Creamed Peas are a favorite side dish! Frozen peas cook in a savory Parmesan cream sauce with bacon and onions—all in one dish, no thawing needed!
If you’re looking for a milk-free recipe using frozen peas, try this Frozen Peas Recipe!
Creamed Peas Recipe
During the holiday season, I’m all about indulgent yet simple side dishes that make any holiday spread feel complete and this creamed peas fits that bill.
Serve Creamed Peas with a seared skillet steak, pan-seared salmon, or quick Blackened Chicken, and you’ve got a fancy-looking, delicious dinner with minimal effort. But beware—these Creamed Peas just might steal the show from any main dish!
Ingredients
- Olive Oil: Use just a small amount to keep the bacon from sticking.
- Bacon: Dice before cooking for even browning and quicker cooking time.
- Yellow Onion: Finely dice for quick cooking and even blending with the peas.
- Frozen Peas: Add them directly from frozen to keep them fresh and firm.
- Unsalted Butter: Use unsalted butter to control the salt level in the final dish.
- All-Purpose Flour: Thickens the sauce, giving it a creamy consistency.
- Whole Milk: Use whole milk or heavy cream here. No lower fat milk.
- White Sugar (optional): Add only if the peas need a bit more sweetness.
- Parm Cheese: Freshly grate it for the best melt and flavor.
Variations
Switch Things Up
- Peas & Carrots: Use 4 cups of frozen peas and carrots instead of just peas.
- Pancetta Option: Swap bacon with pancetta for a less smoky flavor.
- Shallots Instead of Onion: Use shallots for a sweeter, milder taste.
- Parm Reggiano: Try Parmigiano Reggiano for extra flavor—it’s delicious here!
- Peas & Potatoes: Boil diced potatoes, drain, and mix in with the peas; double the sauce.
- Fresh Herbs: Add a small handful of fresh herbs for extra freshness.
How To Make Creamed Peas
- Bacon & Onion: Cook bacon and onion in olive oil until the bacon is crispy..
- Peas & Butter: Stir in peas, butter, salt, and pepper; cook until the peas are hot.
- Thicken with Flour: Add flour and stir for 1 minute to get rid of the raw taste.
- Milk & Parm: Pour in milk and a little sugar if you’d like, stirring until it thickens. Mix in Parm, taste, and adjust salt if needed.
Quick Tip
Can I use canned peas instead of frozen? Yes, canned peas work, but frozen peas have a better taste and texture.
Storage
To store leftover creamed peas and bacon, first let the dish cool completely to room temperature. Then, transfer the cooled dish to airtight containers and place them in the refrigerator. The leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
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
Creamed Peas
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!
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 white all-purpose 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)
Instructions
- PREP: 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 Notes
Note 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
Serving: 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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
