You know those nights when it’s almost too much effort to cook, and you can summon up the energy to pan fry some chicken breasts or pork chops, but you’re really not enthused about putting a lot of effort into a side dish? Don’t reach for the processed stuff with the artificial flavors and preservatives. This post has you covered. Herbed rice and peas is a simple to prepare side.
To make this side you can cook the rice fresh, or use leftover rice. To make it even simpler, you could even use the plain rice in the pouches…there’s no judging in Lydia’s Flexitarian Kitchen. Besides, you’re tired, right?
The sky’s the limit when it comes to the seasoning. If you’re unsure, a good combination to start with is thyme and/or parsley. Those two herbs add a nice green color and work with just about any food, especially meats. If you’re serving fish, consider adding dill or mint. Basil is a good choice to complement tomatoes and sauces. You could also add your favorite curry powder or cinnamon for a little spice. A little lemon or orange peel will help brighten the flavors, too.
This pin has a nice infographic with some good suggestions for herbs and spices to use. No matter your pick, start with a small amount and add more as needed. With a little experimentation you’ll grow more confident about your choices.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked rice I used basmati
- 1 cup of frozen peas steamed
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- olive oil for sauteing omit if steam sauteeing
- 2 - 3 tablespoons of butter or vegan spread
- 1 tablespoon fresh herbs OR 2 teaspoons dried herbs OR 1 teaspoon spice/spice mix I used a mix of fresh thyme and parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Use a large skillet to saute the onions in a little olive oil while the peas are steaming in the microwave.
- Melt the butter and your choice of herbs and spices in the same skillet.
- Mix in the peas and the rice and stir well to distribute the herbs evenly throughout. Season with salt and pepper.
- Continue to heat until the rice is warmed through.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings before serving.
If you use thin cut chicken breasts or pork chops a meal like this can take about 30 minutes to throw together…even less if you take advantage of leftover meat and prepared rice. Add some fruit or a salad and you have a meal.
It is so fun to experiment with different herbs and spices. I love fresh herbs as well as curry powder and spicy chili powder. Dill and fish is definitely a great combo. This looks like a wonderful side dish to complement just about any protein.
Have fun with the different combinations 🙂
This sounds absolutely delicious. My kind of meal!
Everyone loves simple, especially when it’s tasty, too 🙂
That would totally hit the spot for me right now. It sounds soooooo good! All the flavors are YUMMY!
I confess to just eating the rice and peas on occasion. It hits the spot 🙂
I always have frozen peas on hand — so nice to add to a dish. This is a perfect use for them — how colorful and flavorful this is! Thanks so much. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, John! I think everyone has peas in the freezer, which makes this an ideal side. 🙂
This looks so healthy!
Hope you get a chance to make it, Jamie. 🙂
I love recipes like this! Sweet peas with rice is fantastic and makes for such an easy weeknight go to. This looks beautiful Lydia
Thanks, Erica. Everyone needs a couple go to recipes. 🙂
That definitely looks and sounds like a side dish I would love to eat. I don’t eat too much rice but this is so very tempting and pretty easy to make!!
The same method would probably work with cauliflower “rice”, too, now that I think about it. 🙂
Peas are a veggie my kids don’t complain about eating, so we use it a lot. I don’t want to burn them out on just eating plain ol’ peas, so this is a super great way to mix it up. Can’t wait to try it.
I think so, too. It’s easy to change the flavor by changing the herbs. Enjoy 🙂
That looks really delicious. Peas are one of my favorite things to add to rice.
They’re so versatile. 🙂
Mmmm… comfort food with childhood memories! I always enjoyed my mother’s rice and peas dish every spring, especially when I was the one harvesting the peas! She would vary her spices and herbs, but I just loved it when she would put mint in the dish – so fresh and spring like! Unfortunately, my husband does not eat peas! Ah well, I can always dream.
My father would plant several rows of peas every Spring (always divisible by 3 since there were 3 of us “laborers”). Even now when I cook fresh peas the smell reminds me of those days.