Warm Green Pea Salad with Avocado Mayo and Mint
This warm green pea salad with avocado mayo and mint is a creamy, vibrant spring side that comes together in minutes with no cooking beyond a quick steam. Sweet steamed green peas are folded into a smooth avocado-and-mustard dressing, then brightened with fresh mint and crisp red onion. It is naturally vegan, dairy-free, and the kind of dish you will want to make again the moment leafy-green season arrives.
Lovely spring is here, finally! Even though the weather is not just as warm as I would like it to be, I’m still happy to see the sun and be able to walk in the park without freezing to death! Leafy greens are now abundant at the farmers’ markets and my fridge is vibrant green, filled with wild garlic, baby spinach, watercress, lettuce and arugula. I started cooking more and the light is just perfect for taking photos these days, so I made this one over and over — it was beyond my expectations. You’ll love it too, I’m sure!
What goes into this pea and avocado salad
The ingredient list is short, which means each one earns its place. Use 500 g of frozen green peas as the base — frozen peas are picked and flash-frozen at peak sweetness, so they are reliably tender and bright, often more so than out-of-season fresh ones. The avocado mayo is built from two ripe avocados, 2 tablespoons of mustard, the juice of half a lemon, 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, and sea salt to taste. Look for avocados that yield to gentle pressure but are not mushy; that ripeness is what gives the dressing its silky, mayo-like body. A julienned red onion and 6 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint finish it off, adding crunch and that cool, intense aroma that makes the dish.
Why steaming the peas matters
Steam the frozen peas for about 15 minutes rather than boiling them. Boiling leaches the peas’ natural sugars and color into the water, which dulls both flavor and that fresh green look. Steaming keeps everything locked in, so the peas stay sweeter, firmer, and far more vivid on the plate. The peas should be just tender to the bite and still bright — if they turn drab and soft, they have gone too far. Letting them cool for a few minutes before dressing also keeps the avocado mayo from sliding off warm, slippery peas.
Tips for the creamiest avocado mayo
Blend the avocados, mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt until completely smooth before the dressing meets the peas — a few extra seconds in the blender is the difference between grainy and glossy. Taste and adjust before mixing: more lemon sharpens it, more salt rounds it out, and a splash of water will loosen the mayo if your avocados were on the firm side. The lemon juice does double duty here, both seasoning the dressing and slowing the avocado from browning, so don’t skip it. Fold the mayo through gently so you coat the peas without crushing them.
What to serve it with
This salad is happiest as part of a fresh, green spring spread. Set it alongside a spring watercress salad or a simple spinach salad to lean into the season, or serve it next to green chickpea patties with tahini to turn it into a light, protein-friendly lunch. If you love that creamy avocado-and-pea pairing, the green pea and olive salad with pesto is a natural next recipe to try.
Storing and making it ahead
This salad is best enjoyed the day it is made, while the peas are at their freshest and the mint is most fragrant. Because the dressing is avocado-based, it will slowly darken once it meets air, so if you want to prep ahead, steam the peas and chop the onion and mint in advance, then blend and fold in the avocado mayo just before serving. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day; the extra lemon juice helps hold the color, though the top may still tinge a little, which you can simply stir through. If you find yourself with avocados to use up, this celeriac noodle salad with avocado mayo dressing and these savory avocado recipes are good places to look next.
If you make this warm green pea salad, I would love to know how the avocado mayo turned out for you and whether you went heavy on the mint like I do. Please rate the recipe below and leave a comment with your tweaks — it truly makes my day to read them.
Summarise & Save This Recipe
★ Add us as a trusted Google source
Warm Green Pea Salad with Avocado Mayo and Mint
Ingredients
- 500 g green peas frozen
- 1 red onion julienned
- 6 Tbsps mint chopped
Avocado Mayo:
- 2 avocados ripe
- 2 Tbsps mustard
- ½ lemon juice only
- 3 Tbsps extravirgin olive oil
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Steam frozen peas using a steamer (15 minutes). Steamed peas is sweeter and looks better than boiled peas, so I would strongly recommend steaming it instead of boiling.
- Add all avocado mayo ingredients in a blender and blend well until smooth.
- Put steamed peas in a large bowl. Add julienned onion and chopped fresh mint. Add avocado mayo and mix well.
- Serve!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is fully vegan and dairy-free. The creamy texture comes entirely from an avocado-based mayo made with avocado, mustard, lemon juice, olive oil and salt, so there is no egg, dairy or honey anywhere in the recipe.
You can, if you have access to sweet, in-season fresh peas. The recipe uses 500 g of frozen peas because they are flash-frozen at peak sweetness and are reliably tender and bright. Fresh peas may need a slightly shorter or longer steam depending on their size and freshness, so check that they are just tender.
Steaming keeps the peas’ natural sugars and color from leaching out into the water, so they stay sweeter, firmer and more vivid green. Boiling tends to dull both the flavor and the look. Steam for about 15 minutes until the peas are just tender to the bite.
The lemon juice in the dressing slows the avocado from browning, so don’t skip it. For the brightest color, blend and fold in the avocado mayo just before serving. Any leftovers may tinge slightly on top, which you can simply stir through.
It is best made and eaten the same day. For prep ahead, steam the peas and chop the onion and mint in advance, then blend the avocado mayo and combine everything just before serving. Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, it keeps for up to a day.
It works beautifully alongside other spring greens like a watercress or spinach salad, or next to green chickpea patties for a light, protein-friendly lunch. It also pairs well with simple grilled or baked mains as a fresh, creamy side.
I love avocado, so I had to try this recipe. It’s so good even my husband loved it (and he’s a picky eater and he also hates avocado hahaha). Thank you for sharing the recipe!
You’re welcome! 😀