Super simple and inexpensive, this creamy pea salad is the perfect side dish for your next family get-together. We coat sweet peas, salty ham, and savory cheddar cheese in a creamy dressing, creating the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors. It makes a huge batch and comes together in just minutes, no cooking required!
What is Pea Salad?
Pea salad is a classic side dish made from sweet peas tossed with ham, cheddar cheese, and red onion, and coated in a creamy and tangy dressing. This salad has a beautiful balance of flavors and is so versatile!
Ingredients for Pea Salad
Here’s what you’ll need to make pea salad:
Greek Yogurt: Makes the dressing creamy and tangy with fewer calories and fat than sour cream. We highly recommend Greek yogurt over plain yogurt or sour cream for its thicker texture.
Mayonnaise: Adds richness and creaminess to the dressing.
White Vinegar: Adds a refreshing tanginess to the dressing to balance the creaminess.
Parsley: Adds a pop of freshness.
Frozen Peas: Just as bright and flavorful as fresh, these are a great budget option for this salad.
Ham Steak: You’ll need a 12 oz. ham steak, or you can use leftover ham or cooked bacon. Vegetarian? No problem! If you leave out the ham, this pea salad is still flavorful and fresh.
Red Onion: Adds a bit of bite to the recipe and a wonderful crunchy texture, creating a great contrast to the sweet peas.
Cheddar Cheese: Adds a creamy and salty component to this delicious salad.
Salt and Pepper: Enhance the overall flavor of the salad.
What Else Can I Add to Pea Salad?
This creamy salad is a great recipe to add leftovers to. We like to add:
Leftover short noodles, like macaroni or bowties
Finely diced carrots
Chopped broccoli florets
Raisins or other dried fruits
Vegetarian meat substitutes also work well.
Budget-Saving Tip!
If you want to make your money stretch a little bit further, then this is a great recipe to use up any leftover ham that you might have from the holidays. It will help reduce waste and make the recipe cheaper. That’s a win-win!😊
Rinse the frozen peas in cool water. Strain and leave out at room temperature. Meanwhile, cut the ham into small dice cubes and prep the red onion, cheddar cheese, and parsley.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, white vinegar, minced parsley, and salt and pepper.
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Serve immediately or enjoy all week!
Rinse 4 cups frozen peas in cool water. Strain and leave out at room temperature. Meanwhile, cut 2 cups ham into small dice cubes, dice 1/2 small red onion, cube 8 oz. cheddar cheese, and mince 1 Tbsp fresh parsley.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup Greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp white vinegar, the minced parsley, and 1 tsp each salt and pepper.
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Serve immediately or enjoy all week!
This pea salad is such a beautiful centerpiece to any table!
Sweet and savory Puerto Rican-Style Picadillo is a ground beef stew that’s so ridiculously delicious it brings table talk to a complete stop because everyone’s too busy stuffing their face. This beef picadillo recipe is budget-friendly, comes together quickly, and is incredibly versatile. I don’t know any other way to say it: You. Need. To. Make. Picadillo.
A NOTE ON AUTHENTICITY
This is not a historically authentic recipe. We strive to create recipes that are accessible to everyone, which means ingredients need to be available at a mainstream budget grocery store. We test recipes using the least amount of steps, tools, and ingredients while still honoring the spirit of the recipe. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico and look forward to a time when our ingredients are available in mainstream markets. Until then, buen provecho!
What Is Picadillo?
Picadillo is a traditional sweet and savory Latin dish usually made with ground beef stewed in tomato sauce. In Puerto Rico, we cook it in a hearty tomato-based sauce with sofrito, adobo, olives, raisins, and sometimes diced potatoes. To the uninitiated, pairing raisins with beef sounds like blasphemy. But I promise you, IT WORKS.
What You’ll Need
Picadillo comes together in one pan in under 30 minutes. There’s a little chopping involved, and it takes about 7 minutes to assemble the recipe, but the rest of the time it simmers on the stovetop. I love a one-pot hands-off recipe! Don’t you?
Onion, Garlic, and Bell Pepper – this combination creates an aromatic and intensely flavored base
Sofrito – this is the flavor base of many Puerto Rican dishes. I have a simple recipe for you here, though you can definitely take it further if you have access to traditional ingredients like aji dulce and recao.
Sazón and Adobo – these seasoning blends go hand in hand to develop deep, earthy notes. The annatto in the sazón also deepens the color of the sauce. If these are hard to source, I have included recipes for both in the notes section of the recipe card.
Ground Beef – 80/20 is best as the fat adds flavor, but use what you have. You can also make this recipe with ground pork, chicken, lamb, or turkey. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, you can substitute ground beef with a plant-based alternative, chopped mushrooms, or black beans.
Green Olives – I prefer to use the sliced kind with pimento because it’s less work, but feel free to slice whole ones. If you can’t find Green Olives with Pimento (AKA Manzanilla or Spanish Olives), get pitted green olives and add a tablespoon of chopped roasted red pepper to the mix.
Raisins – though dark raisins are traditional, you can also use golden. I sometimes sub raisins with chopped prunes.
White Distilled Vinegar – helps cut through the fattiness of the ground beef and adds a sharp top note. Sub it with Apple Cider Vinegar.
Bay Leaves – have a mild tea-like flavor that sits in the background and helps enhance bolder flavors. Sub with a teaspoon of oregano.
Tomato Sauce – creates a liquid for the ground beef to stew in and adds acidic, fruity brightness.
What TO Serve With Picadillo
This sweet and savory ground-beef stew is a weeknight staple at my house because I can eat it as is, or served over rice and mashed potatoes. I can also stuff it into an empanada, a burrito, or a lettuce wrap. I’ve even added it to marinara for Puerto Rican-style spaghetti. Picadillo is all-purpose!
How To Store Picadillo
This is one of those recipes that tastes even better the next day. (I love those recipes.) Store cooled Picadillo in an airtight container with plastic film or wax paper directly on the surface. It keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen Picadillo overnight in the refrigerator, then warm it in a pan set over medium heat or microwave it until steaming.
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and peppers to the pan and cook until the onions are transparent.
Add the garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant.
Add the beef to the pan and sprinkle with salt, sazón, and adobo. As the beef browns, break up big chunks with your spoon.
When the beef has browned, add the sofrito and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add the olives, raisins, white vinegar, tomato sauce, bay leaves, and water. Continue to cook, occasionally stirring, for 10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and allow it cool.
*If using fine salt, lower to 1/2 teaspoon.*A packet of sazón contains about 1.5 teaspoons of sazón. If you cannot source sazón use the following:1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander 1/3 teaspoon ground annatto 1/8 teaspoon turmeric 1/8 teaspoon ground oregano*If you cannot source Adobo, mix your own and then use the amount called for in the recipe. Store the rest in an airtight container.2 Tbsp salt 1 Tbsp garlic powder 1 tsp ground oregano 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp turmeric*Pimento-stuffed green olives are also known as Spanish Olives or Manzanilla Olives.
Place a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add 1 diced onion and 1 diced red bell pepper to the pan and cook until the onions are transparent.
Add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant.
Add the pound of ground beef to the pan and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon coarse salt, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons sazón, and 1 teaspoon adobo. As the beef browns, break up big chunks with your spoon.
When the beef has browned, add the 1/2 cup sofrito and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Break up any remaining chunks of ground beef.
Add the 1/2 cup olives, 1/4 cup raisins, 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar, 15 ounces tomato sauce, 2 bay leaves, and 1/4 cup water.
Continue to cook, occasionally stirring, for 10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and allow the Picadillo to cool slightly before serving. Tell me how long it takes for everyone to start talking again!
Boricuas (i.e., people from Puerto Rico) eat Puerto Rican Rice and Beans almost every day because the dish has bold flavors, is easy to prepare, and is budget-friendly! Arroz Con Habichuelas, as it’s called on the island, can be a meal on its own with a side of ripe yellow plantain slices, or you can serve it as a sidekick to any protein. Welcome to your new favorite weeknight staple!
A Note On Authenticity
This is not a historically authentic recipe. We strive to create recipes that are accessible to everyone, which means ingredients need to be available at a mainstream budget grocery store. We test recipes using the least amount of steps, tools, and ingredients while still honoring the spirit of the recipe. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico and look forward to a time when our ingredients are available in mainstream markets. Until then, buen provecho!
Can I Substitute The Canned Kidney Beans?
I love how versatile this recipe is. If kidney beans are not your favorite, you can substitute them with almost any other canned bean. Try chickpeas, white, pink, or black beans to keep it truly island-inspired. If you’re working with dry beans, prepare about 3/4 cup of the dried to substitute for a 15-ounce can of beans.
Can I Substitute The WhIte Rice?
Since the medium grain white rice cooks in its own pot, making substitutions is easy. Don’t skip rinsing the rice, as it removes excess starches so the rice won’t clump together. Also, make sure to toast the rice in the oil, which develops nutty flavors and allows the rice to come to a boil faster since it is already warm. The only thing you really have to change is the amount of water you use to make the rice, as different grains require different amounts of liquid to cook fully. Follow these easy guidelines:
Brown Rice: 1 cup rice – 1 3/4 cups water
Basmati Rice: 1 cup rice – 1 3/4 cups water
Jasmine Rice: 1 cup rice to 1 1/2 cups water
Long Grain White Rice: 1 cup rice to 2 cups water
Medium grain White Rice 1 cup rice to 1 1/2 cups water
Short Grain White Rice: 1 cup rice to 1 1/4 cups water
How To Make Vegan Red Beans And Rice
You can make this recipe vegan by omitting the salt pork and substituting the chicken bouillon with vegetable stock. You should also make your own sazón, the all-purpose spice blend that gives Puerto Rican food its deep earthy flavors and orange hues. Many brands of sazón are made with a mineral salt that is animal based. Once you make your sazón, your first step will be to bloom it in the oil. Blooming is chef speak for warming the spices in oil until fragrant, a great trick to keep up your sleeve when you want to add deeper flavors to any recipe. Then just follow the rest of the recipe for Puerto Rican Rice and Beans. Here is a recipe to make your own sazón:
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/3 teaspoon ground annatto
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon ground oregano
Storing Red Beans and Rice
This is the best recipe for meal prep because it’s easy to store and holds up for five days in the fridge. Just place the rice in an airtight container, and do the same with the beans. Then, refrigerate until you’re ready to reheat them. You can also freeze individual portions. They will keep for up to six months.
Reheating Beans and Rice
You have a few options when it comes to reheating. I prefer to use a non-stick pan for the rice because I like the added crunch it gives to the grains on the bottom of the pan. I also sprinkle a little bit of water over the rice (about 1/8th of a teaspoon per cup) to rehydrate the grains. Finally, I reheat the beans in a microwave-safe container until they steam. Of course, you can reheat the rice in the microwave as well. Just remember that sprinkle of water.
WHAT TO DO WITH LeftoverS
If you want to go all out, reheat equal parts of rice and beans and make “Arroz Mamposteao.” Most Puerto Ricans do it with day-old rice and beans, and it is a DELIGHT. You’ll use 1 part beans to 2 parts rice. First, dice some salt pork, about 1/4 cup, and render the fat in a large pot. When the pork is crispy and golden, add a few more tablespoons of sofrito and cook until fragrant. Then add the beans and heat until they are steaming and the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. Finally, add the rice, mix, and cook until the rice absorbs the sauce. Boom! You’re welcome!
Puerto Rican Rice and Beans is a dish with bold flavors, it's easy to prepare, and it's budget-friendly! Make it a meal with a side of ripe yellow plantain slices, or serve it as a sidekick to any protein.
1tspBetter Than Bouillon, Roasted Chicken Base*$0.12
2Tbspdistilled white vinegar$0.07
1large sweet potato, large dice$0.74
1green bell pepper, diced$0.79
215 oz. cans kidney beans, drained$1.68
2cupswhite medium grain rice, rinsed$0.76
3cupsboiling water$0.00
2tspsalt, plus more to taste$0.05
Instructions
Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once it has warmed, add the salt pork and sazón. Fry until the fat has rendered and the salt pork is golden, about 4 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium and add the onion. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the tomato sauce, sofrito, chicken bouillon, and vinegar. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, reducing the sauce and developing the flavors.
Add the green bell pepper and the sweet potato. Cook for five minutes.
Add the beans and enough water to cover them. Stir and taste the broth. Add salt to taste.
Cook uncovered over medium heat for 20 minutes until the sweet potato has softened. If halfway through the cook, the liquid in the beans reduces too much, add 1/4 cup of water.
For the rice, set a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil has warmed, add the rice, mix it into the oil and let it toast for a minute. Next, add the boiling water and 2 teaspoons of salt to the rice and stir.
Cook uncovered until the water begins to evaporate and you see little steam holes form over the surface of the rice, about 5 minutes. Stir the rice once, reduce the heat to low, and cover the pot tightly with a heavy lid, so steam does not escape.
Cook the rice without stirring until the grains are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. After you portion out the rice, scrape up the crispy bits on the bottom of the pot to serve on top of your rice.
How to Make Puerto Rican Red Beans And Rice – Step by Step Photos
Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot over mid-high heat. Once it has warmed, add 1/2 cup of diced salt pork and a packet of sazón. Fry until the fat has rendered and the salt pork is golden, about 4 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium and add the diced onion. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the tablespoon of minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Once the garlic releases its aroma, add the 8 ounces of tomato sauce, the 4 tablespoons of sofrito, the teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon, and the 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, reducing the sauce and developing the flavors.
Add the diced green bell pepper and the diced large sweet potato. Cook for five minutes.
Add the 2 cans of beans and enough water to cover them. Stir and taste the broth. Add salt to taste, but don’t over salt. As water evaporates, the salt will become more pronounced.
Cook uncovered over medium heat for 20 minutes until the sweet potato has softened. If halfway through the cook, the liquid in the beans reduces too much, add 1/4 cup of water.
For the rice, set a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil has warmed, add the 2 cups of rinsed rice, mix it into the oil and let it toast for a minute. Next, add the 3 cups of boiling water to the rice. Finally, add the 2 teaspoons of salt and stir.
Cook uncovered until the water begins to evaporate and you see little steam holes form over the surface of the rice, about 5 minutes. Stir the rice once, reduce the heat to low, and cover the pot tightly with a heavy lid, so steam does not escape. Cook the rice without stirring until the grains are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
After you portion out the rice, scrape up the crispy bits on the bottom of the pot to serve on top of your rice. No, you did not burn your rice. The crispy bits are called “pegao,” and in Puerto Rico, it’s the part of the meal that everyone wants a piece of.
To serve, scoop a 1/2 cup of rice into a bowl and top it with a 1/2 cup of beans. If you want to take it one step further, garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and add a few slices of ripe plantain on the side as we did. It’s a knockout!! As we say in Puerto Rico, “Buen provecho!”
Back when I lived in Baton Rouge, there was a restaurant, Ninfa’s, that kept jars of spicy pickled carrots and other vegetables on the tables as an appetizer. Practically every time I went there I would ruin my appetite on those pickles before I even had a chance to order an entree. So, when I saw this post for Ninfa’s Spicy Pickled Carrots on The Homesick Texan, I got very, very, very excited. I didn’t have all the ingredients called for in that recipe, but the version I made below is still AMAZING and I literally can’t stop eating them.
Originally published 8-11-2011, updated 4-27-2022.
What’s in Spicy Pickled Carrots
These spicy pickled carrots are a “quick pickle” not a fermented pickle, so they start with a vinegar brine. This particular brine includes white vinegar, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, and oil. To add even more flavor, the carrots are pickled along with red onion and jalapeño. The original recipe that I used for inspiration also included garlic, but I completely forgot to add it to mine, so if you have it, add a couple of cloves of fresh garlic in there, too!
How Long Do Pickled Carrots Last?
These deliciously spicy carrots will last about 3-4 weeks in the refrigerator.
What Else Can I Add?
I’m dying to add all sorts of other vegetables to my spicy pickled carrots the next time I make them. I think small cauliflower florets would just be incredible in there, but it would be fun to also try some sliced radishes, green beans, or maybe even some mini bell peppers.
How to Serve Pickled Carrots
As mentioned above, I was first introduced to these carrots as a sort of snack or appetizer. But I think they’d also be great added to a salad, bowl meal, tacos, or salads. Basically, anytime you want to add a tangy-spicy bite to your meal, add a spicy pickled carrot!
Spicy Pickled Carrots
Spicy pickled carrots are an easy and delicious snack that can also be served as a side dish or condiment with your favorite meals.
Peel and slice the carrots into ¼-inch thick slices. Slice the red onion and jalapeño into ¼-inch thick slices as well.
Add the water, vinegar, oil, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper to a pot. Bring the brine to a boil.
Carefully add the sliced vegetables to the boiling brine, then continue to boil for about 5 minutes.
After boiling for 5 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and carefully transfer the vegetables and all of the brine into jars or another heat-proof container.
Store the pickled carrots in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
How to Make Spicy Pickled Carrots – Step By Step Photos
Begin by slicing 1 pound of carrots (about 8 carrots), ½ of a red onion, and one jalapeño. I like to slice my carrots on a diagonal to give them a more interesting shape.
Make the brine by combining the 1 cup water, 2 cups white vinegar, ¼ cup cooking oil, ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp dried oregano, 2 tsp salt, and about ¼ tsp freshly cracked pepper. Bring the bring up to a boil.
Add the sliced vegetables to the boiling brine (carefully) and boil for about 5 minutes. You don’t want the carrots to get too soft or for the color to fade too much.
After boiling, carefully ladle the vegetables and all of the brine into jars or another heat-proof container. You can eat them right away (I couldn’t help it!), but the flavor is even better after refrigerating for at least a day.
Did you know you can make Honey Mustard Sauce at home? Yep! You only need 5 ingredients and 5 minutes. The recipe is SUPER simple, made with ingredients you always have in your kitchen, and SO good! My kids LOVE this sauce. We always have it in the ref…
Did you know you can make Honey Mustard Sauce at home? Yep! You only need 5 ingredients and 5 minutes. The recipe is SUPER simple, made with ingredients you always have in your kitchen, and SO good! My kids LOVE this sauce. We always have it in the refrigerator because it is good on just…