30 Pea Recipes That Scream Spring (But Can Be Made Year-Round Too)
From fresh to frozen, English peas to sugar snap, we love peas!
Spring has sprung, and it’s time to grab those sunglasses, chuck those coats into the back of the closet, and swap hearty fruits and veggies for lighter, more delicate ones like asparagus and blueberries. One of our favorites? Humble peas. It’s true, they are available year-round (thankfully!), but we especially love them come springtime. Check out these 30 recipes for inspiration—whether you’re working with fresh or frozen, English peas or sugar snap, we know you’ll want to make them again and again.
Looking for the springiest recipes out there? You’ve gotta try our pasta primavera, our cheddar, bacon, & pea pasta salad, our primavera baked orzo, or our burrata, pea, & prosciutto tortellini. They’re fresh, but not too virtuous, and practically scream “warm weather has arrived!”
Craving peas outside of March through May? Peas are a backbone of many of our favorite cozy recipes too, from casseroles to skillet dinners to soups. Check out our split pea soup, our shepherd’s pie, our chicken à la king, or our chicken pot pie for some of the most comforting cold-weather meals around, or just start adding peas to all your favorites. Peas are unassuming enough that you can pretty much add them to anything, and they’ll add a little something extra without taking over.
Want even more fruit and vegetable inspiration? Check out our top broccoli recipes, our favorite butternut squash recipes, and our best strawberry desserts too.
Pasta Primavera
Few dishes mean “spring” like pasta primavera. Primavera in the name alone brings to mind fresh veggies, like zucchini, English peas, leeks, and peppers, all of the things beginning to bloom for a vibrant season of produce ahead. Feel free to swap in whatever you can find at the farmer's market.
Get the Pasta Primavera recipe.
Peas & Carrots
A quick side dish is always appreciated, especially one as easy as this combo. It goes well with your steak dinners, your rice & beans, or your vegan meatloaf, but if you really love your peas and carrots, you could just eat this in one sitting, as a meal (we have! 😉).
Get the Peas & Carrots recipe.
Cheddar, Bacon, & Pea Pasta Salad
The best part about this pasta salad isn’t the crispy bacon (or the simple, creamy dressing), but how strikingly simple it is. Cooking your bacon in the oven frees up your hands to mix the dressing together while the pasta and peas boil in the same pot.
Chicken Pot Pie
This cozy meal represents the marriage of a flaky, buttery crust with chopped chicken, onions, carrots, and peas in a perfectly creamy sauce. While this classic comfort food is one that you can easily find pre-made in almost any grocery freezer aisle, we strongly believe that making your own is more than worth it.
Get the Chicken Pot Pie recipe.
Chicken Fried Rice
If you have leftover rice hanging out in your fridge, then classic fried rice is a no-brainer. There are countless ways to bulk up this staple dinner, from beef fried rice to kimchi fried rice to pineapple fried rice. One of our favorite variations? Classic chicken fried rice.
Get the Chicken Fried Rice recipe.
Primavera Baked Orzo
It turns out that the creamy, subtly sweet flavor of fresh mozzarella plays very nicely with similarly delicate spring produce like shallots, sugar snap peas, and oyster mushrooms. Paired with al dente orzo and a light cream sauce, this hearty dinner is the perfect way to celebrate the return of longer days and warmer temperatures.
Get the Primavera Baked Orzo recipe.
Split Pea Soup
The secret to the best split pea soup? A good, smoky ham hock. If you don't have one or don't eat meat, consider using some smoked paprika instead.
Get the Split Pea Soup recipe.
Ricotta Gnudi
Making gnudi, or Italian ricotta dumplings, only sounds fancy—They're actually an easy pasta dinner anyone can pull off. If you love gnocchi, you'll likely love these too. The only real difference? Gnocchi is made with potato, and gnudi is made with ricotta, which makes them even more tender, light, and plump.
Get the Ricotta Gnudi recipe.
Thai-Style Red Curry Meatballs
When we get tired of beef, we love to turn to ground turkey for a lighter meatball option, and this creamy red Thai-style curry recipe always hits the spot. Warming and creamy with a hint of heat, this is the perfect dish to cozy up to when the weather starts getting colder.
Shepherd's Pie
In this comfort food staple, ground beef is cooked with aromatics and red wine before being combined with corn and peas, all covered with a blanket of velvety, rich mashed potatoes and topped with Parmesan before being broiled until golden brown. There's nothing quite like it.
Get the Shepherd's Pie recipe.
Vegetable Soup
Though vegetable soup is often just made up of random ingredients hanging around your fridge and pantry, it deserves to be exceptional. With a few tricks and tips (bouillon paste, a Parmesan rind, and frozen veggies are key!), it’s easy to take it from basic to “chef’s kiss”.
Get the Vegetable Soup recipe.
Burrata, Pea, & Prosciutto Tortellini
After a quick cook with aromatics in olive oil, sliced sugar snap peas are tossed with toasted tortellini, then topped with salty, tender prosciutto and a ball of creamy burrata. Despite all of the rich and decadent ingredients in this pasta, the sweet green peas take center stage and keep it light and springy.
Seven-Layer Salad
This salad has everything—hard-boiled eggs, BACON, cheese, and a good amount of veggies. Build it for looks, then toss all the ingredients together just before serving.
Get the Seven-Layer Salad recipe.
Snow Peas
With a fresh, vegetal profile and a bit of crunch, snow peas are undoubtedly a star. You could simply fry them with a bit of garlic and oil, but adding more veg like mushrooms, and simple sauce elevate it into a proper side. Serve alongside white rice and a fried egg, and you’re all set.
Get the Snow Peas recipe.
Shrimp & Snow Pea Stir Fry
This stir-fry is the perfect fix for a busy weeknight—only 5 ingredients and 1 skillet and you’re on your way! It's also super versatile: swap in your favorite sauce, a different protein, or add more veggies. This is the BEST way to clean out your produce drawer.
Get the Shrimp & Snow Pea Stir Fry recipe.
Chicken Dijon
We'll always say yes to a creamy chicken dinner, and the classic chicken Dijon is no exception. Paired with a creamy white wine and Dijon mustard-based sauce, this chicken and veggies dish lets you wine and dine all in one bite.
Get the Chicken Dijon recipe.
Homemade Samosas
Homemade samosas don't need to be intimidating! The spiced potato filling is fast and easy, and the dough comes together quickly using melted ghee. You may need to hunt down some spices and seeds, but it's well worth it for the best, most authentic-tasting samosas.
Get the Homemade Samosas recipe.
Paella-Inspired Party Packs
Filled with Spanish rice, chicken thighs, chorizo, frozen peas, and roasted red peppers, these packs take inspiration (with some creative liberties) from one of our favorite centerpiece meals—paella. If you're craving the classic meal but need something more hands-off, then these foil packs are here for you.
Get the Paella-Inspired Party Packs recipe.
Chicken À La King
Chicken à la king is basically a crustless chicken pot pie and we are absolutely here for it. Serve it over pasta, rice, or even biscuits if you like!
Get the Chicken À La King recipe.
Cheese Tortellini With Peas & Bacon
If you love bacon and cheese, say hello to this amazingly easy spring pasta. You only need 5 ingredients—cheese tortellini, bacon, garlic, frozen peas, and Parmesan—to make it, so feel free to jazz it up with extra veggies (asparagus maybe?) or greens if you like.
