Walnut & Green Pea Spread

Walnuts and frozen peas combine to form a this tasty pea dip. Enjoy it on it’s own or use this pea spread on pizza dough to create a nutrient packed Walnut “Pea”zza recipe.

Two pantry staples come together to create a delicious dip—frozen vegetables & nuts.

A green pea dip recipe

Yeah, that bag of peas at the back of the freezer you’re not sure what to do with, was waiting for this recipe. Blend them into a sweet green pea dip. That can be used as an appetizer or snack dip. Want something different? Spread it onto dough to create an interesting version of “pea”zza.

Both a convenient and delicious snack. Walnuts are not just useful in the pantry they also provide nutritious (sorry I had to) elements of a healthy diet.

Walnut nutrition

An ounce of walnuts—roughly 7 whole walnuts, 14 halves, or ¼ cup—contains 4 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber. Plus the highest amount of the plant based omega-3 fatty acid (compared to other nuts), with 2.5 grams of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Making them an important component to a heart healthy diet. 

Ways to use walnuts

Keep them whole. Pair some with a fruit for a simple and well balanced snack

In recipes, walnuts can be chopped into pieces or ground into a nut butter. Sprinkle nuts on top of your oatmeal, yogurt or salads.  Spread nut butter onto sandwiches, fruit, in a dessert or in a dressing/dip.

How to store walnuts

In order to prevent walnuts from going rancid, keep them away from warm temperatures. Best to store them in an airtight contain in either the refrigerator or freezer—depending on how quickly you plan on using them. Try to keep them away from foods with strong odors to prevent them from absorbing their flavor. 

Ingredients

Frozen Peas – grab that bag from the back of the freezer. Place in warm water to thaw. 

walnut halves 

craisins (dried cranberries)

pantry staples – including olive oil & maple syrup

Seasoning – add salt and pepper

Pizza Dough – you can use a store-bought or a homemade version to turn this into a “pea”zza. Really any kind of flat bread base will work—from a  lachmagine dough to a pita pocket half.

Toppings – add more flavor and texture to this dish with some (or all) of these choices: feta cheese, arugula, sliced radishes, shaved asparagus and balsamic glaze.

How to make this recipe

For the pea spread

Start by pulsing walnuts in a food processor. No need to grind them to a paste. Just enough to let them become smaller pieces.

Blend in the remaining ingredients to make the pea spread. Chill this in the refrigerator while your prepare the dough.

Making into a peazza

Divide the pizza dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll out each one and cook in a frying pan.

Spread with the pea dip. Followed by a layer of the different toppings.

More ground walnut recipes

Mushroom Dip (Vegetarian Chopped Liver)

Banana Fudge Popsicles

Wild Blueberry Boba Smoothie

Walnut Peazza

Yield: 1½ cups of dip and 4 round pizzas

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 24 minutes

Total Time: 34 minutes

Heart healthy walnuts and frozen peas blended into a green pea spread. Layer it onto pizza dough for a quick and tasty "pea"zza recipe.

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Ingredients

Green Pea Spread

• 1½ cups frozen peas, thawed
• 1 cup walnut halves (4 ounces)
• ⅛ cup craisins
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• salt and pepper, to taste

Peazza

• ½ pound pizza dough
• Feta cheese, arugula, sliced radishes, shaved asparagus, balsamic glaze, to garnish

Instructions

1. Prepare the green pea spread: Pulse walnuts in a food processor. Pulse to a coarse crumb. Add the craisins and peas, processing until combined. While the machine is still running, slowly pour in the oil, maple syrup and water.  Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate to chill.
2. Dough: Divide the pizza dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each pieces into a ball. Work with one piece at a time. Flatten with the palm of your hand . Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out as thin as possible (~6″ diameter) while ensuring that it will fit into your frying pan. Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the pizza dough for 1-3  minutes per side. The dough will create large air pockets and should develop some color. Repeat until all of the dough is cooked.
3. Assembly: Spread some of the pea & walnut mixture onto each pizza dough. Add toppings before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 pizza
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 409Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 322mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 6gSugar: 9gProtein: 11g

Did you make this recipe?

Let us know how in the comments below or share on Instagram and tag @perspectiveportions, we'd love to see it.

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This post was originally published in 2016 as part or a recipe contest with the California Walnut Commission  and has been updated in June 2020.

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