Sweet peas in a creamy white sauce are one of those simple old-fashioned side dishes that never go out of style. This Amish creamed peas recipe combines tender peas with a rich homemade cream sauce made from butter, flour, and milk. It's an easy side dish that comes together in about 15 minutes and pairs perfectly with meatloaf, mashed potatoes, chicken, or holiday dinners.
Growing up Amish, creamed vegetables were a regular part of our meals. My mom often served creamed peas, creamed celery, or asparagus in cream sauce alongside meat and potatoes. It was an easy way to turn simple garden vegetables into a comforting side dish that everyone enjoyed.
Why You'll Love This Amish Recipe for Creamed Peas
- Ready in only 15 minutes
- Uses simple pantry ingredients
- Rich and creamy comfort food
- Easy to make with frozen, fresh, or canned peas
- Perfect for weeknight dinners and holiday meals
- An old-fashioned Amish recipe that's been enjoyed for generations
How To Make Creamed Peas
- Cook the frozen peas according to package directions, then drain and set aside.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the flour to the melted butter and whisk continuously for about a minute to make a roux.
- Gradually pour in the milk while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
- Keep stirring until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the cooked peas to the sauce. Stir well to combine.
- Add salt and pepper to taste and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve hot as a side dish.
Tips for Making the Best Creamy and Flavorful Sweet Peas
- Choose Fresh or Frozen Peas - The quality of the peas makes a big difference in both flavor and texture. Fresh peas are wonderful when they are in season, but frozen peas are my favorite option year-round because they are picked and frozen at peak freshness. They stay sweet and keep their bright green color. Canned peas will work in a pinch, but I personally don't recommend them because they tend to be softer and less flavorful.
- Use Good Quality Milk or Half and Half - For a rich and creamy white sauce, use whole milk or half and half. Half and half creates an extra decadent sauce, while whole milk still gives you plenty of creaminess. If you want an even richer dish, you can use a little cream.
- Season Well - Peas can be somewhat mild on their own, so don't skip the seasonings. Salt, black pepper, and onion powder give these creamed peas lots of flavor. You can also experiment with garlic powder, fresh parsley, or a little thyme for a different twist.
- Add a Touch of Sweetness - A small amount of sugar helps balance the flavors and brings out the natural sweetness of the peas. It doesn't make the dish taste sweet, but it does enhance the flavor. If you prefer, you can use a drizzle of honey instead.
- Don't Overcook the Peas - Cook the peas just until they are tender. Overcooked peas can become mushy and lose their bright green color.
- Add Some Texture - For extra flavor and texture, try stirring in one of these additions:
- Pearl onions
- New baby potatoes
- Crispy bacon
- Diced ham
- Mushrooms
- Shredded cheese
Frequently Asked Questions
Creamed peas, also called peas in cream sauce, are simply cooked peas mixed into a homemade white sauce. The sauce is made with butter, flour, and milk and seasoned with salt, pepper, and onion powder.
Although the recipe is simple, the creamy sauce transforms ordinary peas into a comforting side dish that tastes special enough for holidays but easy enough for everyday family dinners.
Absolutely. Frozen peas are perfect for this recipe. They are picked at peak freshness and have a wonderful sweet flavor and bright color.
Growing up Amish, we always froze our garden peas because we thought they tasted much better than canned peas.
If you prefer the cream sauce thinner, just add a splash of milk until it reaches your desired consistency.
Yes, you can, I never cared for canned peas, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand. Drain the peas well before adding them to the cream sauce.
What to Serve with Creamed Peas
Creamed peas are one of those versatile side dishes that go with almost any comfort food meal. Try serving them with:
- Meatloaf
- Mashed potatoes
- Baked chicken
- Roast beef
- Turkey dinner
- Serve over top of biscuits or toast
Creamy Amish Food
Amish women are known for their hearty, home-cooked meals made with simple, wholesome ingredients. And while Amish food often includes plenty of fresh vegetables and homemade breads, many dishes are also rich and loaded with carbs.
One thing I grew up eating regularly was vegetables in a cream sauce. Whether it was asparagus, creamed celery, or peas, my mom often served them with a simple white sauce made from butter, flour, and milk.
That creamy sauce turned ordinary garden vegetables into a comforting side dish that paired perfectly with meat and potatoes. It's one of the reasons recipes like these Amish creamed peas still feel like comfort food to me today.
Whether it's a casserole, soup, or dessert, creamy Amish dishes are sure to warm the heart and soul.
Growing Up Amish: Harvesting Peas
My mom had a huge garden, and I wrote more about that in another post, "Gardening with my Amish Mom".
Every year we planted several long rows of peas. We planted two rows right beside each other, then we placed chicken wire fencing between the two rows so that the peas could grow up over the fencing. And it made it a lot easier to pick the peas.
So in late June, when the peas were ripe, we were out at dawn picking peas. We harvested bushels of peas, and our backs were feeling it by the time we were done. And then came the job of shelling the peas.
Shelling Peas
It can take hours to shell bushels of peas, and it is time-consuming work. So we were happy when our Old Order Amish neighbors got a pea huller (similar to this one) and started offering pea hulling service.
The machine had a large basket which we dumped the peas into, and it was fascinating to observe it in operation. They ran it with a generator. It was designed to make the pea pods hit each other, causing them to split open and drop the peas onto a belt and into a trench. The empty shells were then discarded out the back.
So all we had left to do was wash, blanch, and package the peas. And they were ready for the freezer. Since we had electricity, we always froze our peas because they taste a lot better frozen than canned.
After several years of taking our peas to the neighbors to get hulled for a few dollars, they wanted to sell the machine. We didn't want it to leave the neighborhood, so my parents decided to buy it from them.
So for several years we ran the machine and had lots of neighbors bring their peas to our house for hulling.
More Amish Side Dishes
I hope you enjoy this easy recipe for Amish peas in a creamy white sauce. If you try this recipe, I'd love to hear from you in the comments below. Thank you!
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📖 Recipe Card
Amish Creamed Peas Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ c. butter (4 Tbsp.)
- ¼ c. all-purpose flour (3 Tbsp.)
- 2 c. milk (or half and half)
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- ½ tsp. onion powder
(or garlic powder), optional
- 4 c. fresh or frozen peas (2 - 12oz. pkg.)
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour.¼ c. butter (4 Tbsp.), ¼ c. all-purpose flour (3 Tbsp.)
- Slowly pour in the milk, while whisking. Add the seasonings, keep whisking, and cook until it is creamy and thickened.2 c. milk (or half and half), 1 tsp. sugar, 1 tsp. salt, ½ tsp. black pepper, ½ tsp. onion powder
(or garlic powder), optional
- Cook the peas according to package instructions and add to the creamed sauce. (If there's a lot of liquid with the cooked peas, you will want to drain it before adding them to the sauce.) Stir together and heat.4 c. fresh or frozen peas (2 - 12oz. pkg.)
- Serve immediately. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Anna
Delicious!
Kimberly W.
This recipe brought back memories. Growing up, my mom would make fresh from the garden, creamed peas and potatoes, and we would eat it over slices of bread. It tasted so good to me.
Anna
Never had it over bread. Interesting!
Marilyn
Thank you for sharing recipes. I am not a good cook, so I need all the help I can get. Thanks again!
Anna
My pleasure!