You are absolutely going to love my parmesan carrots and green peas with lemon zest. It is so easy to make. Fast and delicious, we like it like that!
So is this a winter dish or a summer dish?
Euhm.
Well, I would say both!
Lemon & Parmesan
These lemon parmesan carrots and green peas are a great side dish.
Especially for all kinds of red meat or even game. The cheese makes it extra salty and savory. But I also like to serve this vegetable side dish lukewarm in the summer. It is a lovely companion for bbq or grilled fish and chicken for instance.
The lemon really does the trick here.
That keeps it fresh and citrusy.
15-Minute Easy Lemon Parmesan Carrots & Peas
I admit that I don’t often cook with frozen vegetables.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with those buggers though.
They especially come in handy when you run out of fresh vegetables. I always buy a load of fresh produce right from my local supermarket or weekly farmers market on Saturdays.
So on Friday nights my vegetable drawer is usually quite empty.
Frozen Veg
And if I need a quick and easy side dish then without too much prepping or I have an extra dinner guest staying over for dinner, then that is usually when I gladly open that one lonely emergency bag of green peas and carrots that I always keep in my freezer.
I have made this recipe with fresh carrots and green peas before though and it was lovely.
I agree, fresh green peas are not always available.
Often times frozen peas are the only option. My mom and dad had this large vegetable patch in our garden when I was a child.
Fresh Peas
They would grow green peas too.
I still remember that fresh and grassy smell when we shelled those fresh peas. What a very pleasant childhood flavor memory!
Do you love vegetable side dishes with parmesan cheese?
Then you should also check out my crispy grilled crash hot potatoes!
Enjoy!
15-Minute Lemon Parmesan Carrots & Peas Recipe
A delicious and vibrant vegetable side!
- 1 lb frozen peas and carrots (450 g)
- 3 tbsp parmesan cheese grated
- zest of 1 small lemon
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 3 bay leaves
- olive oil
- pepper
- salt
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Take the frozen peas and carrots out of the freezer and keep them at room temperature until needed in a couple of minutes. In the meantime peel the garlic cloves and chop them finely. Add the garlic together with the bay leaves and a good splash of olive oil to a large non-stick pan or casserole.
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Place the pan over medium heat and let the garlic fry gently for about 4 to 5 minutes until fragrant. Don’t burn it. In the meantime separate the frozen peas from the carrots. We will divide them because the peas need less time to cook than the carrots do. Keep both peas and carrots at room temperature, don’t put them back in the freezer. Once the garlic is soft, add the frozen carrots to the pan.
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Stir, add half a glass of water and put a lid on the pan. Cook and thaw the carrots at the same time for about 5 minutes. After that, add the frozen peas.
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Stir well again. Season with a little pinch of pepper and salt.
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Then add the lemon zest.
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Put the lid back on the pan and cook the vegetables for another 4 to 5 minutes. In the end check if the peas and carrots are soft. Then add the grated parmesan cheese.
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Take the pan off the heat and stir well. Check the seasoning and add extra pepper or salt to taste if necessary. Transfer the parmesan carrots and peas to a serving dish and serve.
