Registered Dietitians Share 6 Unexpected Ways To Eat Frozen Peas For Every Meal

We asked some of our favorite registered dietitians for their go-to budget-friendly recipes featuring frozen peas. Here are their unique (and totally delicious) suggestions.

What’s better than traditional guac? Pea gauc (trust us). “This dish was on full display for my Game of Thrones-premier girls’ night,” says Zeitlin. “Adding in some mashed peas to traditional guac ups the potassium factor (which helps to fight bloat) and the fiber factor, making this a seriously satisfying app or snack.” Pair it with crudité or whole grain crackers—or even cook up a cauliflower crust and cut it into chip-sized pieces for dunking. 

Get this: You don’t even need to thaw peas to reap their potent nutritional perks. “Still frozen, they're great to add to a smoothie to add some protein, fiber, and a smooth texture,” says Jess Cording, R.D., registered dietitian and mbg Collective member. “I love pairing them with frozen banana and berries, frozen riced cauliflower, and fresh or frozen greens. For liquid, you can use water or your favorite milk. For healthy fats, you can throw in a tablespoon of your favorite nuts, seeds, or nut butter.”

How to make it: “I chop up a variety of vegetables such as a bell pepper, tomatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic. I sauté the veggies in coconut oil and add canned coconut milk and curry powder. A hint of cayenne pepper can also be added for spice,” says Bouchard. “Next, I add spinach, chickpeas, and frozen peas and let is simmer. Once thickened, serve it over quinoa or brown rice.”

Eggs and peas are a nutritional power pair if we ever saw one—and the dietitians we spoke with agreed. “I bake them into a frittata with greens and goat cheese for an easy option that's great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner,” says Cording. Tossing them into your scrambled eggs works great, too. “Adding peas to my scrambled eggs gives my morning an added texture and bite that I really love. I pair this with a slice of whole wheat toast,” says Zeitlin. “Or add two poached eggs on top of some sautéed peas, onions, and spinach for a weekend morning.” 

For an ultra budget-friendly meal that makes for super convenient leftovers, this is a winner. “Adding peas to my pasta dishes immediately gives them that fresh springtime vibe with a big boost of stress-fighting magnesium—and we can all use some added stress release as we wind down over dinner after a long day,” says Zeitlin. “I sauté cherry tomatoes, peas, red pepper flakes, and olive oil, then toss it together with some al dente chickpea pasta.”

Need dinner in a hurry? “Stir-fries are my weeknight go-to’s because they're super fast to throw together, delicious, and have no real directions to follow,” says Zeitlin. “I toss in spinach, tomatoes, red peppers, zucchini, and frozen peas, but you can mix in any vegetable that you have in the fridge or freezer. Cook it all together in some olive oil for a super fiber-rich, filling dinner.” For added staying power, you can add some chicken or steak, or keep things totally plant-based with three tablespoons of hemp seeds, which deliver 10 grams of protein.