Avocado Pea Mash is the best of two worlds—with the rich creaminess (healthy fat) of avocado and the plant protein of green peas. Plus, avocado and peas are both good sources of fiber—which most of us need more of in our diets. Served on whole grain bread or toast with some raw veggies, this mash makes for a nutritious, complete snack or meal.
Why I Love Avocado Pea Mash
Probably like a lot of other new vegans, two things I quickly discovered and fell in love with were avocado toast and pea mash toast. Avocado toast is ubiquitous, of course. And on a weekend trip to Chicago when Hemant and I had only been vegan for about a month (I remember how we worried we’d never find vegan food!), a waiter suggested pea mash toast for our brunch. It was fabulous!
But when I started making pea mash at home, I discovered recipes usually call for 1-2 tablespoons (or more) of olive oil or other fat. And while avocado toast is delicious and easy, it doesn’t have much protein. By mashing these two perfectly complementary plants together, you get one delicious ‘super food!’
In this recipe, the healthy fat in the avocado stands in for the oil called for in most pea mash recipes. (I’ve made pea mash without adding any fat, and it’s fine, but I like this version so much better!)
It’s quick and easy—it only takes about 10 minutes to make, with just a bit of chopping, simmering and processing/mashing. And with only six ingredients, I’d definitely call this one beginner friendly.
What to Eat With Avocado Pea Mash
Avocado pea mash is incredibly versatile! You can eat it on whole-grain toast for breakfast, lunch—or paired with a healthy soup for a light and satisfying dinner. (Unless you’re in a rush, I definitely recommend topping your toasts with sliced raw veggies or micro greens for even more nutrition and flavor.) You can even use it as a simple, healthy dip.
How do I like my avocado pea mash? Rather than add a lot of salt when I’m processing the mash, I like to turn my salt grinder to the largest setting and lightly sprinkle my avocado pea mash toasts big salt crystals. This gives an occasional ‘hit’ of salt without making it too salty. And I like to zest the lemon in this recipe (why waste it?) and sprinkle that on top, too. Yums!
If you’re looking for vegan food that’s really simple and really nutritious, you can feel great about including avocado pea mash in your weekly meal plan!
Avocado Pea Mash
Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove smashed and quartered
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves (or sub fresh mint)
- 1 cup shelled fresh peas or frozen peas, thawed
- 1 large avocado, peeled and quartered (or 2 small avocados)
- 1 lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons of juice. Zest for garnish, if desired.)
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Optional: Serve on toasted bread with sea salt (I like big crystals), sliced raw veggies, micro greens, lemon zest, etc.
Instructions
- Place garlic, parsley, peas, a pinch of salt and ½ cup water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until peas are tender, about 5 minutes for fresh peas, or about 2-3 minutes for frozen/thawed. Drain, reserving any left over cooking liquid.
- Add the pea mixture, avocado pieces, lemon juice and cayenne pepper to a food processor. Process until completely blended, but still a bit chunky. Add reserved cooking liquid or water (1 tablespoon at a time) to thin if needed. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
Steph
Can this be stored to use later without getting watery or brown?
elizabeth
Hi Steph, the lemon juice will help preserve it a little, but since avocado is a main ingredient, it will turn brown pretty quickly. You can press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to help prevent this, but I'd say a couple of days max in the fridge for storage. You could also prepare all of the ingredients except the avocado, then just add the avocado on the day you're going to eat it. That should buy you another day or two. Hope this helps!