Make easy homemade Nando’s Macho Peas with peas, mint, parsley, and chili. This quick 15-minute copycat recipe is the perfect flavorful side dish to serve with rice, chicken, grilled vegetables, or warm pita bread.
On my last visit to Lisbon, I ended up at Nando’s, the Portuguese restaurant chain famous for its peri peri chicken. Although I do not visit often, one surprisingly simple side dish immediately grabbed my attention — the famous Nando’s Macho Peas.
After a long day walking through the city, the combination of buttery peas, fresh herbs, and gentle chili heat was exactly what I needed. My husband and I immediately set out to figure out how the dish was made and quickly realized we could easily recreate it at home. This homemade version tastes just like the original and comes together with only a handful of simple ingredients.
What Are Nando’s Macho Peas?
Nando’s Macho Peas are one of the restaurant’s most popular side dishes. Made with partially mashed green peas, fresh mint, parsley, butter, and chili, they are creamy, herby, slightly spicy, and surprisingly flavorful for such a simple dish.
This vegetarian side dish can be served alongside peri peri chicken, rice, grilled vegetables, or enjoyed on its own as a light meal or snack.
It is one of those simple side dishes that does not look exciting at first, but somehow disappears from the table first every time.
Copycat Nandos Macho Peas Ingredients
Peas
You can use fresh, frozen, or canned green peas, although frozen peas work best for both texture and convenience. I like using garden peas because they are slightly larger and create the chunky texture similar to the original Nando’s version.
Avoid using petit pois, which are small, softer, and sweeter small and better used to make Green Pea Salad.
Mint
Fresh mint is what gives these macho peas their signature flavor. I would not use dried mint here because it just does not taste the same.
Parsley
Fresh parsley adds a clean, slightly peppery flavor and gives the dish a vibrant, herby finish.
Chili pepper
Chili adds gentle heat and extra flavor to the peas.
For a milder version, use jalapeño pepper. If you prefer more spice, serrano pepper adds a stronger kick. You can also use red chili flakes instead of fresh chili.
Butter
Butter helps create the creamy texture that makes these peas so comforting and flavorful. Both salted and unsalted butter work well.
Olive oil
I used a good quality extra virgin olive oil. But you can use infused oil with flavors, like this chive oil.
Salt and Black Pepper
Season to taste. Freshly ground black pepper works especially well here.
Easy Macho Peas Recipe
This recipe comes together in less than 15 minutes and is incredibly easy to make.
First step: Cook the peas
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil and cook the peas according to the package instructions. Frozen peas usually need about 3 minutes.
Second step: Drain and divide
Drain the peas using a colander, then divide them into two halves. Place one half into a bowl and keep the remaining peas in the saucepan.
Third step: Mash the peas
Add the butter and a drizzle of olive oil to the bowl. Using a fork or potato masher, gently mash the peas until slightly creamy but still chunky.
Fourth step: Add the herbs
Finely chop the fresh mint, parsley, and chili, then stir them into the mashed peas.