Simple Buttered Peas Recipe

What are Buttered Peas?

Butter peas are green peas sautéed in butter. It's a popular side dish that you may have come across in French cuisine or some American homes.

In France, they use garden fresh green peas shelled and stove-top boiled. The peas are then tossed in butter, which adds a lovely, light flavor profile to this side dish.

Buttered peas are served with pork, beef or chicken roast. They go really well with fish too, as in pan-fried trout.

My uncle serves them up with other veggies to such as a peeled tomato salad, sautéed carrots and cooked leek and a vinaigrette dressing.

Ingredients

You will need a few ingredients to make this vegetable side dish at home now. Here is a quick overview.

• Green Peas
• Olive Oil
• Butter
• Onion
• Salt
• Black Pepper

If you want to make the best buttered green peas, use garden-fresh green peas or at least fresh peas from your farmer's market or your local store. Fresh peas need to always first be boiled soft!

Conveniently, you can also use frozen green peas, but the result just won't be the same. There is a vast difference in flavor when you use fresh peas, which you just can't replicate with frozen peas.

For the onion, use either white, yellow or purple onion, whichever you prefer. Shallots are a great tip too if you just want mild onion flavors.

We use olive oil to sauté the onion and butter to add flavor. My mother says that salted butter is the best option. If you can't get salted butter, use regular butter. She also says to use both for the best taste experience!

The only seasoning that you need here is salt and black pepper. Freshly ground black pepper is, of course, preferred.

How to make it?

Here is how to make this pea side dish with fresh raw green peas. If you use frozen or canned soft peas, skip step 1. If your frozen or canned peas have been parboiled, skip step 2.

Step 1

Shell your green peas. Rinse them in water with a dash of vinegar. Strain

Step 2

Place peas into a pan and cover with water. Boil peas for about 5 minutes soft. Strain.

Step 3

Dice onion.

Heat up olive oil and butter in a skillet. Sauté onion soft.

Step 4

Stir in green peas and season with salt and black pepper.

Step 5

Cook for 2 minutes. Top with freshly chopped parsley. Serve up.

Storing

Store leftovers in an airtight container. I like to use rectangular or square glass containers with a lid.

These are containers are great because they can be stacked over each other in the fridge or freezer, and you can just take it out and place the glass dish into the oven to reheat your meal quickly.

They are also microwave save (of course, without the lid on)!

The glass containers can be purchased from IKEA and they are affordable.

You can store these buttered green peas for up to 7 days in your fridge without them turning bad. They are a great side dish for bigger events, and you can prepare them in advance.

Buttered peas can be frozen as well. Keep in the fridge overnight to thaw, or place in the oven to thaw and cook gradually at a moderate heat setting.

Flavor Variations

Buttered green peas is one of Paul's all-time favorite side dishes, and he always asks my mum to make it whenever possible.

He is one who grew up eating Indian spiced food, but in his humble opinion, this side dish doesn't require another addition of ingredients.

Nonetheless, I will give you the freedom to call this dish your own. You can add any of the following ingredients:

• Carrots – just add baby carrots to your peas
• Leek – instead of onion, use sliced leeks
• Corn – adds a splash of color and crunch to your peas
• Beans – as in black beans, kidney beans.
• Cumin – a dash of cumin can elevate the flavor
• Garlic – fresh garlic chopped and sautéed with the onion
• Chives – fresh chives as a topping
• Thyme Herb – Fresh or dried
• Rosemary – Goes hand in hand with Thyme
• Parsley – fresh herbs as a topping are always a good idea.
• Tarragon – Adds a slight bitter side to the dish
• Fresh Mint – If you want a middle eastern touch to your peas.
• Ransom weed – aka wild garlic weed, grows in spring and goes well with green peas.
• Honey – But that will make it sweet. Recommended for the sweet tooth.
• Lemon Juice – just a few drops

FAQs

More stove-top side dishes:

• Butter Garlic French Green Beans
• Balsamico flavored Green Asparagus
• Zucchini with Garlic Onion