Creamed Peas

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Creamy and perfectly seasoned, this homemade Creamed Peas recipe is ready in under 15 minutes! It’s made with simple ingredients including frozen peas, so it’s an easy side dish to prepare for holidays or any night of the week, and pairs well with just about everything.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: creamed peas, easy side dishes, homemade creamed peas

Servings:

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small sweet onion , diced
2 cloves garlic , minced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups half-n-half (see note)
4 cups frozen baby peas , thawed and excess moisture removed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
finely chopped fresh parsley , for garnish

Instructions

In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until softened and translucent, stirring frequently, about 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Stir in the salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne. Then whisk in the flour until fully incorporated and no white streaks remain to create a roux, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn.
Slowly pour in the half-n-half and whisk to combine, making sure the roux isn't clumpy.
Add in the peas; cook, stirring frequently for about 4 minutes, or until sauce has thickened and peas are warmed through.
Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted.
Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired. Serve immediately while hot and still shiny with a little cracked black pepper and fresh chopped parsley.

Notes

Can I use canned peas? It's not our preference, but yes, you can use well-drained canned peas to make creamed peas. Add them in at the very end or they will be far too mushy.

Use heavy cream or whole milk. We prefer half-n-half, which is simply equal parts heavy cream and whole milk, since it provides the perfect combination of creaminess and richness, but you can also use all heavy cream (for ultra creaminess) or all whole milk (for fewer calories. Note that it won't be as thick or creamy.)

Add in some bacon. For even more flavor and some added texture, add in some cooked crumbled bacon.

My creamed peas are too runny – what can I do? The easiest thing to do here is just continue letting it cook for a few more minutes. This will usually thicken it up just enough. You can also use a cornstarch slurry of equally parts cornstarch and water whisked together then added to the peas. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more if necessary.

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