Home > Side Dishes > Vegetables > Creamed Peas Creamed Peas December 9, 2022 | No Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. 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! Love creamed side dishes? Us too! Be sure to try our Creamed Corn or these Creamed Potatoes. If you’re looking for a milk-free recipe using frozen peas, try our favorite Frozen Peas Recipe! Creamed Peas Recipe During the holiday season, I’m all about indulgent-tasting and simple-to-make side dishes. These types of dishes are the perfect addition to any holiday table spread. Simple sides are also a great dish to bring when you’re asked to supply a dish for an event or party. And finally, simple sides are a great way to make a basic dinner seem fancy. Whip up a delicious side dish to go with a protein and you’ve got a seemingly fancy dinner that didn’t take all that long to put together. Serve Creamed Peas on the side of a seared skillet steak, pan-seared salmon, or this super quick Blackened Chicken and you’ve got a fancy-looking, downright delicious dinner (with minimal effort expended). But–be warned–this Creamed Peas recipe is good enough to overshadow even the most perfectly cooked steak ;). VARIATIONS How Do You Make Peas Taste Even Better? Cook them in bacon, add butter, and a savory Parmesan cream sauce! Seriously, if you’re skeptical of frozen peas being delicious, you are going to be a convert after trying these Creamed Peas! Here are some ideas to change up this recipe: Make Creamed Peas and carrots. Use 4 cups of a frozen peas & carrots blend instead of just using frozen peas. Replace the bacon with pancetta. Pancetta is cured and unsmoked while regular bacon is cured and smoked–both can be used interchangeably in this recipe–it all depends if you want a smoky flavor or not. Swap the yellow onion for shallots. The flavor is sweeter and more delicate with shallots. If you’re looking to really up your Creamed Peas game, try Parmigiano Reggiano–it’s incredible in this dish. (Use the leftovers in our favorite Fettuccine Alfredo!) Make Creamed Peas and potatoes. Boil diced potatoes in salted water and drain well. Mix through once the peas are cooked and double (or triple) the cream sauce. Add fresh herbs. A pinch of fresh herbs add vibrancy and life to this Creamed Peas recipe! How To Make Creamed Peas Sauté bacon and onion. Dice the bacon and then sauté in olive oil with finely diced onions. The bacon will brown nicely while the onions caramelize a bit. Add in peas and season. Add frozen peas (straight from the freezer), butter, and seasoning to taste. Sauté until peas are warmed through and butter is melted. Mix in the flour next, which helps thicken the mixture. Add milk! Pour in the milk and sugar; simmer until nicely thickened. Remove from heat, stir through the cheese and serve while the peas are nice and hot. QUICK TIP We make this Creamed Peas recipe with milk instead of heavy cream. We tested these peas with cream as well and couldn’t tell that much of a difference flavor-wise for the amount of fat that is saved from the swap! 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. Creamed Peas FAQs1Can I use canned peas instead of frozen in this recipe?Canned peas will work fine here, but we definitely prefer the taste and texture of frozen peas best! We’re partial to Birdseye® frozen peas (not sponsored), but any brand will work! 2Do you put butter in Creamed Peas?We add butter to this dish which begins the process of creating the roux. The butter plus flour is what ultimately thickens the cream sauce so it nicely coats the peas. (So, don’t leave out the butter here!) 3What seasonings taste good with peas?Peas are so versatile– they pair well with a myriad of seasonings. In a dish like this though, they really only need salt and pepper to come alive. If you are looking to add something extra, try a touch of onion powder or garlic powder. 4How do you dress up canned green peas?Following this recipe to Creamed Peas will certainly dress up your can of peas! 5How do you put cream on peas?We make the cream sauce in the same pan that we cook the peas in (simpler and fewer dishes!) Here’s how to add the sauce: Melt butter with the peas. Mix through flour. This is creating the “roux” that will thicken the milk to make a nice cream coating for peas. Add in the milk. Stir until nicely thickened and creamy. 6What else can I do with frozen peas?After you make this easy Creamed Peas recipe, try some of our other favorite recipes with frozen peas: Meatballs and Orzo (made in ONE pot!) Instant Pot Risotto (the easiest risotto recipe ever!) Pesto Rice (made in ONE dish!) Quick Vegan Curry (with white beans) Moroccan Chicken (over couscous) Vegetable Noodle Soup (with orzo pasta) Tuna Macaroni Salad (with the best creamy dressing!) 7Do you thaw frozen peas before cooking?No! No need to thaw before adding–they’ll warm through in minutes. 8What can you serve with Creamed Peas?If you’re looking for a meaty main to serve alongside this side, try one of the following: Grilled Flank Steak Italian Chicken Marinade Air Fryer Tilapia Baked Fish and Chips More Tasty Side Dishes: Sausage Stuffing Recipe with sage and apple Grapefruit Salad with an easy Balsamic Vinaigrette Funeral Potatoes with a crispy potato topping Orange Fluff Salad with mandarin oranges Life-changing no-knead Dinner Rolls FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Creamed Peas 5 from 2 votes - Review this recipe 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! SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Creamed Peas 5 from 2 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe 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! Course Appetizer, Side Dish Cuisine American Keyword Creamed Peas, Creamed Peas recipe Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Total Time 30 minutes Servings 6 servings, as a side Calories 226kcal Author Chelsea Lords 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)US - Metric USMetric InstructionsPREP: 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 Recipe NotesNote 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 FactsServing: 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 We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
