Petits pois à la Française is a classic French way to prepare peas, braising them with onions and lettuce. Bring your spoon to the table; you will not regret it.

The flavors are simple in the ingredients but incredibly delicious. This pea side dish goes well with so many meats and, of course, poultry. If you love simple French vegetable side dishes, my green bean almondine or mint peas with lemon and butter are other classics that belong on your table.

Petits Pois A La Francaise served in an off white serving dish with a spoon.

Recipe Overview: Petits Pois à la Française

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Servings: 4 people
  • Cook Method: Braised on the stovetop
  • Flavor & Texture: Tender, buttery peas with soft lettuce and shallots in a delicate, silky sauce
  • Difficulty: Easy. Everything gently cooks together in one pan with very little hands-on work
  • Why this Recipe? A classic French side dish that transforms simple peas into something elegant, comforting, and full of delicate flavor.
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I grew up eating peas, and my dad prepared them in just about every way imaginable. Petits Pois à la Française was always one of his favorites, and I am surprised it has taken me this long to share it with you.

This version stays very close to the classic. I used shallots instead of pearl onions simply because that is what I had on hand, and I was not making another trip to the store.

The peas become tender and buttery, surrounded by a delicate, silky sauce that makes this simple dish so special.

And just to set the record straight, there is no bacon in Petits Pois à la Française. Add bacon, and you have Petits Pois à la Bonne-Femme, another French classic.

In this Article

A Note From Giangi

Easy to prepare – once all your ingredients are in the saucepan, you can focus on the other items on your dinner menu.

Cost-effective – most ingredients are already in your pantry and refrigerator.

Super delicious – Once you try this recipe, you will always return to it—tender and rich in flavor.

Giangi
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What are Petits Pois à la Française?

Petits Pois à la Française is a classic French preparation of tender peas gently cooked with butter, lettuce, onions or shallots, and a bouquet garni. As everything cooks together, the lettuce softens into the peas while the butter creates a delicate, silky sauce.

It is simple French home cooking at its best. Nothing complicated, just a handful of ingredients treated beautifully.

Key Ingredients

Petits Pois A La Francaise ingredients used.

Peas – frozen work beautifully here. But if you can use fresh one this summer, do not hesitate.

Boston lettuce, also called butter lettuce, has soft, delicate leaves that are perfect for this recipe. If you have some left over, use it for my butter lettuce salad with shallots vinaigrette

Bouquet garni – You can go two ways here: fresh herbs or dry ones already in a cheesecloth packet. With this recipe, I decided to use the pre-made one. In the recipe card, you will find the ingredients needed.

Unsalted butter – It is a French recipe after all, of course, there will be butter 🤩. I always use unsalted butter in my cooking or baking to control the amount of sodium. Salted butter not only adds too much salt to your dish, but it changes the flavor.

Shallot – the same wonderful mild, almost sweet flavor of small white onions when cooked. Chopped them into not-too-large chunks.

Granulated sugar – neutralizes the acidity of the onions and permits a mild sauce to form.

Cold water – to steam the peas when cooking.

Salt and pepper – the only seasoning you will need.

Chervil or parsley – optional but flavorful if you choose to use.

Variations and Substitutions

When in season, you can use fresh peas. Shell them, rinse them, and continue with the recipe, as shown below in the recipe card instructions. For a brighter version with fresh herbs and citrus, my mint peas with lemon and butter are another easy way to put peas on the table.

Onions: you can use small pearl white or 12 small green onions, cleaned and the outer skin removed.

Add a tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley or chervil just before serving. It adds a layer of flavor.

Chopped chives are also added at serving time; their onion flavor is unique and perfect for this dish.

Why Is Lettuce Used in Petits Pois à la Française?

Boston lettuce may sound unusual in a pea recipe, but as it slowly cooks with the peas, butter, and shallots, it becomes tender and almost melts into the sauce. I cut the lettuce into a loose chiffonade, which simply means slicing the leaves into long, thin ribbons.

Chiffonade is a French cutting technique that creates thin, ribbon-like strips of herbs or leafy greens. Stack the leaves, roll them into a tight bundle, and slice them into thin strips with a sharp knife.

It is a simple technique that gives the leaves a delicate texture and makes them easier to incorporate evenly into the dish.

How to make Bouquet garni

The bouquet garni is a bundle of fresh herbs tied with a string, mainly used in soups, stocks, and stews. The bouquet is cooked with all the ingredients and removed before serving.

It traditionally contains parsley stalks, which are rich in flavor, fresh thyme sprigs, and a bay leaf. I use the same little bundle of herbs in my classic French duck cassoulet, where it slowly perfumes the beans, vegetables, and meats as they cook.

I must admit I love using fresh herbs, but I use a bouquet garni ball instead of tying the herbs together. This prevents me from digging them out because I did not tie them well.

For this recipe today, I did not have fresh thyme or bay leaf at the house, so I used my already prepared bouquet garni.

You can also purchase already-made bouquet garni at your store. They have come in handy multiple times, so I always keep them in my spice cabinet.

How to Make these delicious French peas

There is very little prep with this pea recipe. Have all your ingredients ready before turning on your stove.

Step 1: Start by removing any wilted parts of your butter lettuce. Separate the lettuce leaves, wash them, and slice them in a very large chiffonade. Set aside.

Step 2: Peel and slice your shallots and set aside.

Step 3: Add your peas, shallots, bouquet garni, salt and pepper, water, sugar, and five tablespoons of butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Mix well, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-low heat.

Frozen peas with shallots, butter and butter lettuce ready to be cooked in an heavy bottom enamel cast iron pan.

Step 4: Continue cooking for about 30 minutes.

Step 5: Remove the bouquet garni, add the remaining butter, rectify the seasoning, pour into a serving dish, and enjoy.

If you enjoy this gentle French way of cooking vegetables, my braised endives use the same idea of slow cooking to bring out their natural sweetness.

Petits Pois A La Francaise cooked and in a serving dish with spoon

Giangi’s Pro Tips

As we eat with our eyes too, as you know, when you cook lettuce, it turns a darker color. To reduce some little noses going up in the air and to address children’s refusal to eat and their tendency to move away from this tasty dish, I suggest holding back a few Boston lettuce leaves and adding them toward the end of cooking.
Make sure they are wilted before serving. This will give your dish that beautiful green color.

What dishes pair well with this petits pois à la Française?

This dish is perfect for delicate meats such as veal, lamb, and duck.

The perfect pairing is alongside this divine Rack of Lamb With Parsley. The two combined are an ideal marriage as they complement each other.

The richness of the duck and cherries brings out the subtle richness of the peas with this Duck Breast With Port and Cherry Sauce.

I know I am crossing the border to Italy with this Veal Saltimbocca, but these peas are perfect alongside.

For something lighter, serve these peas alongside my classic Sole Meunière. The delicate peas are wonderful with the lemony brown butter sauce.

Storing and Reheating

I always make more of these peas so I can have leftovers. Storing them in an airtight glass container will be perfect. They will save in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Please bring them back to room temperature and place them in a skillet with a couple of tablespoons of water and a dab of butter.

Petits Pois à la Française FAQs

Can I shell fresh peas the day before using them?

Peas are one of those vegetables most prone to lose their quality if handled too much and too soon. It is recommended to shell and use them immediately to maintain that delicate flavor.

Are frozen peas nutritious?

Yes. they are, as they are packed with all the protein, fiber, and nutrients found in fresh ones. They freeze-dry, which allows them to maintain all their nutrition.

Why is lettuce added to French peas?

The lettuce softens as it cooks and almost melts into the peas, adding moisture and a subtle sweetness. It also helps create that light, silky sauce that makes this traditional French dish so special.

Can I use shallots instead of pearl onions?

Yes. Shallots are a wonderful substitute for pearl onions in Petits Pois à la Française. They have a milder, slightly sweeter flavor and blend beautifully with the butter, peas, and lettuce. Slice them thinly so they soften evenly as the dish cooks.

French peas on a spoon close up view.

More French Side Dishes You Will Love

If you tried this Petits Pois à la Française or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below.

Petits Pois A La Francaise – French Peas

5 from 1 vote
Petits Pois A La Francaise
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Author: Giangi Townsend
Petits pois a la Francaise is a classic French way to prepare peas, braising them with onions and lettuce. Bring your spoon to the table; you will not regret it.
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Ingredients 

Instructions

  • Remove any parts of the lettuce that may be wilted. Wash the lettuce and slice it into large chiffonade.
  • Peel and slice the shallots into larger chunks.
  • In a heavy-bottomed 3-quart enamel saucepan, add the onion, peas, bouquet garni, 5 tablespoons of butter, sugar, salt and pepper. Pour over the cold water.
  • Mix well, cover, and bring the saucepan to a small boil over medium-low heat. Continue cooking for about 30 minutes.
  • Remove the bouquet garni, add the rest of the butter. Check for seasoning and correct if need be. Mix well and serve.

Equipment

Notes

BOUQUET GARNI
If you choose to make it with fresh herbs, here is what you need:
Fresh parsley, thyme, and laurel tied together.
Always remove before serving.
As we eat with our eyes too, as you know, when you cook lettuce, it turns a darker color. To reduce some little noses going up in the air and to address children’s refusal to eat and their tendency to move away from this tasty dish, I suggest holding back a few Boston lettuce leaves and adding them toward the end of cooking. Make sure they are wilted before serving. This will give your dish that beautiful green color.

Nutrition

Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 712mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 3893IU | Vitamin C: 94mg | Calcium: 148mg | Iron: 7mg

Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.

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