Frozen peas are tastier if you skip boiling and cook them with 1 simple ingredient instead

Frozen peas are a quick and convenient way to add some vegetables to your dinner plate, but many people dislike eating them because they often taste bland and mushy. Boiling peas might seem like the correct way to cook them, but heat often breaks down the vegetables, preventing you from tasting their natural sugars and causing them to taste bitter.

However, Emily, a cook and founder of One Lovely Life, has shared peas should actually have a sweet and fresh taste, as long as you sauté them with butter instead. Emily said: "The best way to cook frozen peas isn't boiling. It's sautéing! You'll sauté the frozen peas in a frying pan/skillet with some simple seasonings and they'll have both the best texture and flavour."

She added: "You don't need much, but adding just one to two tablespoons of butter (or olive oil for a vegan option) to your pan makes for better texture AND flavour. It'll also help the seasonings stick!"

Cooking peas in butter gives them a slightly crisp texture and helps them stay plump and vibrant, rather than turning into a mushy mess like they can when boiled.

It will also greatly improve the flavour as they will absorb the richness of the butter, and any other seasoning you add will also stick better to the shells.

Boiling vegetables can cause a lot of the vitamins to leach into the water, so sautéing can also help make your peas even much nutritional.

Sautéing peas might sound complicated if you have never tried it before, but it only takes a few minutes and actually requires less fuss than boiling once you have tried it.

How to make tasty frozen peas

You will need:

• One bag of frozen peas (300g to 450g)
• 15ml to 30ml of butter (or olive oil)
• One clove of minced garlic (or one teaspoon of garlic powder)
• Salt and pepper

Method:

To begin, place a pan on a medium heat, and add the butter. Once melted, add the frozen peas, and there is no need to wait for them to thaw first.

Cook the peas for six to eight minutes, and keep stirring them until they look green and tender. You will know they are ready if they are no longer crunchy and can be pierced with a fork, but be careful not to overcook them otherwise they will become mushy.

Add the garlic, salt and pepper to the pan and stir for 30 more seconds. If you want, you can also season your peas with lemon zest, parmesan cheese, mint or even a pinch of sugar to bring out their natural sweetness.

Your plump and much tastier peas will then be ready to serve. If you are storing them as leftovers, they may harden in the fridge since they were cooked in butter, but they will quickly melt and taste delicious once you reheat them.