Peas
Garden peas are small, sweet, starchy legume seeds, enjoyed fresh in spring or frozen year-round, and used in soups, rice dishes, purees, and as a simple side.
How to buy
Fresh peas in the pod should have bright green, plump, glossy pods; shell one to check the peas are tender and sweet rather than large and starchy. Frozen peas, flash-frozen right after picking, are often sweeter and more convenient than out-of-season fresh ones.
How to store
Fresh peas in the pod keep in the fridge for a few days but lose sweetness quickly after picking, so use them soon; shelled peas should be used within a day or two. Frozen peas keep for months and need no thawing before cooking.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Sweet and fresh when young, turning starchier and less sweet as they mature; brief cooking preserves sweetness, while long cooking -- as in classic mushy peas -- turns them soft and savory.
- Texture
- Tender with a slight crispness when fresh and briefly cooked; they break down into a soft, mealy texture with longer cooking, the basis of pea purees and mushy peas.
- Aroma
- A fresh, sweet, grassy smell, especially pronounced right after shelling.
How to prepare
- Shelled fresh — Removed from the pod and eaten raw or lightly cooked.
- Blanched — Briefly boiled to set bright color and sweetness.
- Pureed — Cooked and blended smooth into a side dish or soup.
- Mashed (mushy peas) — Cooked down soft and lightly crushed, a British classic.
Classic dishes
American
- Chicken pot pie — Peas add sweetness and color to the creamy chicken and vegetable filling.
- Pea and ham soup — A hearty soup where peas cook down soft alongside smoky ham.
Italian
- Risi e bisi — A soupy Venetian rice dish studded with fresh spring peas.
- Pea and prosciutto risotto — Sweet peas stirred into risotto along with salty crisped prosciutto.
- Pasta primavera — Fresh peas are a common spring vegetable in this light pasta dish.
- Spring pea crostini — Pureed fresh peas spread on toasted bread with mint and olive oil.
Chinese
- Fried rice with peas — Peas add color and sweetness to classic egg fried rice.
Japanese
- Mame gohan — Japanese rice cooked with fresh green peas, a spring seasonal dish.
Indian
- Aloo matar — Potatoes and peas simmered together in a spiced tomato gravy.
- Matar paneer — Peas and cubes of paneer cheese cooked in a spiced tomato-based curry.
- Peas pulao — Basmati rice cooked with whole spices and fresh green peas.
- Samosas — Fried pastry filled with spiced potato and peas.
British & Irish
- Pea and mint soup — A chilled or hot soup pureeing sweet peas with fresh mint.
- Mushy peas — Peas cooked down soft and lightly mashed, the classic fish-and-chips side.
- Shepherd's pie — Peas are a standard vegetable folded into the minced lamb filling.
- Fish and chips with pea puree — A smooth pea puree served alongside fried fish as a modern pub classic.
Substitutions
- Snap Peas — Snap peas bring a similar sweetness but a crunchier bite and an edible pod.