fresh short pea shoots
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Pea Shoots: How to Use, Cook, and Preserve Pea Shoots + Recipes

Pea shoots are tender young pea plant leaves with a fresh, slightly sweet flavor. They’re popular in spring cooking for salads, pestos, and light sauces, and are easy to grow or find at farmers markets. This guide covers how to use pea shoots, store them, and creative recipes from pesto to simple syrup.

pea shoots

WHAT ARE PEA SHOOTS?

What they are: young pea plant tips.

Taste: fresh, sweet, grassy with an aroma of sweet pea

Differences vs pea tendrils: Pea shoots are the young stems and leaves of the pea plant. They work well in salad recipes. Pea tendrils are the delicate curling fronds that grow at the top of the pea shoot helping it grow upwards towards sunlight. Use pea tendrils as a crunchy delicate garnish, pea tendrils have a more delicate flavor than pea shoots and crisper texture.

fresh short pea shoots

HOW TO USE PEA SHOOTS

Fresh Uses

Salads: this early spring green is perfect for light salads.

Garnish for soups and eggs: stir into hot soup for an added kick of greens with a bright, fresh flavor. Or garnish freshly scrambled eggs with a handful of pea shoots.

Sandwiches and wraps: pea shoots are perfect on sandwiches, adding just enough crunch and bright pea flavor.

Open faced avocado toast with tomato's and pea shoot garnish.

Cooked Uses

Stir-fries; chopped pea shoots add a pop of green flavor and color to simple spring stir-fries.

Pesto: pea shoots blend seamlessly into pesto, creating a bold fresh flavor that melts into pasta.

Pasta sauces: keep this recipe simple, boiled fresh pasta, butter or olive oil and chopped pea shoots tossed together with a sprinkle of sea salt.

Soup toppings: Stir into brothy white bean soup seasoned with lemon for a bright, spring forward lunch.

pea shoot pesto.

Preserved Uses

Pea shoot simple syrup

Pea shoot sugar

Blanch + freeze

Infused oils

PEA SHOOT RECIPES

Pea Shoot Pesto with Pistachio and Parmesan

Fresh pea shoots, pistachio and parmesan cheese blend easily into a simple, flavorful pesto.

Pea Shoot Simple Syrup

Add a splash of bright, grassy flavor to drinks with pea shoot simple syrup.

Pea Shoot Sugar

Dehydrated pea shoots are mixed into sugar, creating a unique finishing garnish. Create pea shoot sugar rimmed cocktail glasses or dust cookies and baked goods to add a splash of natural spring green color. My recipe is simple and versatile. Pea Shoot Sugar adds a botanical, lightly floral flavor to drinks and baked goods with a touch of light spring green natural color as well.

Pea shoots naturally citrus, like in this Meyer Lemon with Pea Shoot Sugar Recipe.

pea shoot sugar garnished cookies.

Other Recipes Using Fresh Pea Shoots

Pea Shoot Salad with Lemon

Sautéed Pea Shoots with Garlic

Pea Shoot Pasta with Burrata

Pea Shoot Chimichurri

HOW TO STORE PEA SHOOTS

Refrigeration (paper towel + container)

Blanch, then freeze.

Pea Shoots Last about 1 week in the refrigerator with proper storage.

fresh harvested pea shoots.

HOW TO GROW PEA SHOOTS

Pea Shoots are fairly easy to grow indoors and this fast growing plant is perfect for early spring growing.

Pea shoots are perfect for indoor growing for winter

Pea shoots grow best in well draining, peat free soil.

You don’t need a large pot. Pea shoots will flourish in a flat, low container.

Place seeded container in a sunny windowsill and water as needed.

Pea shoots sprout up and ready to harvest in 10-1 days.

pea shoot sugar rimmed glass with pea shoot cocktail.

PEA SHOOTS IN DRINKS & DESSERTS

Herbal simple syrup for cocktails

Sugar for tea & baking

Garnish for spring cocktails

pea shoot sugar and pea shoot simple syrup for drinks.

FLAVOR PAIRINGS

Pea shoots pair well with:

Citrus, especially lemon.

Nuts, like pistachio and almond.

Parmesan, ricotta

Bright Herbs: Mint, basil and tarragon.

Spring vegetables (asparagus, ramps)

What do Pea Shoots Taste Like?

pea shoots are bright, grassy, a little sweet and of course have an underlying flavor of garden fresh peas.

Are Pea Shoots Edible Raw?

Yes, pea shoots are actually their best when eaten raw with minimal heat.

How Long do Pea Shoots Last?

Stored correctly, pea shoots last about 7 days with proper refrigeration.

Where Can I Buy Pea Shoots?

Pea Shoots are readily available at farmers markets early in the season and can be found in the sprouts section of most commercial grocery stores.

Related Spring Recipes

Ramp pesto

Pistachio orgeat

Violet syrup

Stewed fruit for yogurt bowls

Cara Cara olive oil cake


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