Gordon Ramsay’s mushy peas are sweet, buttery and crushed chunky, made with frozen peas, fresh mint, shallot and a little red chilli. They take about 15 minutes start to finish.
Most people make plain peas with butter, but his recipe in Ultimate Home Cooking has a twist. He sweats shallot, chilli and garlic in butter first, then folds the minted peas into that base. He reckons peas taste even better with a bit of spice.
The trick that keeps them bright is the mint. You drop fresh mint stalks into the boiling water with the peas, so the flavour goes right through them. Then you crush, never blend, so they stay rustic and chunky.
Cooked this recipe? Send a photo or tell me what you changed at fans@gordonramsayrecipes.uk and I’ll share your experience live on this page.
Gordon Ramsay Mushy Peas
Course: SideCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy4
servings5
minutes10
minutes110
kcal15
minutesHis Ultimate Home Cooking chilli-minted version, where sweet frozen peas are crushed into a buttery base of shallot, chilli and garlic, then finished with fresh mint. A proper British pub side with a gentle kick.
Ingredients
Olive oil, for frying
Knob of butter
1 banana shallot, peeled and finely diced
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
400g frozen garden peas
4 mint sprigs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Sweat the aromatics: Heat a dash of oil and a knob of butter in a pan. Add the shallot and chilli, cook 2 to 3 minutes, then add the garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook gently 6 to 7 minutes until soft.
- Blanch the peas: Bring a pan of water to the boil with a pinch of salt and 2 mint sprigs. Add the peas and cook until tender, then drain and discard the mint.
- Combine: Tip the drained peas into the shallot pan and mix well.
- Crush: Roughly mash with a potato masher. Leave it chunky, not smooth.
- Finish: Shred the remaining mint, stir it through, taste and season. Serve hot.
FAQs
What makes Gordon Ramsay’s mushy peas different?
The chilli. Most mushy peas are just peas, butter and mint, but he sweats a shallot, a red chilli and garlic in butter first, then crushes the peas into that. He says peas taste even better when they are slightly spicy.
He does not always do them this way, though. In Great British Pub Food he keeps it sharper, blanching the peas with mint and pulsing them with a splash of wine vinegar. Same chunky idea, different finish.
Does Gordon Ramsay put cream in his mushy peas?
No. A lot of recipes online add heavy cream, but he never does. His are built on butter, mint and the sweetness of the peas themselves, so they stay fresh and green rather than heavy.
That is the whole point of the dish for him. It is about the pea, not masking it. Cream turns them into something closer to a soup, which is not what a proper mushy pea should be.
Why crush mushy peas instead of blending them?
Texture. He crushes them with a masher or on a board so you get whole peas and half peas all through, not a smooth paste. On camera he says you cannot beat crushed peas.
Blending wrecks that. Over-blend and you get baby food, dull and sloppy. A few seconds of mashing keeps them rustic, which is exactly how they are served alongside fish and chips. If you want the smooth, blended version instead, that is his pea purée, a separate dish he serves under scallops and duck.
Should you use frozen or marrowfat peas?
Frozen garden peas, every time. Traditional mushy peas use dried marrowfat soaked overnight, but he skips all that. Frozen peas are picked and frozen at their sweetest, so they need no soaking and stay vibrant.
Do not use tinned peas. They are already soft and grey, so you lose the fresh colour and the sweet bite that makes this dish worth making.
What do you serve with mushy peas?
They are made for his beer-battered fish and chips, which is the pairing he cooks them with. The sweet peas cut through the crisp batter perfectly.
Beyond the chippy, they are brilliant with his toad in the hole and sausages, or spooned beside a creamy fish pie. For a smoother veg side instead, his carrot purée works the same way on the plate.
Can you make mushy peas ahead, and do they keep?
They are best fresh. You can make them an hour or two ahead and warm them gently, but the bright green fades the longer they sit, and reheated peas lose that just-cooked sweetness.
If you do have leftovers, keep them covered in the fridge for a day and stir in a little butter when you warm them. I would not push them past that.
