Thanksgiving Peas Side Dish – Downshiftology

These Thanksgiving peas will add a festive, savory touch to your Thanksgiving side dish spread. Crispy pancetta is sautéed with peas, sweet pear, and shallots, with a lemony, Dijon mustard flavoring throughout. And if you’ve got a big crowd, I’d double the recipe because this side dish will disappear fast!

Why This Is The Best Thanksgiving Side Dish

Ever since I whipped up this spin on a more classic peas and pancetta recipe, it’s become one of my most requested side dishes for Thanksgiving. Who knew? So I gave it the moniker of “Thanksgiving Peas.” But I guess you can never go wrong with mixing pork and vegetables. Just look at how popular my balsamic bacon Brussels sprouts and fried cabbage recipes are. So, if you’ve already got the Thanksgiving classics covered — honey-glazed carrots, a sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, and creamed corn — make sure to sneak this onto your list of Thanksgiving side dishes. Here’s what else you’ll love about it:

It’s made in about 30 minutes. Thanksgiving prep is chaotic enough, so a quick, straightforward recipe is a blessing. Aside from a little chopping prep work, everything else goes straight into the pan for a fast sauté.
Peas are everyone’s favorite. When it comes to frozen vegetables, peas are always a winner and one of the top frozen veggies in America.
It’s easily customizable. No pancetta? Bacon works great. Not a fan of pears? Swap them for apples. Below, I’ve shared a few substitutions in case you can’t find certain ingredients or just want to mix things up.

Ingredients for Thanksgiving peas side dish.

Thanksgiving Peas Ingredients

Peas: You can use fresh or frozen peas. I’m using frozen today as I often have a bag of frozen peas in my freezer as a backup veggie, and it’s a good option for those who don’t have access to fresh peas.
Pancetta: This cured Italian pork brings a savory, salty depth, while its fat adds richness. Plus, crispy pancetta bits contrast perfectly with the softness of the peas and pears. If you can’t find pancetta, I’ll provide a substitution below.
Shallots & Dijon Mustard: Finely sliced shallots add a mild, sweet onion flavor and are cooked with Dijon mustard for a tangy touch. If you have a yellow onion on hand, that works too.
Pear and fresh lemons: This was a last-minute add-in, but I’m so glad I did it! The pear add a subtle sweetness and seasonal touch as it cooks in the pan. And I’m tossing it in lemon juice to preserve it’s color and texture. Plus, the lemon adds brightness to the dish overall!
Parsley: I’m adding freshly chopped parsley at the end, but feel free to use other tender herbs such as fresh basil, tarragon, or oregano.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

How To Make Thanksgiving Peas

Prep the pear. Peel, slice, and small dice the pear. Then, place it in a small bowl and stir with the lemon juice to help preserve its color and texture. Set this aside.

Cook the pancetta. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the pancetta, and cook until crispy and golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain off some of the rendered fat, leaving about 3 tablespoons in the pan. Using pork fat to cook ingredients gives them so much flavor!

Add the shallots. Add the sliced shallots and cook for about a minute, until softened, then stir in the Dijon mustard. Add the pears and peas, and stir for about 5 minutes, until the peas are warmed through.

Stir in pancetta and parsley, then serve. Turn off the heat, then stir in half the pancetta, the parsley, and black pepper. Transfer the peas to a large serving bowl, top with the remaining pancetta, and garnish with lemon zest. Your work here is done!

Ingredient Substitutions

Swap the pancetta for → sliced bacon or prosciutto pieces for a similar savory and salty addition. If you’re vegan, these sautéed mushrooms (diced smaller) would be a delicious alternative.
Swap the pear for → diced apple for another great option with a fresh and sweet flavor.

Storage Tips

Store for the week: Any leftovers will last for 4 to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
To reheat: These peas are easily reheated in about 30 seconds to a minute in a microwave or you can reheat them in a pan on the stove.

More Thanksgiving Side Dishes

I hope everyone at your Thanksgiving dinner table enjoys these Thanksgiving peas! If you make it, I’d love to hear how this turned out in the comment box below. Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration (and exclusive content), join my free newsletter.

Description

This is one of my most popular Thanksgiving side dishes! It’s a simple mix of frozen peas, crispy pancetta and sweet pears with a subtle, lemony Dijon mustard flavor. It’s easy to make and will add a festive, savory touch to your Thanksgiving dinner table! Watch the video below to see how I make this in my kitchen.

All-Clad Saute Pan I love how this saute pan has a higher edge for easy tossing. Plus, this is the brand I’ve had for years and is such good quality!

Prep the pear. Peel, slice, and small dice the pear. Place it in a small bowl and stir with the lemon juice. Set aside.
Cook the pancetta. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain off some of the rendered fat, leaving about 3 tablespoons in the pan.
Add the shallots. Add the sliced shallots and cook for about a minute, until softened, then stir in the mustard.
Add the peas and pears. Add the peas and pears to the pan. Stir for about 5 minutes, until the peas are warmed through.
Stir in pancetta and parsley. Turn off the heat, then stir in half the pancetta, the parsley, and black pepper.
Serve. Transfer the peas to a large serving bowl, top with the remaining pancetta, and garnish with lemon zest.

If you can, buy a pre-diced pancetta package – it’ll save you time! I use two 4-ounce packages for this recipe.
This recipe serves about 6 people, but you can easily double the recipe in a larger pan during the holidays, to serve up what I’m sure will be the most popular Thanksgiving side dish!
Store leftovers: This will stay good in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
For reheating: You can warm it back up in the pan with a drizzle of olive oil or in the microwave.
Enjoy leftovers as a side dish for lunch and dinner. But my favorite is enjoying this for breakfast with a fried egg or poached egg on top, or mixed into scrambled eggs!

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Lisa recipe testing the peas and pancetta side dish.

Behind The Scenes

This recipe has gone through many iterations over the years, from a more basic peas and pancetta, to the recipe in front of you today! I do love the addition of the sweet pear… and perhaps I’m just a fan of alliteration (peas, pears, and pancetta – ha!). I also used to leave all of the rendered fat from the pancetta, but found it a bit too greasy as it’s about ⅓ cup worth, but leaving about 3 tablespoons is the perfect amount to flavor the peas and other ingredients. I also love how the Dijon mustard and chopped parsley add that little punch of extra flavor. Hope you love this recipe as much as I do!