Easy Mushy Peas Recipe (2024)

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When I encountered a can of mushy peas in the international section of a local grocery store, I was intrigued. Ever since, I've loved them along with savory pies or on their own. Learn how to make this British side dish with this easy recipe.

Want to serve this dish with savory pies? You'll want to make this minced beef pie or this steak and ale pie.

Easy Mushy Peas Recipe (1)
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • How to Make
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Serve
  • Store
  • Expert Tips
  • Other British Recipes You'll Love
  • Recipe
  • Comments

Ingredients

Easy Mushy Peas Recipe (2)

Fortunately, mushy peas are made with only a few basic ingredients. Let's talk about them quickly!

  • Marrowfats: Traditionally, they are made with marrowfats, but those can only be found online here in the US. Substitute with green split ones if you must.
  • Bicarb (Baking Soda): The most important other ingredient is baking soda (bicarb). It helps soften the marrowfats as they cook, cutting down the cooking time and giving the dish its distinctive creamy texture and bright color.
  • Garnishes: Many people like to add mint sauce, fresh mint, cream, butter, sugar, or freshly squeezed lemon juice as garnishes. You can also serve them alongside a savory pie or fish and chips.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make

Gather the ingredients for the mushy peas.

Easy Mushy Peas Recipe (3)
  1. Place the dried marrowfats in a large Dutch oven and sprinkle the baking soda on top. Pour in 8 cups of boiling water and stir.
  2. Soak them in boiling water overnight (12 hours). The baking soda softens them and improves the color.
Easy Mushy Peas Recipe (4)

3. Drain and thoroughly rinse them.

4. Cover with filtered water and stir in the salt and pepper.

Easy Mushy Peas Recipe (5)

5. Bring up to a simmer, then cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until mushy and creamy. Skim off any foam that forms.

6. Enjoy with lemon wedges, cream, butter, or mint sauce, or serve with fish and chips or meat pies.

Recipe FAQs

Are mushy peas a British thing?

Yes, it is a traditional dish in the UK, and is commonly served alongside fish and chips or savory meat pies.

Are mushy peas different from normal peas?

Yes, this dish is made from a variety called marrowfats. These older, larger peas were dried naturally in the fields, and were harvested at the end of the growing season. Marrowfats have a higher starch content than regular ones, which gives this dish a distinctive texture.

What's the deal with mushy peas?

Make this dish by soaking the dried marrowfats in water and baking soda overnight to soften them, then rinse and boil them until they are soft and creamy. Add your favorite toppings (lemon juice, cream, mint sauce, etc.) and enjoy!

Why are they called marrowfat peas?

Surprisingly enough, this name came from the Japanese who immigrated to England in the 1900s. They wanted to grow "fat maros," or large peas, in the moderate English climate. The locals changed this to marrowfat, and the name stuck.

Serve

Mushy peas are traditionally served with a savory main course (usually a meat pie) and drizzled with a variety of toppings, such as cream, butter, lemon juice, mint sauce, and malt vinegar.

You'll enjoy mushy peas along with any of these traditional British dishes: fish and chips, steak and ale pie, meat and potato pie, minced beef pie, Scottish steak pie.

Store

  • Store: Keep them sealed in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  • Reheat: Heat in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop until heated through.
  • Freeze: Place them in a zip-top freezer bag or an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Expert Tips

  • In a hurry? Use frozen green peas instead of dried. Use less water as well.
  • Have marrowfat ones? Use them instead of split peas.
  • For a thicker version, use less filtered water and cook for less time.
  • Serve with a variety of toppings, such as lemon juice, cream, mint sauce, malt vinegar, and butter.
  • Freeze leftovers in a zip-top bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.

Other British Recipes You'll Love

  • Scottish Steak Pie
  • Traditional Figgy Pudding Recipe
  • Chicken, Bacon, and Apricot Pies
  • Easy Cob Loaf Recipe

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Recipe

Easy Mushy Peas Recipe (10)

Easy Mushy Peas Recipe

Learn how to make this traditional English and Irish side dish for fish and chips or a meat pie. This delicious and healthy vegetarian dish can be customized to your taste with mint, cream, or lemon juice.

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: British

Diet: Vegetarian

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 9 cups

Calories: 168kcal

Author:

Ingredients

  • 4 ½ cups dried marrowfat peas, or 4 cups green split peas
  • 2 tablespoons baking soda, bicarbonate of soda
  • 8 cups water
  • 5 ½ cups filtered water
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons salt, or more to taste
  • 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper

Instructions

  • Place the dried marrowfats in a large Dutch oven and sprinkle the baking soda on top. Pour in 8 cups of boiling water and stir, then cover and let stand at room temperature for about 12 hours. (You can go up to 24 hours if you'd like.)

  • Drain the marrowfats in alarge colander, making sure to rinse them very thoroughly to remove the baking soda. They still will have a somewhat bitter flavor from the baking soda, but this will go away once they are cooked.

  • Return them to the Dutch oven and cover with filtered water (about 5 ½ cups). Stir in the salt and pepper, then cover.

  • Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, then turn down the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the peas are thick and mushy. Skim off any foam or loosened skins, and be careful not to overcook, or they will not be as chunky.

  • Leave them plain, and serve hot with a variety of toppings, such as lemon wedges, cream, butter,mint sauce, andmalt vinegar. Mushy peas also taste great alongside fish and chips or meat pies.

Notes

  • In a hurry? Use frozen green ones instead of the dried ones and use less water.
  • For a thicker version, use less water and cook for less time.
  • Serving with fish and chips? Stir ⅓ cup (78 ml) of heavy cream and a few tablespoons of salted butter into the pot.
  • Want a minty version?Stir in mint sauce to taste and fresh chopped mint leaves.
  • Tangy version? Add freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste.
  • Freeze leftovers in a zip-top bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 168kcal (8%)Carbohydrates: 30g (10%)Protein: 12g (24%)Fat: 1g (2%)Saturated Fat: 1g (6%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 681mg (30%)Potassium: 485mg (14%)Fiber: 13g (54%)Sugar: 4g (4%)Vitamin A: 74IU (1%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 33mg (3%)Iron: 2mg (11%)

Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Alex

    Easy Mushy Peas Recipe (11)
    These mushy peas taste good with butter, mint sauce, salt, lemon juice, and cream. They are soft and fluffy, and the mint sauce on top is lovely with the peas. The bright color is cool, too, and they taste delicious!

    Reply

    • Emma

      I’m glad you like mushy peas, Alex!

      Reply

  2. Beth

    Easy Mushy Peas Recipe (12)
    This is a great way to eat peas. I love trying new English foods, and this one doesn't disappoint. The peas are great with many toppings, like salt, butter, cream, and lemon.

    Reply

    • Emma

      These mushy peas are a nice accompaniment to a savory meat pie. I'm glad that you like them!

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Easy Mushy Peas Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make canned mushy peas better? ›

My mom had a really neat trick for making canned peas taste good. She would drain the liquid from the can into a small saucepan and reduce it to almost a syrup, add an equal amount of butter to it to form a sauce, and then add the peas and heat them in the sauce just enough to warm them before serving.

Why put sugar in mushy peas? ›

Season the peas with salt and pepper to taste. Add the optional sugar if you prefer them slightly sweeter, heavy cream or milk to give them a fluffier texture, or butter for flavor.

How are mushy peas made? ›

Mushy peas are dried marrowfat peas which are first soaked overnight in water with baking soda, and then rinsed in fresh water, after which the peas are gathered in a saucepan, covered with water, and brought to a boil, and then simmered until the peas are softened.

How do you doctor up a can of peas? ›

Sweet and Spicy Peas

A little honey and cajun seasoning dress up canned green peas very well. Add 1/2 tbsp. of honey and 1 teaspoon of cajun seasoning.

Are mushy peas a laxative? ›

Raw Peas are also used as an appetizer which helps provide relief from constipation by promoting bowel movements due to its laxative property. It also helps manage the level of blood sugar due to its anti-diabetic and antioxidant properties and thus reduce the risk of diabetic complications.

Are mushy peas good or bad for you? ›

Mushy peas on the side will add healthy fibre to your meal and reduce the fat content overall.

What are the side effects of mushy peas? ›

They may cause bloating

Additionally, the lectins in green peas are associated with bloating and other digestive symptoms. Although lectins aren't present in high amounts, they may cause problems for some people, especially when they are a major part of the diet ( 47 , 49 ).

How do you make Jamie Oliver mushy peas? ›

Meanwhile, for mushy peas, melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add fresh peas and tarragon, and cook, covered, for 10 minutes (3 minutes for frozen) or until soft. Add lemon juice and season. Mash until mushy.

What is the real name for mushy peas? ›

Mushy peas, also known as 'Yorkshire caviar', are dried marrow fat peas, mature green peas that are allowed to dry out naturally in the field. In Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and parts of Lincolnshire, mushy peas are often served as a snack on their own.

How do you thicken mushy peas? ›

Well the real answer is to keep peas only covered a little by water or broth while cooking, thereby eliminating excess water. Boil some more peas with less water, strain and add them when soft. Using potato would work, but would taste more like potato soup.

What are the white bits in mushy peas? ›

It's essentially the part that would sprout if was planted instead of being cooked. Your peas had started germinating. This slightly alters the taste, making them a little bitter, but these are not worms.

Why do you put bicarbonate of soda in mushy peas? ›

Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) added to the peas whilst soaking helps retain colour and, more importantly, it helps to soften their skins, allowing them to absorb the soaking water. It is another vital ingredient.

What does mushy peas mean in British? ›

mushy peas in British English

(ˈmʌʃɪ piːz ) plural noun. British. dried peas that have been soaked, boiled and mashed - often eaten with fish and chips. Collins English Dictionary.

Can you eat mushy peas out of the tin? ›

Yeah they're all fine without being heated up.

How to make mushy peas Jamie Oliver? ›

Meanwhile, for mushy peas, melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add fresh peas and tarragon, and cook, covered, for 10 minutes (3 minutes for frozen) or until soft. Add lemon juice and season. Mash until mushy.

Why are my canned peas mushy? ›

Texture: Canned peas are typically much softer and can be mushy in texture due to the canning process, which involves high heat and pressure. Fresh peas have a crisp texture when just picked, while frozen peas can maintain some of their firmness when properly cooked.

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