Creamy Peas with Fregola and cheese is a great recipe for a quick lunch or a tasty dinner. How often do you have a bag of frozen peas in the fridge and no idea what to do with them? Well, this is the perfect way to use them!
With just a few simple ingredients, you can make a delicious and comforting dish. The fregola’s nutty flavor goes so well with the sweetness of the peas and the creamy cheese. Plus, it’s super easy to prepare—perfect for busy days when you want a homemade meal without too much effort!
How to make Creamy Peas with Fregola
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the fregola. Meanwhile, finely chop the shallot. In a non-stick pan, heat some olive oil with fresh thyme, then add the chopped shallot and let it soften. Add the fresh or frozen peas and cook over medium heat for about 5-6 minutes. Once the peas are cooked, blend most of them to create a creamy purée. In a bowl, mix the pea cream with the cooked fregola until well combined. Divide into portions and serve, topping each plate with some spreadable cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and freshly ground black pepper. Finish by decorating with the remaining whole peas. Serve hot and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- To avoid a cream that is too thick, you can add a little water while blending.
- For a more vibrant green color, use frozen peas instead of fresh ones.
- Once blended, the pea cream can be easily frozen and used later.
Variations and Additions
- Instead of fregola, you can use regular pasta—small shapes work best. Barley or farro are also great alternatives for this recipe.
- If you want to make the dish vegan, simply replace the spreadable cheese with a plant-based alternative.
- For an extra kick, add a pinch of dried chili flakes to the peas while they cook.
Fresh Peas vs. Frozen Peas
Using fresh peas requires more work, as they need to be shelled and washed, whereas frozen peas are already prepped and ready to use. In terms of taste, there’s almost no difference once they’re cooked and blended. However, if you want a vibrant green cream, frozen peas are the best choice—fresh peas tend to turn darker and almost brown after cooking and blending.
How to Store Creamy Peas with Fregola
Once prepared, fregola with peas is best enjoyed immediately. However, if you want to get ahead with the recipe or always have some pea cream ready, you can make the cream in advance and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days or freeze it for later use.
Creamy Peas with Fregola– A Simple and Tasty Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb frozen peas
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 shallot
- 10 oz fregola/pasta
- 4 tbsp spreadable cheese
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 sprig thyme
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the fregola.
- Finely chop the shallot.
- In a non-stick pan, add olive oil and fresh thyme. Once warm, add the chopped shallot.
- Add the fresh or frozen peas and cook over medium heat for about 5-6 minutes.
- Once the peas are cooked, blend most of them to create a creamy purée.
- In a bowl, mix the pea cream with the cooked fregola.
- Divide into portions and serve on plates, adding some spreadable cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and freshly ground black pepper.Â
- Finish by decorating with the remaining whole peas.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
