A delicacy! I wouldn’t put it quite like that. Cream Peas on Toast is more a poor man’s dinner or something that is nice and quick. For my Dad and I it’s a nice treat. It’s not for everybody. Not many like it and I’ve only run into a few people who know what it is. I even met someone who added a little excitement to it by adding one ingredient, which I love.
If you have kids that won’t eat vegetables, try this recipe at least once. Maybe they will eat their peas!
The white sauce used for this recipe is taken from a cook book by The Ladies Auxiliary of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch No. 32 of Hillsborough, New Brunswick in 1967. My Nanny Jackman was a contributor to the cook book. She made this recipe for my Dad’s family often. Now it has been passed onto my family. Although, my Mom doesn’t make it at all, so once in a while when I go home I will make it for Dad and I when Mom is out. My Dad also told me that Nanny Jackman would also make the white sauce with lobster and put it on toast for supper. Mmmm, that sounds wonderful. He did say that it might have been from a can that was probably smaller than a can of tuna. Although, years ago lobster was today’s peanut butter and peanut butter was today’s lobster. Interesting how things have changed over the years.
Traditional Version of Cream Peas on Toast
Ingredients
2 cans of peas
toast
1 C milk
3 tbsp flour
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
Instructions
1. Make the white sauce first by melting the butter in a pot and then add the flour. Once the flour is stirred into the butter add the milk and stir well. Let the sauce come to a boil and reduce heat. It should begin to thicken.
2. Once the sauce begins to thicken well you can add the peas. Sometimes you can get away with using 1 can of peas, but if you like more peas and less sauce use 2 cans (photo above is with 2 cans).
3. Make toast and butter. Pour Cream Peas over the toast and serve. Add pepper and salt to taste.
Notes: You can half the recipe for 1 person. I’ve done this many times. It is not so great as a leftover. Be careful with the sauce because it is possible to let it get too thick. You do not want this to happen.
Exciting Version of Cream Peas on Toast
Do all the same as for the traditional version but also add a can of Tuna along with the peas.
A few Ideas from readers:
– add salmon instead of tuna
– put over pasta instead of toast
– add a little curry powder
– use a can of cream of mushroom soup instead of the white sauce
If you have made this before and have ideas of how to make it more exciting, please let me know. If you have never had it you have to try it at least once. Let me know what you think! Maybe you will get creative and put your own excitement into it.
Update (Nov 4, 2016)
Wow! Thank you for all your comments and proving that this is a loved dish that brings back many memories of families sitting around the table together. I’ve enjoyed reading all your comments and memories around creamed peas on toast. I’m sorry I can’t respond to all your comments, but I love reading your stories, your variations to the recipe, and even trying out some of the different ways to serve this dish. Thank you!
Jackman's Journey 
I grew up on this. Yum!
We had this growing up fairly often & I just love it to this day. It was made on white bread & had a sprinkle of paprika over the top & sometimes a chopped hard boiled egg was added. Variation consisted of the cream sauce with a can of salmon, no peas, that is another favorite. I make this for myself occasionally however the family just look at it & say gross. I do put quite a bit of butter on the toast before I add the sauce.
Yes, not too many people now a days appreciate this one! 😉 A touch of paprika would be nice.
Do you drain the peas first , or liquid and all. First time I’ve ever tried this.
I drain the liquid from the can of peas and then add peas to pot. You can also use frozen peas and no draining needed. I hope it worked out for you and you enjoyed it.
I have loved this recipe since childhood and I also love this with a can of salmon added……Delicious!
As kids our mother use to make this all the time. We used the pea juice instead of water. We all loved it.
Nice! Thanks for sharing.
The pea juice is very good ! This passed through 3 generations in our family. It is the butter that sweetens the underlying toast! The secret is in slowly thickening and stirring the sauce!
Hey there…cream peas on toast is actually one of our families favorites….if one of us makes it and someone isn’t home to get it…we have some very cranky people…lol…our families version is a bit different than the recipe above,but is delicious…we use one can of peas with the juice…one can of tuna with the juice and we change it up by using one can of cream of mushroom soup as our cream sauce….it is sooooo amazing…and we never have left overs lol….hope u try our version….
Your take on the recipe is interesting. I’m not a big fan of mushrooms, but I’ll have to try it using the juice from the peas and tuna. Someone else commented about using the pea juice too.
Hi We’ve used cream of celery soup instead of mushroom, and it was pretty good too 🙂
I Love they original receipt …. had it has as a kid
Exactly how my Grandma made this! We ate this for dinner during Lent.
Your nanny Jackman may have added lobster paste if it came in a can smaller than tuna! 🙂
She might have! That would be delicious! 🙂
Love cream peas on toast! I’ve had the white sauce with corn niblets or the miniature Chinese corn if you know what I mean …. delicious!
Adding corn would be a great idea! Thanks for the suggestion.
One of my all-time favorites!!!!
Hello. My family grew up on this. Everything is the same however we wil throw a cheese slice into the mix. It is awesome. Thanks
I’m getting a lot of good and interesting additions to the traditional cream peas on toast. I might have to try some of them, including a cheese slice!
Grew up on this stuff with a slight change. Used fresh garden podded peas, slice of cheese and topped with a poached egg.
We eat this often, I like to add fried onions to it and serve with raw potato hash…….
What’s raw potato hash? I know of potato hash… but raw?
I make this quite often, delicious!!
As a family of six and not a lot of income, it was a great, quick and cheap meal when I was growing up. Sometimes tuna was added but what I liked best is when a pinch of oregano was put in. Some people used cream of chicken soup too but with the white sauce is the best!
I think the white sauce would be best too. Mmmm… oregano. Thanks for the tip!
We just thickened the can of peas, with the juice. Put a fried egg on Toast, and smother with peas. Good
My grandmother used to make this back in the 60s or probably earlier – my husband and I still love it to this day! Grammy used to use a can of shrimp instead of peas when her sister and brother in law came for supper – it was delicious!
Ok, definitely trying the white sauce with baby shrimp the next time I have some around. Sounds like good memories.
As my husband is a diabetic I do not make a sauce. I make it with half juice from can of peas and half can of milk. This way it is not too much sugar going into his system.
My daughter does not like it but her brother, father and myself like it. I was not introduced to this until my husband and I were married, but have come to enjoy it very much. A very much enjoyed meal.
I’m not sure everyone in my family was a fan. Thanks for the suggestion to make it diabetic friendly.
We ate this often when I was growing up and like it still. A real treat once in awhile.
I love cream peas on toast 🙂 My mom used to make it for us all the time. We also used the canned pea juice. I sometimes put cheese with mine. I will have to try it with the canned tuna and the cream of mushroom. Looks like I know whats for lunch tomorrow 🙂
After reading all of these comments I might have to make it for supper!! 🙂
I grew up very poor ,so we had this a lot! I am not very fond of it now. I feel like we were force fed it. Lol.
I’m sorry it was ruined for you. I feel the same way about oatmeal (because of a babysitter).
Quite common in our house growing up too, but we used frozen peas, and the tuna and cream of mushroom soup. Sundays after Church is was a quick easy meal. Unfortunately my husband doesn’t like it so I don’t make it often.
It is a pretty quick meal. Our after church meal was always tomato soup and crackers or once in a while we had homemade bread from the local bakery. Of course we would save a slice of bread and have some butter and molasses on it for dessert.
My mom made this as a meal when we had nothing more on the shelves. It truly is a grrrt! meal. You can add salmon or tuna. Yummy!
An awesome meal…my mom made this for us when we were growing up. I would add salmon or tuna. Yummy!.
I add a little mustard to mine…Love it..
My family are creamed chicken on toast. When I make it for my family I make the white sauce with 2 cups milk,then add approx 2 cups chopped leftover chicken and 1 cup each of frozen peas and corn. Mmmm. My husband thinks were crazy but we love it!
How about milk soup? (my mom’s family were coal miners and they were very poor) Cook cubed potatoes and rice in just enough water then add milk and seasoning to taste. Heat it through and you’re done. Loved milk soup for lunch!
Interesting, I have never heard of milk soup. I might have to try it out. So you cook the rice and potatoes together?
One of my favorite meals!! I add shredded cheese and a little worscheshire sauce. Delicious and the ultimate comfort food. Also substitute some of the juice from the can of peas for some of the milk.
I have eaten this with a can of salmon added to the creamed peas. One of my favourites.
I make this a lot, but a little more of a simpler version as it was how my mother did it was to make toast, boil cream of mushroom soup add peas and pour over the toast…. so good Still addicted to this way but i will have to try with the cream you mentioned.
That is definitely a simpler version. I’m not a huge fan of mushroom soup so I’ll stick with making the sauce. 😉
I love this meal we grew up eating this ay least once a week ,,,,,, but If I have leftover cooked baked salmon or I have use” can ” salmon to the mixture is good too
I remember when I was young and my dad made it for us; it did not look appetizing but after one bite we were hooked. I like to had a sprinkle of yellow curry powder as its cooking, Curried Cream Peas on Toast! Delish. We once made appetizers for a party by taking the crusts off slices of bread, buttering one side and pressing buttered side down into muffin trays. Fill the insides with cream pea filling, and bake until bread is all brown and toasty. Huge hit.
I’ll have to try this out. You are not the first person to mention about adding curry, which I think I will also have to try!
I grew up with this also. My husband and I love it. I use the pea juice and milk but thicken it with cornstarch. A quick and easy meal.
My mom makes this by adding potatoes and ham in it. We never had it on toast though. It’s one of my favorite meals and I actually enjoy the leftovers, of their is any left over of course! 🙂
I love creamed peas on toast, also the version with tuna. Unfortunately my husband & kids don’t so I only make it for myself when I’m alone.
My grandma used to make this for me every time I visited her. It was always for lunch and such a treat because mom never made it at home. We sat at the kitchen table and grandpa, grandma, and I would eat a whole pot. My husband and kids won’t eat it and we don’t have a toaster at work so I don’t make it much anymore but I often think it would be nice to make a pot. It has to be green giant peas from the can. Definitely not frozen peas. I met someone from New Brunswick who made this and he sometimes added Bologna on toast then the cream peas then shredded cheese.
Yes, peas from a can are preferable. Oh fried bologna on the toast and then the pea sauce would be delicious! Sounds like a New Brunswicker kind of thing to do! 🙂
This was a common quick meal in my family as well growing up. My mom and her side also used that same white sauce on a dinner such as trout and boiled potatoes, almost like you’d use a hollandaise sauce : )
This was a staple in our home growing up. Mum put salmon in it (Dad was a part-time fisherman) Thanks for remit me of my youth. Such GREAT times. Apparently we didn’t have much, but, we never seemed to go without!! 💜
growing up on the farm this was my fav. meal so mom made it often.
in out family it was made with leftover chicken, peas and cream of mushroom soup over buttered bread. very good and quick!
We had it with onions and canned salmon. That was in the 50’s. I’d forgotten about it. Will be making it for lunch today. Thank you.
A meal that has been around for a long time. I hope you enjoyed your lunch!
I Our large family of 10 children ate this often! We also had it with a can of shrimp and chopped hard boiled eggs, now that was a treat!
I grew up on this! I’m the only west coast baby of an East coast family and this is definitely east coast food! I make it for my family. It’s one of those meals that I don’t tell people about because I don’t want to be judged but it taste like home! I add a bit of onion powder, granulated garlic and a pinch of nutmeg to my white sauce. We also use defrosted frozen peas not canned peas to give it a less mushy texture.
I like to add a little nutmeg to the peas. But curry sounds good too.
Our family has been eating this for decades and it’s still a favourite for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My recipe: 1 can of peas with juice, half a can of milk, 2 tablespoons of corn starch mixed in the half can of milk, and brought just to the boil until it thickens – don’t let it burn. Serve over buttered toast and put a good piece of butter on top with a little pepper. Awesome!!
I love creme peas on toast ate it alot as a child my gram used to make it for me, I made it for my kids too,, you can make it with canned salmon it’s really good too, brings back memories of my gram, when you make the creamed salmon under use the canned salmon no peas, or maybe you could try it with them I just never thought a off doing it that way maybe I’ll try it might be really good, that way,
I am going to make this and add a little seasoning salt to it? what do you think?
Of course! You can any seasoning. I saw one person say their Dad use to add curry.
My mother made creamed peas on toast, creamed salmon with chopped hard boiled eggs and creamed corn on toast. Love it to this day
Sounds delicious!
I grew up with this but we would have canned peas and carrots. Delish
It is definitely one of those recipes where you can easily change it and add what you like.
This is a family favourite! But we use frozen peas and leftover turkey and call it Creamed Turkey on toast. Same basic recipe! We add the frozen peas right after the milk and when it starts to thicken, we turn it off and let it rest. Season with pepper!
We had this for dinner when I was a kid and love it. Now I will add the peas to an Alfredo sauce only use one can of peas because it’s just me and I don’t like it left over!
Grew up with it as a leftover after a big turkey dinner. Chunks of turkey and peas in the white sauce. Childhood memory for sure. Thanks!
That would be delicious too!
I was glad to see this recipe again, my sister and I always have it when we’re together so the notion of it brings me a warm feeling! Our Mom used to make it with canned salmon which makes it a whole-meal deal– Mmm! Good food, good memories! thanks!
I was raised with this delicious combination. My dad “Jess Grady “who married my mom from New Brunswick ” Elvira Butler ” then. Anyway dad always added a bit of curry powder as well. My name is ” Maggie Grady, . Thanks for sharing this
I also had this with my older sister.we loved it.today I would not use white bread.but loved it then.
We had this often as a child and I made it for my kids too and they all love it. I get mystified looks when I mention it and could never understand why because it was a staple in our house. My mother added canned salmon and chopped up hard-boiled eggs to it when we had it for supper!
I ate this as a kid. It was the most vile substance I had ever encountered. I would gladly die of starvation, if this was my only chance of survival.
Well, Jay, it’s not for everyone! 🙂
We had this often growing up. One of our favourite. Have tried making it but never turns out like “MomS”. So when we go back home…..!!
My mother made it for us all the time even though she wouldnt touch it. I now make it for my youngest kid as well and she is as excited as I am to eat it. Only difference is I use the juice from the peas instead of water.
Cream peas on toast was one of my Dad’s specialties. He would make it on Saturday’s. All of us 6 kids loved it. Thank you for bringing back that beautiful memory.
I’m glad that I gave you the opportunity to recall such a fond memory.
My mom used to make this when we had leftover ham. She made the white sauce with Wondra flour, diced the leftover ham and added frozen (or leftover) peas. One of my favorites.
If I make it out of canned peas
( which is best in my opinion)
I add some of the juice from the can
Others I know drain the juice. The can of tuna with it that you mentioned sounds good. Thanks for sharing this recipie brought back great memories
This. Is something my mom made often. It made that can spread out to feed 8 children and two adults. We were a large French Canadian family. So you are right in calling it a poor man’s food. It was delicious then, and still delicious today.
This. Is something my mom made often. It made that can spread out to feed 8 children and two adults. We were a large French Canadian family. So you are right in calling it a poor man’s food. It was delicious then, and still delicious today. Thanks or sharing!
Growing up we had this sometimes. It’s easy and the answer for something quick. My kids and I love it.
i make this as a treat for myself as no one else in the family will eat it… I use the pea juice instead of milk and add a chopped boiled egg…
My Irish Grandmother often made creamed peas and salmon on toast for us. We walked from school to her house on our lunch hour and this was such a treat to warm us up. We loved it. Still do!
I love creamed peas on toast with tuna or salmon and white sauce. One spring day, when the asparagus was ready to pick from the garden, I wondered what creamed asparagus would be like instead of peas. I roasted the stalks, drizzled with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper, on a cookie sheet. When they cooled a bit, I cut them in 1 inch lengths and put them in the white sauce with tuna and seasoning. It was delicious, and I was asked to make it over and over again. Must say…liked it way better than when I used peas.
What a great idea! Using asparagus sounds amazing.
Had this as a meal at least once a month until my late teen years.
Mom always did the basic recipe,but her sister and obviously my aunt would make poached eggs on toast covered with the cream peas.Yummy and now I am hungry.
Awesome. I’m getting so many great variations to try!
This was almost a once a week meal in our house growing up and I use to make it for my girls – they love it and so do my grandchildren
We grew up with this once a week. My mom would fry bologna or ham and put on toast and smother it with the peas.
This may be a dumb question bit do indrawn the peas before putting them in with the sauce?
Most people drain the peas before putting it into the cream sauce. If your sauce ends up thicker then you like it you could add some the water from the peas to add extra flavour.
My mom use to make this but she would add 1lb hamburger with it
We ate this growing up and I craved it when I was pregnant. We also used to eat creamed chicken on toast, same idea with chunks of chicken instead. We always use frozen peas now as they are not quite as mushy 🙂
Now that I’ve seen it, my mother did make this for us years ago. Thank’s for the memories
Wow!!! I could not believe it when I saw this post. My mother used to make this for us and I loved it. I had soooo forgotten about it. I will definitely be making this soon and I like all the variations in all the other comments. Thank you for posting this.
We used to have this sometimes when I was a kid. Sometimes for supper we’d have Cream Salmon on toast or on boiled potatoes. Same recipe, just use a can of salmon instead of a can of peas.
Brings back good memories…My Mom used to make this only she would often put in about 1/2 a jar of drained pickled onions (the small ones). Once heated you couldn’t taste that they were pickled other than a little tang of vinegar.. So good
… grew up on it … 6 kids…. especially mom & I loved it ! .. (she’s in heaven now) .. she’d say, “we’re having a ‘treat today” ..you & I …. and she’d make it … thanks for the memory … I see lunch today !! 🙂
My mom would make it with frozen peas and carrots and swanson chicken breast in a can and poured over the small puff pastry shells… I love it!!!
My mom used to make creamed tuna & peas on toast when we got home from the cottage on Sunday nights! Quick, easy and the ingredients were always on hand! My husband now makes this for me on pasta instead of toast! One of my favoites for sure! Comfort food at it’s best!
Oh on pasta! I will have to try that. Thanks for the idea.
Mom put salmon in it. We called it salmon wiggle. 4 kids on military wages. It was a budget stretcher.
One of those ‘down home’ favourites which Is the only way I ever eat canned peas. I now use goats milk due to a dairy allergy but it makes no difference. Like lots of pepper. Also enjoy it with sockeye salmon.
I grew up eating this very recipe, only with melted American cheese drizzled over the top. Cheese on Peas on Toast was a Lentil delicacy, derived from the Anamoose ND school lunch program. Absolutely delicious. I still make it at the house.
Love creamed peas on toast. I like to add shaved corned beef or ham….yummy ☺
Oh my goodness, thanks for the memory! My Mom and Dad used to make this for our family and I loved it with salmon the best!!! Wonderful memory and now that I have your recipe, I can relive that taste once again over and over:) Brenda
Our version was Cream tuna & peas on saltines. Grew up on it! I love it and half my children do! You can make the white sauce in the microwave, once it is thickens you add drained can tuna & peas. I know what I am having for lunch!
Five kids not much spending cash and cold winters made this a staple in our house in the 50s and 60s. Then my grandmother added a twist in around 1970. She made the cream peas with a little bit of chopped cooked mushrooms and bacon. All 3 of my sisters and my wife currently prepare this dish for festive occasions. My personal all time veggie side dish. No toast however tonight my wife going to friends for dinner so I think I’ll make cream peas on toast just as my mother did. Just milk flour peas cooked soft over buttered toast lots pepper.
Little packages of corned beef work instead of tuna. Reduce the salt in the white sauce if you do.
This was a staple for us growing up, though we never made it with real milk; we made it with canned Pacific milk. And lotsa pepper!!! 🙂
My grandma made this for me. It’s the ultimate comfort food for me! I was very ill a few years ago and my mother made this for me right after my surgery. It made everything better
I use frozen peas and add cheese whiz to the sauce. We call it Irish-eyes-a-smiling.
Our family grew up on the creamed tuna, pea version, and we would mostly have it on chow men noodles! Then when I started my own family, I would sometimes make cheese baking powder biscuits, although the noodles were still a fav! Thanks for bringing back that memory! (My sister and I now live together and I recently thought about making it soon!)
My mom used to make creamed lobster on toast (using real lobster) but she more often used canned asparagus! And after reading this just now I am totally craving it and just may have to make it!!!
adding 1/2 to 1 tsp finely chopped onion adds a delicious flavour to the cream sauce!!
I have never tried it with peas (I will have to now haha) when we were kids my mom would make it with cans of creamed corn and that was a “quick night” supper or supper before grocery day lol
We had close to nothing growing up, I grew up on this.
My mom made it with chopped up hard boiled eggs 😀
I’ve tried to make it myself when my kids were younger but failed.
I’ll definitely try this one! I really had no idea how the sauce was made. Ty!
So happy to see this. I had forgot about this and I used to make it with leftover turkey from thanksgiving and mixed it with peas on toast. Yum so good!
I love turkey. I’ll have to keep that in mind for the next holiday.
Ate this my whole life and still have it from time to time
Thank you so much for sharing this!! It brought memories about me having this with my best friend growing up. I forgot!! Got to make this again!! Love it 🖒
Thanks for taking me back to when my mom made my favorite dinner when dad was out. She would make a special variation and serve over Bisquick biscuits. Even better yet. Tuna and peas in. team sauce. Mmm. No calorie counting please. Haven’t had this in years.
That is the nastiest thing I was ever made to eat as a child and the reason I will not eat peas today , my mother made it with can milk because it was cheap.
I probably wouldn’t eat it with canned milk either. My thing was brussel sprouts…. nasty! I think we all had that one thing our Moms made us eat that was disgusting!
My Mom used to make creamed carrots some days and other days creamed cauliflower. …so delicious!!
When I make the white sauce for creamed peas on toast I always add a clove of chopped garlic or some garlic powder to the butter while preparing the roux. I use fresh or frozen peas instead of canned. And I often use some vegetable broth in the sauce, such as from boiling fresh peas in the pod, along with milk, cream or a tablespoon or two of canned cream of mushroom soup base.
I add a can of salmon with less peas! Yummy!
Horrible memories of my childhood when we were too poor for a proper meal. Why anyone would want to eat this unless they absolutwly have to is beyond comprehension! Horrible!
It’s not everyone’s cup of tea! 😉 But there are a few of us out there that like it. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with this meal.
I add some medium to sharp cheddar to the white sauce to make it “cheesy peas” on toast. Yum!
I love it still, but not on toast. Usually like cream soup in a bowl. I like the same with corn. Either version with a bit of finely chopped onion is sooooo good. Haven’t tried either with salmon or tuna…might have to now.
Oh, and delicious on boiled or mashed potatoes, how mom derved it.
Oh interesting on mashed/boiled potatoes. New idea to try.