pea salad with burrata & mint

Wellness doesn’t always come in the form of a big bowl of greens, but when it does I think I prefer it to be a mixture of delicious peas with a big ball of cheese on top. Sound good? Thought so.

Threes peas

Peas are a wonderful plant to grow or scope out in the spring as they’re in peak maturity and are delicious in a number of different types of meals. Commonly thought of as vegetables, peas are actually legumes—a family that also consists of lentils, beans, and chickpeas.

In addition to being tasty and refreshing, peas are also great for you. They contain high amounts of fiber and protein, so adding them to a dish ensures you’ll get a hearty and nutritious meal.

This dish mainly consists of the three key types of peas (love the rhyming there).

English peas These are the bright green, perfectly round peas that you usually find shelled and in the frozen foods aisle. While you can get these peas fresh (usually at farmer’s markets or straight from the garden), they will need to be shelled by hand as the pods are inedible

Snow peas These are the flat pea pods you typically see in Chinese stir fries or crudite platters. They have teeny tiny little peas inside since they can be picked and eaten before the peas have a chance to fill out

Sugar snap peas My personal favorites, these peas are like a combo of English and snow peas. They’re usually harvested once the peas have become plump and bright in their pods, and you can eat the whole thing. I love to dip these crunchy guys in hummus, and when I throw them in the salad, I’ll open up a few to reveal the pretty round peas

Alright, enough about peas

Although I encourage you to eat plain peas at any time, that’s not what this recipe is about. There are a few other ingredients that turn this pea medley into a beautiful spring dish that rocks the salad world.

Arugula You can opt out of adding the arugula if you just want to showcase the peas, but I would recommend adding a handful to help sop up some of the delicious dressing

Burrata My personal queen of cheeses, burrata is like a mozzarella ball stuffed with creamy ricotta. Once you break into it, the cheese bursts out over the salad oh so deliciously. Think chocolate lava cake, but cheese

Fresh mint and basil Adding these fresh herbs really turns up the flavor profile. If you grow them fresh, just grab a handful of each and toss!

time to dress things up

You can save this dressing recipe to use with any salad, but I think it goes deliciously with this pea and burrata combo. Here’s what you’ll need:

Shallot and garlic No need for perfect mincing here. Just a few rough chops, and the food processor will do the rest

Lemon juice Adds some tanginess

Anchovy paste This is a fun one. Not necessary, but adds some umami

Dijon mustard and dried oregano Two of my favorite ingredients to include in dressings

Extra-virgin olive oil Don’t include this in the food processor, but whisk it in once everything else has been combined

Just mind your peas, and you’ll be pleased. Enjoy!

⟶ the recipe

pea salad with burrata & mint

ingredients

1 cup arugula

1 cup English peas, shelled

1 cup snow peas, chopped

1 cup sugar snap peas

1 burrata ball

Handful of fresh mint

A few sprigs of fresh basil

Dash each of salt and pepper

For the dressing

1 shallot, roughly chopped

1 clove of garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon anchovy paste

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano

½ cup olive oil

Dash each of salt and pepper

Prep time

20 minutes

Cook time

0 minutes

Total time

20 minutes

4 servings

instructions

Toss wash and dry all the peas thoroughly, then start the dressing. Place shallot, garlic, lemon juice, anchovy paste, mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper in a food processor and emulsify until well-blended. Spoon the mixture into a medium bowl and whisk in the olive oil. Set aside.

Toss the peas in a large bowl along with the arugula, and add some salt and pepper to taste. Toss in the dressing to coat the greens, and top with the fresh herbs and burrata ball. Drizzle with some additional olive oil to serve.