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This speedy but special side dish reinvents a bag of frozen peas and can be enjoyed in place of regular peas, as a fancy base for salmon, or as an economical and always fresh alternative to avocado toast.

Smashed Green Peas

This speedy but special side dish reinvents a bag of frozen peas and can be enjoyed in place of regular peas, as a fancy base for salmon and other fish, or as an economical and always fresh alternative for avocado toast.
Servings: 4-6 servings
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Prep Time 3 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1 (16-ounce) package frozen peas
  • ¼ cup (2 ounces) water
  • 2 tablespoons (28ml) olive oil (may substitute butter)
  • 3 tablespoons cream (may substitute sour cream or Greek yogurt*)
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt and several grinds of the pepper mill
  • Optional: zest of one lemon and a teaspoon or two of the juice; 1 tablespoon slivered fresh mint leaves plus a sprig or two for garnish; toasted and roughly chopped toasted walnuts

Instructions

  1. Bring the peas to a boil (no need to thaw) in the ¼ cup water. Once boiling, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally to break up any frozen chunks, for about 7 minutes or until peas are tender. Do not drain the residual water.
  2. Add the olive oil, cream, salt, pepper, and optional lemon zest, juice, and/or mint. (Tip: the zest adds a hint of bright lemon flavor, while the juice adds a hint of tang. If using the juice, add a teaspoon at a time, tasting as you go – a little goes a long way.) Mash thoroughly with a potato masher. If you’d like the mixture to be a little looser, add another splash of water or two – just a little at a time. Taste and add another pinch of salt and pepper, if needed.
  3. Garnish with a grating of lemon zest, a thin slice of lemon, mint leaves, or walnuts, if desired. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

* When using sour cream or Greek yogurt in place of the cream, I recommend the full fat versions for best flavor. Because they are thicker than cream, you may also wish to add an extra splash or two of water. In a pinch, you could use milk. For a non-dairy alternative, skip it entirely and add an extra drizzle to two of olive oil.
If you prefer a smooth purée, you could use a food processor, but the masher does the job – and requires less clean up!
Bags of frozen peas vary in size, so feel free to scale the recipe accordingly. I often use two (12-ounce) bags, and use 1½x the remaining ingredients. Leftovers are easily reheated and also delicious served cold as a dip for crackers and veggies or on toasted bread topped with egg, salmon, cucumbers slices, etc.
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