How to Cook Frozen Peas (The Best Way)
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Wondering how to cook frozen peas so they taste their best? We have you covered with the tips and tricks you need to make your frozen peas turn out delicious every time (no boiling required!)
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Years ago I learned the secret of how to cook frozen peas so that they are packed with flavor and perfectly cooked, not bland, not mushy. Do you want to know the secret too?
Its NOT to boil them!
I know the packaging always gives instructions to boil the peas in water but I’m promising you friends, once you try it my way you’ll never go back!
Ingredients
- frozen peas
- butter
- garlic
- sugar
- salt and pepper
Step by step
- Add peas, butter, garlic, and sugar to a skillet.
- Sauté over medium high heat until the butter is melted and peas are heated through, about 5 minutes.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Tips for best results
- Don’t skip the sugar, it is very subtle and not overly sweet and brings out the sweetness of the peas perfectly.
- Do not salt the peas until just before serving to avoid wrinkling the peas and toughening their texture.
Flavor variations
You can really have fun with this recipe and experiment with it, here are a few of my favorite variations:
- sauté some diced onion
- use olive oil instead of butter
- add a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving
- sprinkle with shredded parmesan or asiago cheese
- add a splash of beef broth or cooked and crumbled bacon
- add fresh herbs while sautéing like thyme, parsley, or even mint
FAQs
I actually prefer frozen peas because they are flash frozen at their peak ripeness. This article from Cooks Illustrated break it all down if you want to learn more.
It should take just 5-8 minutes to fully cook your peas, they are very fast!
No! Throw your frozen peas directly into the skillet with your butter and seasonings and they will cook very quickly without the need to thaw first.
Most frozen peas are blanched before freezing, meaning they are briefly boiled then submerged in cold water. They are safe be eaten once simply thawed but they won’t be a soft as fully cooked peas.
Storage
Keep leftover cooked peas in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
If you try this recipe please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!
How to Cook Frozen Peas
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Wondering how to cook frozen peas so they taste their best? We have you covered with the tips and tricks you need to make your frozen peas turn out delicious every time (no boiling required!)
Ingredients
- 1 pound (16 ounce) frozen peas
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add peas, butter, sugar, and garlic to a large skillet.
- Heat over medium high heat until butter is melted and peas are cooked through, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: side
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 89
- Sugar: 2.4 g
- Sodium: 543.4 mg
- Fat: 6.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.2 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 2.5 g
- Cholesterol: 15.3 mg
