Instructions:
Pro Tip: For an elevated presentation, drizzle with herb-infused oil and top with microgreens or a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. This dish is all about simplicity and letting the natural flavors shine. Plus, it’s a stunning way to add color and depth to any plate. - Justin Meadows, Chef/ Owner, Block & Rooster Provisions Create Fresh Pea and Mint Pesto One of my favorite ways to effectively use peas in a dish is by making a simple, yet delicious Pea and Mint Pesto. It’s a fresh twist on the traditional basil pesto, and the sweetness of the peas pairs perfectly with the mint. To make it, I blend together 2 cups of frozen peas (thawed), a handful of fresh mint leaves, 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1–2 cloves of garlic, and a squeeze of lemon juice. I add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste and blend until smooth. This pesto works wonders on pasta, as a topping for grilled chicken, or even as a dip for vegetables. The peas add a creamy texture without being heavy, and the mint gives it a refreshing kick. It’s an easy, healthy dish that brings out the natural sweetness of the peas and can be whipped up in no time! - Nikita Sherbina, Co-Founder & CEO, AIScreen Elevate Peas with Thai-Style Fritters I love to elevate peas by making a quick Thai-style pea fritter. I learned this technique in a cooking class in Bangkok and it’s changed how I see these little green balls forever. Just pulse frozen peas (never canned!) in a food processor with green curry paste, fish sauce, chopped cilantro and a beaten egg. Form into small patties and pan fry until golden. The contrast between the crunchy outside and sweet, herby inside is amazing. The biggest thing I’ve learned from years of cooking with peas is that their natural sweetness pairs beautifully with sharp, acidic flavors. This is the perfect balance to make dishes pop. For instance, frozen peas blended with mint, lemon zest, olive oil and pecorino makes an incredible pasta sauce that comes together in minutes. Temperature contrast also works wonders with peas. I often blanch them for 90 seconds in salted water then immediately plunge them into an ice bath. This “shocking” process locks in their color and creates a fun textural contrast — especially when tossed warm into cold salads with crumbled feta and toasted pine nuts. For something special, try pea shoots as well as the peas themselves. I grow them in my windowsill garden and they add incredible freshness to any pea dish. They taste like springtime and add visual interest to a simple side to make it restaurant quality. When using frozen peas, never thaw them completely before cooking. The residual ice crystals help maintain their structure during cooking. And remember peas need minimal cooking time — overcooking is the fastest way to turn green gems into mushy disappointments. - Sovic Chakrabarti, Director, Icy Tales Transform Peas into Silky Pea Butter Most people treat peas as a supporting act — something to toss into fried rice or mix into a stew as an afterthought. But peas have this incredible natural sweetness and a soft, buttery texture when blended. One of the best ways to highlight them? Pea butter. Yes, pea butter. It’s shockingly good. You take fresh or frozen peas, simmer them for a few minutes until they’re just tender, then blend them with a little butter (or olive oil for a vegan version), a pinch of salt, and a splash of lemon juice. The key is straining it through a fine-mesh sieve after blending to get that silky, almost whipped texture. What you end up with is this vibrant green, slightly sweet, ultra-creamy spread that works on everything — spread on toast with flaky salt, dolloped onto grilled fish or chicken, even mixed into mashed potatoes for a fresh, springy twist. Think of it as the love child of a bright pea puree and smooth compound butter. It’s one of those things that makes you wonder: why aren’t we doing this all the time? - Derek Pankaew, CEO & Founder, Listening.com Make a Quick Pea and Spinach Stew As a doctor who’s passionate about healthy cooking, I love making my quick pea and spinach stew that’s packed with protein and fiber. I simply sauté onions and garlic, add fresh or frozen peas with low-sodium chicken broth, then wilt in some spinach during the last few minutes — it’s become my go-to lunch during busy clinic days. What I’ve discovered is that quickly blanching the peas for just 2–3 minutes before adding them to the stew helps maintain their natural sweetness and bright green color, while keeping their nutritional benefits intact. - Dr. Anand Thakkar, Medical Director, Chicago Weight Loss Incorporate Peas into Various Dishes Peas are an incredible ingredient that are not only full of dietary fiber and nutrients, but they’re also easy to incorporate into a wide range of recipes. When you add peas to some types of recipes, you can also create an additional layer of texture that can improve the dish. There are quite a few different types of peas to use in recipes, with the easiest types being snap peas and frozen peas. Frozen sweet peas have a natural sweetness while snap peas have a lovely crunch, making them perfect for a stir-fry. To incorporate frozen peas into a recipe, you’ll want to heat them first. Personally, I cook them in the oven until they’re just thawed. From there, I fold them into a chili, chowder, or pot pie filling. Frozen peas also work well as part of a pressure cooker soup or stew, and they also taste wonderful when mixed into a fried rice recipe. It’s not difficult to use frozen peas in a recipe, you’ll just need to heat them, then fold them in near the end of cooking (to avoid overcooking them). For snap peas, in addition to a stir fry, these also taste wonderful on top of a salad. When using them in this manner, you may prefer to have them sliced or chopped, which makes them a bit easier to eat. Snap peas also taste wonderful when mixed into a homemade ramen or pho. To do this, you can cook your snap peas in a little oil on your stovetop to add a little character, and don’t forget to salt them. Then, fold them in near the end of cooking your ramen or pho. This is only scratching the surface of the potential that peas have in recipes, as they’re overall mild in flavor (as compared to something like kidney beans which can be pretty present). It means that other flavors can easily mask their presence if needed, and they can be used alongside a wide range of flavor profiles including BBQ, Middle Eastern, California Fresh, and more. You’ll want to avoid using peas in recipes that have light delicate flavors such as a lavender forward recipe. - Kathlena The Allergy Chef, Owner, Free and Friendly Foods Roast Peas with Sweet Potatoes I recently discovered that roasting frozen peas with sweet potatoes creates an amazing nutrient-dense side dish that’s perfect for weight management. I toss them with a tablespoon of olive oil, season with garlic and black pepper, then roast at 400°F for 20 minutes — the natural sweetness of both vegetables really comes through while keeping the calories low. - Alex Roig, Founder, Dr. Weight Loss Add Fresh Peas to Spring Risotto We’ve been serving a customer favorite spring risotto where we fold in fresh peas right at the end to maintain their sweet pop and bright color. I’ve learned that the key is to barely cook the peas — just steam them for 2–3 minutes before adding them to any dish, whether it’s pasta, risotto, or even a quick stir-fry. - Allen Kou, Owner and Operator, Zinfandel Grille
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