When Peas Aren't In Season, One Chef Suggests This — But It's Pricier

Peas are the harbingers of late spring and summer, adding a pop of green, savory sweetness to side dishes, main dishes, soups, stir fries, and even pureed into pasta sauce. Unfortunately, fresh peas are a fleeting product, and you'll probably only see them between May and July. While you may resort to frozen peas for the other nine months out of the year, that's not the only option to get your off-season pea fix. We spoke with George Madosky, a sous chef at a.kitchen+bar DC who advises against opting for canned or frozen peas.

"Fresh peas in season are always best," he reveals. While you should never buy a vegetable like peas out of season, Madosky argues that "there are excellent off-season peas grown in greenhouses that can still be very high quality. It really depends on availability and freshness." If you see fresh peas in the middle of winter at your local grocery store, they're either imported from producing countries with warmer climates or grown in a controlled climate greenhouse.

These greenhouse grown peas come at a premium price because of limited availability and production cost. So, you're going to have to shell out (no pun intended) over twice as much for fresh peas in the fall or winter than during the in-season months. If you have a few more dollars to spend, it's certainly worth it because, as the chef says, "fresh is almost always preferable."

Whether in season or out of season, Madosky shares how to pick peas at their peak freshness. "Look for peas still in their pods," he explains. "The pods should be smooth, firm, vibrant in color, and feel full of life. Avoid pods that show discoloration, wrinkling, or signs of drying out." While shelled peas are certainly more convenient, the pod keeps them fresh and maintains optimal sweetness and texture. Once shelled, peas need to be cooked and consumed as soon as possible.

If you can't find fresh peas out of season, don't despair. Frozen peas are still a great alternative. In fact, acclaimed celebrity chef Bobby Flay prefers frozen peas to fresh peas. In an exclusive with Tasting Table, Flay revealed that, because fresh peas have such a short shelf life, they become starchy and flavorless very quickly. Frozen peas, on the other hand, are cooked and frozen at peak freshness, locking in nutrients, color, and flavor.

Additionally, frozen peas have a textural advantage, as they retain their peak tender crunch whereas fresh peas become starchy within a day or two in the fridge. You can also look for different types of peas to replace shelling peas. Sugar snap peas have a different peak season of late winter and early spring, for example, with the added bonus of an edible shell.