French peas, known in France as petits pois à la française, are tender green peas gently braised with lettuce, shallots, lardons (bacon), and butter. It may sound like an unusual combination, but the lettuce melts into the peas and creates a delicate, savory sauce that makes this simple vegetable dish surprisingly delicious. And the best part? You can make French peas with either fresh or frozen peas, so there is no need to wait for pea season.
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Why You'll Love This French Peas Recipe
Simple ingredients: peas, lettuce, shallots, butter and stock are all you need.
Quick to make: this is an easy vegetable side dish that comes together in about 20 minutes of cooking time.
Fresh or frozen: frozen petits pois make this recipe practical all year.
A true French classic: petits pois à la française is a traditional French preparation of peas with lettuce and onions.
Versatile: serve French peas with chicken, pork, beef, fish or eggs.
Naturally vegetarian: simply use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
What To Serve With This Dish
- As mentioned earlier meat dishes go well with this side dish like beef, pork, chicken, or any kind of meat.
- You could serve them with poached eggs on toast - really tasty, and cheap.
Variations
For added zing and an extra color, use 150 grams of lardons, or chopped smoked bacon, cooking these at the same time as the shallots.
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French Peas
Ingredients
- 2 shallots 2-3 finely sliced
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil avocado or grapeseed
- 1 Little Gem lettuce or small butter lettuce, shredded
- 10 oz fresh or frozen peas
- ½ cup hot chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 5 oz lardons or chopped smoked bacon optional
Instructions
- Cook the finely sliced shallots with the lardons, or chopped smoked bacon if using, in the butter and oil until soft.
- Stir the shredded lettuce into the shallots, and once it's wilted, add the fresh or frozen peas and stock.
- Cook at a lively simmer until the peas are tender and most of the liquid has reduced. (No cover.)
Notes
- Frozen peas have already been blanched and may need less cooking time because of this.
- Larger fresh peas may need longer to be tender; taste for tenderness as the cooking time nears the end.
- Add more hot stock or water if the dish seems like it is getting dry as it cooks.
- This recipe will serve 2 as a main dish with sides or 4 as a vegetable side dish.
Judith says
My Mom used to make this dish even though she was of English lineage, not French. And, oh, they were delicious to eat. Easy and quick side to make to enhance any main course. Bon Appetit! 🫛😋