Pork Free Buttered Pearl Onions and Peas
This simple side dish is the kind of thing that makes a whole plate feel more special — sweet pearl onions glazed to a gentle golden edge, bright green peas, and just enough butter to tie it all together. The technique here is straightforward but genuinely satisfying: the onions simmer until tender, then the liquid cooks off so they pick up a little color and a light, glossy coating before the peas ever hit the pan. Fresh thyme adds an herby lift that keeps the whole thing from feeling heavy, and a scatter of parsley at the end makes it look like you put in way more effort than you did. Every ingredient in this dish is naturally free of pork and pork-derived products, so there's nothing to second-guess or swap out — just clean, honest produce and butter doing exactly what they're supposed to do. It works beautifully alongside roasted chicken, a holiday spread, or really any main that could use a bright, buttery vegetable on the side.
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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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