Artificial Flavors Free Buttered Pearl Onions and Peas
Sweet, buttery, and impossibly simple, this classic side dish is the kind of thing that makes a weeknight dinner feel a little more special. Pearl onions get a slow simmer until tender, then the heat cranks up just enough to coax out a light golden glaze before the peas join the party — bright green, fresh, and just barely cooked through. Every ingredient here is exactly what it says it is: real butter, fresh thyme, a handful of herbs, nothing more. That matters more than you might think, because so many packaged vegetable sides and seasoning blends sneak in synthetic flavor compounds that have no business being on your plate. Here, the flavor comes entirely from the natural sweetness of the onions and peas, the richness of unsalted butter, and the earthy lift of fresh thyme. It's a short ingredient list that punches well above its weight, and the technique — blanching, glazing, finishing — makes even frozen produce taste like something you grew yourself.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 lb fresh or frozen pearl onions
- 2 cups fresh or frozen peas
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup water
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
If using fresh pearl onions, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Score a shallow X on the root end of each onion, then blanch for 1 minute. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle. Pinch each onion at the stem end to slip off the skin. If using frozen pearl onions, skip this step — they are already peeled.
- 2
In a large skillet, combine the peeled pearl onions, ½ cup water, 1 tbsp of the butter, and the salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cover and cook until the onions are just tender when pierced with a knife, about 8–10 minutes.
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