FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content.
Creamed Peas
Creamed Peas are a favorite side dish and these are the best of the best! We cook frozen peas in a savory Parmesan cream sauce with bacon and onions. These easy Creamed Peas are prepared all in one dish--no need to thaw or cook the peas ahead of time!
Servings 6 servings, as a side
Calories 226kcal
Cost $5.12
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 slices (~3 oz.) bacon, diced
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 20 oz. frozen peas (~4 cups) (We love Birds-Eye®)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Fine sea salt & pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose, white flour
- 1 cup whole milk (Note 1)
- 1 tablespoon white sugar, optional (Note 2)
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping (Note 3)
Instructions
- PREP: Dice the bacon and onion before starting.
- BACON: Add olive oil to a large (10-12-inch) pan set to medium heat. Add in the bacon and onion. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently at the end, until bacon is browned and onions are tender. (Bacon won't brown much more past this point, so fully brown here.)
- PEAS: Add in the frozen peas, 2 tbsp. butter, and seasoning to taste (I add 1-1/4 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp pepper--See Note 4). Reduce heat to medium low. Cook, stirring frequently, until peas are heated through and butter is melted, 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle in 2 tbsp flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- FINISH: Reduce heat to low and add in milk and optional sugar. Stir gently until milk thickens. Remove from heat and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top. Let melt then gently fold through. Taste for seasonings, adding more if needed. If desired, top individual servings with another sprinkle of finely grated Parmesan. Enjoy warm.
Video
Notes
Note 1: Milk: We tested these peas with cream as well as milk, and couldn't tell that much of a difference. So go for the fat savings by swapping cream for milk! That said, this dish is best with whole milk and does suffer a loss of flavor and thickness with lower-fat milks. Avoid plant-based milks,--they don't work the same in this recipe. (If you use heavy cream, leave out the flour, since it thickens plenty without it.)
Note 2: Sugar: Add this ingredient slow and to taste (omitting fully if desired or adding even more if peas aren't as sweet as you'd like). The amount you add will vary depending on how sweet and fresh the peas are.
Note 3: Parmesan cheese: Packaged grated Parmesan (in the can) is very salty and won't melt as nicely in this recipe. We highly recommend grating a block of Parmesan cheese on a microplane or the small holes of the grater for ultra-fine cheese shreds.
Note 4: Salt: Depending on how salty the bacon and Parmesan are, you may want less (or more) salt. Add gradually, tasting until flavors come to life!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 252mg | Potassium: 300mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 9195IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 1mg