POTATOES & PEAS
This is a traditional Greek side dish made with staples from an everyday kitchen. I always get this going on the stovetop and prepare the rest of the meal while it simmers. It’s so easy and always tastes wonderful!
Published September 7, 2022
This is a hearty side dish that is great for this time of year. The days are getting shorter, we are all getting in the mood for heartier food and this totally fits the bill. Potatoes and Peas is called Arakas in Greece. It’s a traditional dish made with simple ingredients from the garden that all happens to be vegan. I love making it for big meals and serving a simple protein on the side!
I know I say it a lot, but stews like this often begin with ingredients people have gathered from their own back yard. The brilliance of the flavors is in the simplicity, nothing is over seasoned and overworked, we just let the vegetable flavors speak for themselves. I like to make this simple dish for my family because I can set it on the stove to simmer, prepare the rest of the meal, as it’s ready just as we are ready to sit down. It’s almost impossible to mess up, the key is making sure it has simmered long enough for the potatoes to be fork tender.
I served this dish in a bowl because it has a tomatoey broth, but I eat it with a fork. It does thicken a little bit while it simmers because of the potato starch, but it isn’t heavy because there is no dairy in it at all. This is a great way to serve vegetables in a new way, especially if everyone in your house is getting tired of summer salads. It also stores well and can be reheated and enjoyed for lunch the next day. I don’t recommend freezing it because potatoes don’t rewarm from frozen very well.
This is a staple in Greece and I’m sure it will become one in your household this year. Give it a try and let me know how you enjoy it!
Nikki's Modern Mediterranean
Watch Nikki make it
Potatoes & Peas a Traditional Hearty Dish
Press play and cook along — the full recipe is just below.
The recipe
POTATOES & PEAS
Ingredients
Method
Add the olive oil to a large stockpot and turn the heat to medium.
Saute the red onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Then add the potato and saute the pieces for about 3 minutes.
Add the peas, water, tomato paste, salt and pepper and stir everything together so that tomato paste has dissolved.
Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a simmer. Adjust the heat so the market remains at a low simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, about 20 minutes. The water should be completely absorbed and the potatoes will be fork tender.
Once the dish is ready, sprinkle the dill over the cooked peas and potatoes, and serve in bowls.
