Creamed Peas and Potatoes – Old-Fashioned Southern Comfort
If you grew up anywhere near a garden in the South—or especially in West Virginia—you already know the magic of creamed peas and potatoes. It’s one of those humble dishes that makes you pause after the first bite, because somehow, it tastes just like home.
This dish always showed up early in the summer garden season. When the new red potatoes were small and tender and the peas were freshly shelled or pulled from the freezer, my grandma would bring this out in a big casserole dish with crispy bacon crumbled on top. It wasn’t fancy, but it was unforgettable.
Today, I’m sharing our family-style version that’s perfect for recreating that nostalgic flavor—whether you’re feeding your own family or just need a little comfort on your plate.
🥞 Ingredients
- 2 lbs red potatoes, boiled and halved
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 10 oz frozen peas (or fresh if you’ve got them!)
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
🍳 Instructions
1. Preheat and Prep
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Boil your red potatoes until fork-tender (don’t overcook them), then cut them in half. Place in a greased baking pan.
2. Add the Peas
Scatter the peas and diced onions over the potatoes in the pan.
3. Make the Cream Sauce
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper to make a roux. Slowly whisk in the milk and evaporated milk, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens (about 4–6 minutes).
4. Assemble and Bake
Pour the cream sauce evenly over the potatoes and peas. Top with crumbled bacon. Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly golden on top.
💡 Tips & Variations
- Don’t skip the evaporated milk – it gives the sauce that deep richness.
- Want more texture? Add a little shredded cheddar or Parmesan before baking.
- Vegetarian? Leave off the bacon, and use sautéed mushrooms instead.
- Use new potatoes from your garden for that extra-tender bite.
☕️ What to Serve With Creamed Peas and Potatoes
This creamy side dish goes perfectly with:
- Grilled pork chops
- Baked ham
- Fried chicken
- Or a big bowl of it on its own with crusty bread!
Have you made this before? Or is this your first time bringing back an old Appalachian favorite? Let me know how it turned out in the comments!
Creamed Peas and Potatoes
Ingredients
- - 2 lbs red potatoes boiled
- - 1/4 cup butter
- - 3 tbsp flour
- - 1 1/2 tsp salt
- - 1/4 tsp pepper
- - 1 1/2 cups milk
- - 1 cup evaporated milk
- - 10 oz frozen peas
- - 1/2 cup onion diced
- - 4 slices bacon cooked & crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Boil and halve potatoes. Place in greased baking pan.
- Sprinkle peas and onions on top.
- In saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt, pepper.
- Whisk in milk and evaporated milk until thickened.
- Pour sauce over veggies. Top with bacon.
- Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes.
Notes
- Double the bacon if you're a fan!
