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!
I’ve been cooking variations of this lovely dish for many years – my kids (25 and 22!) still ask for ‘oniony peas’. I usually sauté spring onions or shallots along with the garlic. Leek finely sliced is also delicious (either with or in place of the onions) and if I’m feeling really decadent I’ll add little nuggets of crispy bacon too. Don’t apologise about sharing a more basic recipe – they’re the ones we all return to over and over I suspect.
Often we fail to comment on the everyday recipes that are often most appreciated like this one. Love this recipe!! Thanks for making me look a talented mum (alias ‘cook’). This recipe really is easy peasy!
These were our Christmas peas and now we’ll never cook peas any other way! Thanks Nagi for yet another gem of a recipe!
Omg love this! Didn’t know peas could be so delicious! Will be a regular at my place!
Loved this! Easy to make and delicious.
this is the easiest, most DELICIOUS recipe! I can’t believe how good it is. will be putting it in the week night rotation!
Good morning from Atlanta, GA made the chicken in mustard sauce, delish! Last night the garlic peas, equally delish. I have added mint and thin prosciutto to the batch for the holidays! Dozer looking good, Kota says woof, woof from across the pond. And wistfully looking at the kitchen counter, haha. She ain’t starving in this household!!!
I’m so with you on the frozen peas! My fave ones are the McCains baby peas you have illustrated in your recipe! I like the McCains frozen super sweet corn kernels too, but that’s about it for me on the frozen veg front. Great recipe. Nothing worse than overcooked peas, or any veggies for that matter! Thanks Nagi. Give the gorgeous Dozer a Pat from me too please 🤗🤗
I just did this and added chopped unsmoked bacon. Cook bacon until browned on the edges…
I used lardons (I’m very French) in a previous. That’s delish also..!
BTW, they’re Petite Pois, not peas…! You can put the ‘e’ after petit if you like…
Delicious..!
Dear Nagi, Thank you kindly for your reply. Everything looks so good, and easy too. Larry
These peas were fantastic. I actually topped some cheese tortellini tossed in butter, S&P, and parmesan with a healthy serving of the garlic butter 🧈 peas just now. It was an exquisite one dish meal!
I just want to say “YUM!!” I love peas and I don’t care how they’re cooked, but this looks like a Fabulous way to do them. Off to hunt for peas in the freezer.
P.S. Nagi I am not generally a pork person, but I have a question- is it normal for a small pork tenderlion to be tough? Not super dry but not tender either, like the pork I see you cook. What cuts are you cooking?
Frozen peas à la NAGI. 3 flavours that hit my buttons : peas, butter, garlic. As NAGI says wonderful any way.
Try sauteed onions and button mushrooms, or any variety……the peas get combined and ready to serve…I never cared for peas. before having them this way. The ratio is up to the cook, I decreased mushrooms when I started to finally appreciate this humble little gem of veg. Thanks for your sharing this, even seasoned cooks need reminding of basics, you need an arsenal of techniques to fall back on.
Simple to make and delicious!
You’re right, garlic improves just about everything!
I do an even faster version of this. I often keep Garlic Butter, made with a pinch of salt and squeeze of lemon, in the fridge,don’t cook the peas just microwave until hot, butter and stand while dishing up. Makes a dreary frozen green bean desirable too.
I’m often inspired by your articles – thanks for your hard work.
I like the look of this. Assume this could be done with mixed frozen veg as well, like peas, carrots, corn and green beans?
I have NOT cooked this yet but as soon as I read it, I kept the page open in my browser to remind me to make them. I even mentally did a check of my freezer, hoping I had a bag of peas! This is an awesome kind of recipe – it’s the kind we may not think about, but who doesn’t want ideas for an easy and delicious side dish??
Overall I like this way to cook peas and this was delicious however when I added the frozen peas to the melted butter and garlic, the butter just solidified immediately. I had to cover with a lid to help the process of warming everything through again. Not a big deal but that didn’t happen in your video. Were your peas semi thawed? I made it again but this time I added the frozen peas and cold butter to a cold pot and turned on the burner. This yielded the gentle cooking without the butter getting solid again. Anyways love this method over microwave or boiling!
I have read Nagi’s posts and have the ecookbook. This was the first time I’ve seen her videos. Oh my gosh, I’m hooked. What a cute gal and her accent….I could watch over and over. Dozer rules!