Creamed Peas are such a delightfully delicious side dish recipe! Made with easy-to-find ingredients, this is a perfect weeknight side but also great for holidays!
In the world of hotly debated food ingredients, green peas rank right up there with beets as highly triggering. People see peas in a recipe on my Facebook page and will literally write: “Looks great except for the peas.”
Even on my recipe for Pea Salad.
I’m here today to introduce you to a recipe that will convert even the most ardent pea hater. This delicious recipe for creamed peas is made completely from scratch with ingredients that are already in your pantry. Not only that, but it is so rich and delicious that even your picky eater will fall in love with this delectable side dish.
How to Make Creamed Peas
This is a brief overview of this delicious side dish recipe. It is easy enough for a weeknight dinner, but delicious enough to serve at a holiday meal. For the full recipe with all of the ingredients please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Sauté the vegetables. In some melted butter sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent.
- Make a roux. We will use the butter you sautéed the onions in and a little flour to make a roux. Read more about making a roux below.
- Finish making the sauce. Add in some chicken stock and half and half to finish off the sauce.
- Add in the peas. Finally, stir in some frozen peas and taste the recipe, adjusting the seasonings as needed, and add a little more chicken stock if the sauce needs thinning.
Making a Roux for Creamed Peas
The base of any great creamy sauce is usually a roux, a combination of flour and a fat. In this recipe we are going to use the fat we sautéed the onions in (butter) to make the roux.
Using the combination of a flour and a fat helps keep the sauce nice and creamy by coating the flour molecules with fat. This keeps them evenly suspended in the sauce.
There are two keys to a good roux:
- Make sure all of your flour is combined with the fat. If you still see streaks of white, you want to keep whisking. Not combining it all will result in a dish that tastes of flour.
- Slowly add your liquid after the butter and flour are combined. I like to add a good splash, stir it into the butter/flour mixture, and wait for it to be totally absorbed before adding more. Though you are going slow, this whole process will only take you about a minute or maybe two.
Fresh or Frozen Peas
While we are calling for frozen peas here, you could also use fresh. If you are using fresh peas, you will want to cook them in the sauce for three to five minutes after adding them. If you are using frozen peas, you will only need to cook them for about a minute, just long enough for them to thaw.
The benefit of frozen peas is that they are picked at peak ripeness and are so convenient to keep on hand in the freezer to make this dish any time you are craving it. I do not recommend using canned peas as they tend to be a little softer than what you will want in this recipe.
Cooking With Peas
While we are talking about cooking with peas, I want to note the most important thing. Regardless of if you are using fresh or frozen peas, you want to keep a close eye on it’s color. Peas need very little time to cook, and you want to remove them from the heat before they get overcooked. They should still have a bright green color to them when they are done.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Leftovers of this delicious creamed peas recipe can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days. When you go to eat the leftovers, heat them in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring regularly. If the sauce remains too thick, add a little milk to thin it out.
FAQ
I would not recommend freezing this recipe. Given how quick it is to make and the dairy in it, I think you are best off making it fresh. That said, if you must freeze it, when you want to eat the frozen left overs, let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat very slowly over low heat on the stove top.
This recipe is not gluten-free, as we are using flour to make the roux. I have made roux before with almond flour. Though the end result isn’t quite as creamy as when all purpose flour is used, it does work.
This recipe makes about 2 cups, which is about four servings. This is the perfect amount for a weeknight dinner. If you would like to make this for a holiday meal with many people, I recommend doubling the recipe.
What to Serve with Creamed Peas
This would be the perfect side dish with so many different recipes. Here are some my top picks:
If you make this Creamed Peas recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
Creamed Peas
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion diced fine
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup chicken stock (plus more as needed)
- 1/3 cup half and half
- 2 cups frozen peas
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 5 mnutes.
- Whisk the flour into the butter and onion mixture. Then slowly whisk in the chicken stock, a little at a time until it is fully absorbed. Then whisk in the half and half. Bring the mixture to a simmer. (Read more about making a roux for creamed peas here.)
- Stir in the frozen peas. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. If the sauce is too thick, add a little chicken stock, about a tablespoon at a time, to thin it out.
Notes
Carol says
I love creamed peas. Sometimes I add mushrooms. I will Also serve the leftover over toast for lunch.
Sounds delicious!
Linda says
My mom used to make creamed peas back in the 1960’s. She would also take a pie crust and cut circles with a custard cup and place them in a muffin tin. She would then bake them and serve the creamed peas in the shells as she called them 😊
That sounds delicious!
Sandy says
I added swiss cheese.grated, about 2 tblsp