22 Spring Pea Recipes to Make While They’re at Peak Freshness
’Tis (finally) the season for spring produce, and we have our sights set on the freshest peas at the farmers market. Whether you’re using garden peas, snow peas or snap peas, their sweet, earthy flavor and vibrant color are bound to brighten up any seasonal dish you make. Here are 22 spring pea recipes to try while they’re at peak deliciousness, from soup to crostini.
RELATED: 70 Spring Dinner Ideas to Celebrate the Season
1. Double Pea, Prosciutto and Burrata Platter
Aka the greenest charcuterie plate you’ll ever assemble. The peas are tossed in a mix of lemon juice, olive oil, Pecorino Romano and spices.
2. Spring Pea Soup with Mint
In case you haven’t heard, mint and peas are basically soulmates. Mint’s bright herbal flavor brings out the best in the peas’ delicate sweetness.
3. Seared Scallops with Green Peas, Mint and Shallots
After the peas are blanched, they’re blended with herbs and seasonings until they become a creamy purée.
4. Spring Panzanella Salad
Bread salad, where have you been all our life? Not only is this dish loaded with whole-wheat sourdough and tangy mustard dressing, but it’s also got a ton of seasonal produce, like asparagus, peas, scallions and watercress.
5. Instant Pot Spaghetti with Goat Cheese, Mint and Peas
Cooking pasta in your pressure cooker is life changing. The key is dropping the dry noodles with the aromatics first for flavor, then quick-releasing the pressure once they’re cooked, so they stay al dente.
6. Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Chèvre Ranch
Goat’s milk cheese can do so much more than sit on a cheese board and look pretty. The proof is in the pudding dressing, made with mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and all the fresh herbs.
7. Asparagus, Pea and Ricotta Tarts
These pretty appetizers are destined for Easter brunch. They’re made with store-bought puff pastry dough, so you’ll only need to assemble and bake the tarts to flaky perfection.
8. Sweet Pea and Leek Curry
Bring on the anti-inflammatories (looking at you, turmeric). Serve the curry over brown rice to make it a meal.
9. 20-Minute Burrata Salad with Stone Fruit and Asparagus
BRB, picking all the fresh peaches, plums and cherries we can get our hands on.
10. Chicken and Snap Pea Stir-Fry
You can never have too many 20-minute weeknight dinners up your sleeve, especially those that keep you from ordering takeout (again…).
11. Spring Pea and Asparagus Pasta
Pasta + fresh veggies + lemon butter + toasted pine nuts = the classiest (and simplest) potluck contribution of all time.
12. Creamy Asparagus and Pea Soup
Two seasonal heavyweights transform into a decadent, garlicky masterpiece after being roasted and blended until creamy. We’ll take extra garlic-herb croutons on ours, please.
13. Spring Pea Crostini with Feta and Dill
These are nutritious, elegant and oh so springy, meaning they’re just the Mother’s Day appetizer you’ve been searching for.
14. Spring Pea Pasta with Burrata
This dish is super flexible. Feel free to use fresh mozzarella instead of burrata, swap in frozen peas for fresh or throw some asparagus or scallions into the mix.
15. Super Green Pea and Asparagus Burrata Pizza
Not only does it boast tangy crumbled feta, peppery watercress and salty prosciutto, but it’s also finished with a fresh basil vinaigrette that makes the pie sing.
16. Spring Pea and Carrot Salad with Carrot Top Pesto
PSA: Do *not* throw out your carrot greens. They’re sweet and earthy, plus make a great pesto base with the help of fresh basil.
17. Smashed Pea Bruschetta with Whipped Ricotta
Bury us in lemon-kissed, light-as-air ricotta cheese, please and thank you.
18. Spring Pea Pasta with Truffle Oil, Lemon and Mint
The recipe calls for pea shoots, which are the leaves that grow on a pea plant. They’re super crisp raw but turn tender and wilted once they’re added to the warm pasta.
19. Minestrone Verde
Come for the green beans, zucchini, sweet peas and fava beans, stay for the pistachio-parsley gremolata.
20. Pancetta Pea Asparagus Farro Risotto
Risotto is typically made with rice, but did you know you could substitute anything from buckwheat to quinoa to barley? Trade arborio for farro, a hearty whole grain that’s loaded with protein, fiber and nutrients.
21. Everything Spring Green Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
This mix of cabbage, spinach, tomatoes, bell peppers and more is almost too gorgeous to eat. Almost.
22. Spring Pea and Onion Gluten-Free Noodle Bowls
Rice noodles are the chewy, light pasta alternative we can’t get enough of. They’re more than just delicious, too: They’re packed with phosphorus, manganese and selenium.
RELATED: 55 Spring Desserts Starring *All* the Seasonal Produce
