Petits pois-carottes, little peas & carrots, is an everyday French side dish frequently eaten from a can that deserves to be made from scratch. See for yourself how petits pois-carottes is a classic flavor combination many French kids love and find out how you can easily make a batch at home.
Eat your veggies!
Petit pois-carottes is one of those dishes I’ve only had from a can growing up. Why, you may ask. Probably because peas take well to canning, and so do carrots. But the real reason likely lies in convenience — and cost efficiency.
Canned petit pois-carottes was a cornerstone of my dad’s Sunday cooking. Mom and we kids would spend all morning at the pool. Dad would stay behind, most likely bathing in the delight of having the house to himself, savoring a rare moment of peace and quiet. At lunchtime, he’d have food ready for us as we barged into the house all famished, with wet locks, reeking of chlorine.
What he’d make then was pretty consistently the same combo, not to our discontent: basmati rice with a drizzle of soy sauce, frozen fish sticks brightened with a squeeze of lemon, and for veggies, peas & carrots out of a can. Everybody was pleased. The peas were popping, the carrots were melting, their sweet braising liquid was addictive. And how deeply satisfying the bright contrast of orange and green!
Making Peas & Carrots Anew and Afresh
Why make something from scratch when you can eat it from a can? I think the better question is: Why eat something from a can when you can make it from scratch? Because we all know how canned food tastes — over-cooked and cloyingly sweet. And while that’s great when you’re a toothless toddler, a clueless kid, or an overwhelmed parent, home-cooked petit pois carottes ultimately have more character.
Making this dish yourself lets you have a say in exactly how you want it. You can skip the sugar. You can cut the veggies to your fancy. More importantly, you can impart freshness, and this uplifting dish will only be more uplifting for it. So no, your efforts won’t have been for nothing, or as my dad would say, pour des queues de carottes — for carrot stems.
About this Recipe
A classic and delicately seasoned French side dish made of starchy and root vegetables braised until tender. Made with simple ingredients, petit pois-carottes offers clean flavor and always feels like a new beginning. A dish that also happens to be vegan — a rarity in French cooking!
This side doesn’t take much time, much effort, or many ingredients, and soon you’ll possess delicious, perfectly cooked vegetables that pair beautifully with rice or potatoes and your favorite protein. Also a good filling for a flan or quiche, if you want to take it a step further.
Both carrots and peas are naturally sweet, so I don’t add any sweetener. If you crave that oh-so-sweet taste, you can always add a teaspoon of sugar.
When you buy a can of petits pois-carottes, it’ll often say cooked “à l’étuvée,” which means braised in its juices. This is what makes this recipe shine.
Bon appétit!
>> To elevate this humble dish, try using Vegetable Stock instead of water.
>> And if you’ve got carrot tops on your hands, why not make them into an easy Carrot Top Relish?
Is there a canned food you loved growing up? Have you ever had peas & carrots? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
Peas & Carrots – Petits pois-carottes
Equipment
- small pot with lid
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil – or other
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ cup sweet peas – fresh or frozen
- 2 medium orange carrots – 1 cup sliced
- ⅓ cup water
- ¼ tsp salt – to taste
- couple pinches finely ground black pepper – to taste
- 2 tsp herbs such as thyme or parsley – optional
Instructions
- Wash your carrots and, unless they are extremely fresh, peel them — but no need to waste the peel here: you can make a tiny salad by seasoning them with a little salt, vinegar, and oil! Now slice the carrots, thicker if the carrots are small and thinner if they are large.
- In a small pot fitted with a lid over medium heat, heat up a little oil. Smash a clove of garlic, or simply slice it if you’re feeling tired, and cook it in the oil for just a minute until fragrant. Add the cut carrots and the peas. Add a little water, or about 1/3 cup, and season with a couple pinches of salt. (Seasoning now rather than later will help preserve the bright colors.) Give everything a stir and cover.
- Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to maintain a low simmer. The more gently the veggies cook, the better it will be for both texture and flavor. I like the veggies fork-tender but not mushy. This usually takes about 20 min, but test for doneness around 15 min, just to be sure.
- Toss in the herbs, if any, and a few grinds of black pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve warm next to your favorite carbs, making sure to spoon all the juices! Got bread? It’ll be great for soaking them all up.
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