How One Vegetable Turns Pot Roast Into A More Nutritious, Fiber-Rich Meal

A pot roast, made and seasoned properly, is many things. It is comforting, filling, and incredibly rich. One thing it isn't, however, is fiber-full. Yes, the dish can, and often does contain fiber-rich carrots, but this alone cannot add a good amount of the nutrient. Luckily, there is one tasty legume that just might be the perfect supplement: peas. Not only are they relatively mild in flavor, making them a perfect pairing with just about any protein, but they pack a punch when it comes to nutrition. In fact, ½ cup of cooked peas contains 4 grams of fiber.

On top of all of this, peas are a cinch to add to your next batch of pot roast. You can use either fresh or frozen peas, as the frozen version is surprisingly close to fresh in both taste and texture. However, you should avoid canned peas as they can turn mushy as you cook. Simply pour your peas to your pot roast towards the end of the braising process, about twenty minutes before pulling from the oven and serving. This will ensure that they are done (peas only need a few minutes to cook fully), and will maintain their delicate texture. You can as many or as few peas as you'd like, depending on your preference. Start with ½ cup and work your way up from there.

Adding peas to pot roast is, well, pretty easy peasy. It doesn't require any recipe adjustments or reconfiguring. Plus, its mild, slightly sweet taste goes perfectly with carrots, a pot roast staple. So if you simply want to toss these in towards the end of cooking and call it a day, feel free to do so. Then again, there are a few really creative ways to make pot roast meet pea. For example, you can use your peas as a topping for your pot roast to be added after cooking.  Now, this doesn't mean just tossing peas on your plated roast. You'll want to prepare your peas with a lovely flourish by roasting them with seasonings such as garlic. This will give them a lovely crisp texture and savory taste that makes them a fantastic topping to your usual pot roast. Simply coat thawed, dried frozen peas in olive oil and seasonings, then roast at about 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Et voila, a whole new world of flavor has been opened.

Feeling a bit more traditional? Want to use this tip on a batch of pot roast already prepared? You can embrace the comfort food roots of pot roast and do a remix on your leftovers. Simply mix peas with pot roast in a cooking pan. Then, cover with a mashed potato mixture and bake. This will give you a hodgepodge but ever so delicious take on the traditional cottage pie (not shepherd's pie, which is made from lamb). And those little peas will tie it all together.