Mushy Peas

A surprisingly versatile and bright vegetable sidedish.

By
Sydney Oland
Sydney Oland: Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Sydney Oland
Sydney Oland lives in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, where she develops recipes and owns and operates three businesses: a bean-to-bar chocolate company, an ice cream company, and a collective food production space. Previously, she wrote brunch and British food recipe columns for Serious Eats.
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Updated December 21, 2023
A small white bowl of mushy green peas.

Serious Eats / Sydney Oland

Why It Works

  • The original dish calls for field-dried mature peas, but frozen works just fine.
  • Finishing with lemon juice adds brightness to the dish.

To many of us, the idea of serving any vegetable mushy conjures up images of sad canned string beans and overcooked carrots. Mushy peas are miles away from both of those dishes—peas are cooked simply with butter, then mashed and seasoned with lemon, salt and pepper. The result is a simple bright side dish that comes together in no time at all, and adds vivid color and light flavors to any plate.

Traditionally, mushy peas are made with marrowfat peas, which are mature peas left to dry outside in the field. These days, it's simpler to find a bag of frozen peas to make this classic dish. Mushy peas are usually found as a side for fish and chips, and if you're heading that way, there's nothing quite like a chunk of battered fish dipped in warm mushy peas. But in the spirit of British ingenuity, this simple side can be adapted into a heap of other dishes. Combined with a few drizzles of cream, it becomes a great sauce for some pasta; it makes a great filling for omelets; and can make a fantastic before-supper nibble spread on some toast and topped with slivered ham.

July 2012

Recipe Details

Mushy Peas

Cook 20 mins
Active 15 mins
Total 20 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound frozen peas

  • 2 tablespoons butter, divided

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon

  • Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint, basil, or sage (optional)

Directions

  1. Place peas, 1 tablespoon butter, and water in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Cook, stirring often, until peas are thawed and soft and butter is melted, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and mash peas with a potato masher or wooden spoon until desired consistency is reached.

  2. Add lemon juice and remaining butter and mix until butter is incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper adding optional herbs if using.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
140 Calories
6g Fat
16g Carbs
6g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 140
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 4g 19%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 207mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 12mg 59%
Calcium 30mg 2%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 131mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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