This comforting combination of creamed potatoes and peas brings together two classic vegetables in a rich, velvety sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes, this budget-friendly side dish delivers both nutrients and nostalgic flavor to your dinner table.
With perfectly tender potatoes and sweet green peas swimming in a smooth, buttery cream sauce, it’s a satisfying addition that pairs beautifully with any main course. The best part? It’s packed with vitamins A and C while keeping the calorie count to a reasonable 229 per serving.
Ingredients Section
- Baby Red Potatoes (1 pound): Washed and cut into bite-sized pieces for even cooking
- Frozen Peas (1 cup): Fresh peas can be substituted if available
- Butter (4 Tablespoons): Creates the base for our creamy sauce
- All-purpose Flour (1/4 cup): Helps thicken the cream sauce
- Milk (1 cup): Use whole milk for best results
- Heavy Cream (1/4 cup): Adds richness to the sauce
- Chicken Bouillon (1 teaspoon): Enhances overall flavor
- Salt and Pepper: Season to taste for perfect flavor balance
Instructions Section
- Prepare Potatoes: Boil bite-sized potato pieces for 5-8 minutes until fork-tender, being careful not to overcook
- Create Roux: Melt butter and blend with flour, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly
- Make Sauce: Gradually whisk in milk until smooth, then cook until slightly thickened
- Season: Add bouillon, pepper, and salt, then stir in heavy cream until reaching desired consistency
- Final Touch: Gently fold in potatoes and peas, ensuring everything is well-coated in the creamy sauce
- Serve: Present while warm for the best taste and texture
Cooking Tips
Getting this creamy sauce just right is super easy! The key is paying attention to your roux (that’s the butter and flour mixture). Keep stirring it gently and watch as it bubbles for that one minute – this helps remove any flour taste.
When you add the milk, pour it in slowly while whisking, and you’ll end up with a perfectly smooth sauce every time. For the potatoes, try pricking them with a fork while they cook – they’re done when the fork slides in easily but they still hold their shape.
Simple Swaps
This recipe is so flexible! Don’t have baby red potatoes? Regular russet potatoes work great – just cut them into 1-inch pieces. You can swap the heavy cream for half-and-half or whole milk if you want a lighter version.
Fresh peas are amazing in spring, but frozen peas are perfect year-round. For a vegetarian version, just use vegetable bouillon instead of chicken. Want to make it extra special? Try adding some fresh herbs like dill or parsley at the end!
Serving Ideas
This cozy side dish pairs beautifully with roasted chicken or meatloaf. It’s also perfect next to a ham dinner! Add a sprinkle of fresh black pepper on top right before serving for extra flavor.
If you’re serving it for a family dinner, put it in a warm bowl and let everyone help themselves – the creamy sauce is so good, folks will want seconds!
Storage and Leftovers
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in your fridge – they’ll stay yummy for up to 3 days. When reheating, add a tiny splash of milk and warm it slowly on the stovetop or in short bursts in the microwave.
Give it a gentle stir now and then to keep the sauce smooth. The potatoes might be a bit softer after reheating, but they’ll still taste great!
Creamed Potatoes and Peas
Equipment
- Pot
- Colander
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby red potatoes
- 1 cup frozen peas or fresh
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
- to taste salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Wash and cut the potatoes into bite-size pieces. Add to a pot of boiling water and cook until fork tender, about 5-8 minutes. Be careful not to over-cook them–you don’t want them to be too soft. Drain into a colander and set aside.
- In the same pot, over medium heat, add the butter and melt. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Slowly stir in milk, whisking the entire time, until blended and smooth. Cook, stirring, until slightly thickened. Add the chicken bullion paste and season with pepper and a little bit of salt.
- Stir in heavy cream until you’ve reached a good gravy consistency. Taste the sauce, and add more salt, pepper or bullion paste, as needed to reach a great flavor. Add another splash of milk, if needed, to thin the mixture.
- Add potatoes and frozen peas and stir everything gently to coat. Serve warm.
