Make frozen peas fabulous with this recipe for garlic buttered peas! A quick side dish that goes with everything, the peas are sauté-steamed in garlic butter, rather than boiling separately. Easier, tastier, never mushy and so tasty you’ll become known for them. 🙂
I tend to shy away from sharing basic recipes like today’s Buttered Peas. Too easily distracted by more exciting-sounding dishes. Pierogis! Crispy chicken burgers! Chocolate cream pie!
Yet, the irony in all this, of course, is that I make these peas a gazillion times more often than I do Basque Cheesecake. A staple side dish, quick to make but totally restaurant-worthy. Though, posh restaurants might pod their own rather than buying frozen. I guess they don’t buy into the whole snap-frozen thing like I do? 🙂
Ingredients
I am a bit of a frozen vegetable snob. You’ll never find store-bought frozen broccoli or onion in my freezer. But you will always find peas. Because they are good!
Frozen peas – Cook from FROZEN, not thawed! Well, it’s fine if they are thawed but there is no need to.
Baby vs regular – The recipe works for either. Baby peas (called petite peas in some countries) are slightly sweeter with a slightly softer skin. I am partial to these but won’t hesitate to use regular peas.
Fresh – You could also put me to shame by making this recipe with freshly podded peas. 🙂
Butter – For lovely buttery flavour. Substitute with other oil of choice – extra virgin olive oil is my next pick, coconut oil for a tropical / Indian vibe.
Garlic – It just makes everything that much more delicious. Fresh please! Give the jarred stuff a miss – it’s sour and wet so you can’t sauté it properly and the flavour barely resembles the real deal.
Salt and pepper – Seasoning. Peas need it!
How I cook frozen peas
To cook from frozen, just add the tiniest splash of water which helps steam-sauté them faster. The water evaporates by the time the peas are cooked.
Sauté garlic – Melt the butter then sauté the garlic until very light golden in medium heat, around 30 seconds.
Tip the frozen peas in with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of water which creates a steamy environment to cook the peas a little faster. The water evaporates in a few minutes, leaving behind just tasty butter!
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring every now and then, or until the peas are heated through. Frozen peas are cooked before freezing so they don’t need to be cooked!
Serve – Done and ready to serve! Pour into a bowl or put straight onto dinner plates.
Delicious to eat as is – I challenge you to stop at one spoonful – but suggestions for dressing up are below!
Dress them up
For every day, buttered peas are terrific just as they are. The garlic and butter go a long way to make peas a whole lot more interesting!
But, if you’d like to step it up a notch or just feel like doing something different, here are some suggestions:
Mint them – Toss through finely chopped fresh mint. Mint and peas is a classic! Add however much you want, to your taste.
Lemon – Stir through lemon zest for beautiful lemon flavour, or juice for tang.
Shower of parmesan – As with many things, a mound of freshly grated parmesan will turn this into a show-stopping side!
Clarified / browned butter instead of ordinary butter – for even more intense buttery flavour.
Spice it – Add some curry powder, cumin, coriander, or other spice of choice into the butter, for a touch of extra flavour.
Crunch it – Finish with a big handful of store-bought crispy Asian Fried Shallots or pangrattato (from this recipe), for great texture!
But that’s enough from me. What about you? I know you’ve got a stack of other creative (easy!) ways to dress up a bowl of peas. Share, share! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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How I cook frozen peas – Garlic Buttered Peas
Ingredients
- 50g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter (or other oil/fat)
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 500g / 1 lb frozen peas (Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp cooking / kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Sauté garlic – Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until light golden.
- Cook – Add frozen peas, salt, pepper and water. Turn heat up to medium high and cook for 5 minutes, stirring every now and then, until the water is evaporated, the peas are hot and coated in the tasty garlic butter.
- Serve – Tumble into a bowl and serve!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More sides
Life of Dozer
Snippet from today’s recipe video!
Great idea, Nagi. No more over boiled peas at our house!🇨🇦
Bahh. You’ve set the standard. Now I can’t just dump peas into boiling water. So so good.
This was wonderful! I will probably make this every 1-2 weeks. Thank you! Sometimes simple really is the best… and I’m so glad you shared it!
Thanks for having my back Wendy! I’m deleting her comment, it’s unnecessarily mean. 🙁
Always!
Thank you for this recipe, I realize that some people are seasoned cooks and this is a simple recipe for them but it’s a valuable lesson for beginner cooks like me.
I hear you Billie! Even for me, it’s useful to know exactly how much salt and butter to put in when I’m cooking peas. 🙂 I hope you get a chance to try it! N x
These sound delicious. I’ve always loved peas, but not frozen. You’ve just changed my mind. Thank you!
I hope you try it!! N x
We use this method to cook fresh broad beans from the garden – delicious!
Wow! I’ve been wishing for a good way to cook frozen peas for my entire life and how simple and delicious your recipe is!
Thanks, Nagi and hugs to the World’s Favorite pup Dozer!
Place peas plus any extras in a plastic bag. Microwave until hot. Pour peas into serving dish. Throw away bag.
Simples, hey?
Plastic and microwave. A perfect way to add harmful chemicals to your food (carcinogenic & hormone disrupting). Please google it, you’ll be horrified.
If that’s your opinion, fine…
If that’s the way you like them, go for it! I personally am not a fan of peas, but some of Nagi’s suggestions of adding parm or lemon juice might just change my mind. Cheers!
Can’t wait to try this, sounds delicious. I have a simple recipe for tinned peas, sauté an onion and some bacon both diced together however much you want. Drain peas and tip in with onion and bacon, perfect hot or cold.
I love the simple sides. I make dinner almost every night, unless there are leftovers. It’s great to have new ideas for veggies. and who doesn’t love butter!
Hugs to Dozer and love love love the videos you have been doing, keep it up!!
I cook mine more or less the same way but I do sauté a little chopped onion AND I add some creamed horseradish.for bite. Delicious
Love the horseradish idea!
I used frozen shelled edamame. Delicious!!!
OMG. What a great idea
This is the best, sometimes I add fresh chopped onion too. Also this method works with fresh corn (cut off the cob) and I’m sure with frozen corn too. I always have frozen peas on hand but would love to hear what other frozen veggies might be good too? Green beans? Edamame are delish! Thanks!
Yum! FWIW, I throw frozen peas — still frozen — into any kind of cold salad, like pasta salad or rice salad or just a green salad. The peas thaw by the time all the other ingredients are added and, in fact, help chill any room temp ingredients. No need to cook, the peas are delicious and bright green.
Frozen peas Nagi
Thanks for this quick yummy sude.
We do similar but with Bacon.
Use small amount of the grease with the butter.Add chopped bacon before serving.
Would Dozer approve?
Nagi I love your video’s and seeing you with Dozen and the beautiful connection you have with each other 😊
Thank you Karina! He is a cheeky devil but I love him fiercely 🙂 N x
These are genius-level for taste!
For info: “petite peas” are actually known as “petits pois” as in Birds Eye Field Fresh Petits Pois 🙂
OMG no, JB did say that and I scoffed and said “who says that??” 😂 Damn, I hate it when he’s right
Delicious! I used the recipe with fresh broad beans and they were fabulous.