Put Them Straight in Your Cart: Frozen Peas Are the Most Underrated Frozen Vegetable

Sometimes you can get so used to something in the kitchen that you forget what an incredibly handy workhorse it actually is. Especially when it’s not something that’s reasonably brilliant but just a tiny bit fancy, something you could even give as a gift (for example, a Microplane grater). No, we really mean the simplest things in your kitchen, something that so many people simply have in the freezer: frozen peas.

The humble, modest bag (or box) of frozen peas. I’d always go for a bag, because a box is so difficult to hold against a bump on your head. But a bag like that isn’t only useful for short-term first-aid lite; its contents can also come in handy far more often than you might think…

Frozen peas: a mini nutrient bomb

First of all, peas are genuinely healthy. They contain lots of dietary fiber and are also rich in vitamins C and K, as well as B vitamins. If you eat two serving spoons of them (about 100 g), you’ve already had 5 grams of the 30–40 grams of fiber you need per day! Frozen peas are often even healthier than fresh ones, because within two hours of harvesting, they’re already in a bag in the freezer. This means fewer nutrients are lost than with most peas that are sold fresh in their pods or shelled in the refrigerated section after spending a longer time in transit.

Go green

And then there’s so much you can do with them. Do you have a picky toddler coming over? Peas are often still a hit with them. For a slightly more grown-up version, first gently cook a shallot in olive oil, grate in a clove of garlic, add some peas straight from the freezer to the pan, season with salt and pepper, add a few tablespoons of water, cover, and it’ll be ready after a few minutes.

Stir in one unapologetically generous spoonful of the most delicious butter before serving, and you won’t believe how something so simple can taste so good. It’s wonderful with perfectly roasted chicken, and if you’re short on time, just pick one up from a good rotisserie chicken shop (for example, Marqt).

Endless possibilities

Peas are also indispensable in an easy pasta primavera, and in this relaxed gnocchi recipe with bacon and cream from Spaghetteria. And did you know you can turn them into a quick soup in no time? Cook them as described above, add half a liter of stock, and use an immersion blender in a large mixing jug (or a slightly deeper pan than the frying pan). Garnish with mint and cream, and you’ll have a soup no one will expect to have been so easy to make!

And what about pea hummus? For a lightning-fast cheat version, simply purée some thawed peas into store-bought hummus (just add some oil, plus salt and pepper to taste), and it’s just as easy to make a pure pea dip with olive oil, salt, pepper, a small grated clove of garlic, and a little lemon juice. Purée, spread on bruschetta, shave Parmesan over it, and lunch (or aperitif time) is ready!

Read also:

• “EWW, GROSS”: the things we absolutely hated as kids
• Recipe: Cauliflower with peas, almonds, and lemon
• Recipe: Pea fritters with smoked salmon