14 Canned Pea Brands, Ranked Worst To First
There is nothing quite like the flavor of fresh peas. Unfortunately, the window of availability for them is limited, and they can be a bit of a pain to shuck, especially if you need a lot of them. The next best alternative is frozen peas, which tend to maintain their bright green color and vibrant flavor. But if neither of these is available, canned peas can be convenient and healthy to pop into a quick soup, stew, or casserole.
A half-cup serving of canned peas has tons of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The only downside is the amount of sodium in them. The key is to drain them thoroughly before use, which we did when evaluating 14 different brands of canned peas. We graded each on size, smell, visual appeal, texture, and taste. Where possible, we purchased very young sweet peas, which should have more sweetness than their more mature counterparts.
In reality, the differences between the brands had less to do with the maturity of the peas when harvested and more to do with how they were processed and canned. The following is our ranking of canned pea brands from worst to best.
14. Simple Truth Organic No Salt Added Sweet Peas
We were somewhat shocked that Simple Truth Organic No Salt Added Sweet Peas ended up dead last on our list. We wanted to like them more than we did because they only had 15 milligrams of sodium per half-cup serving versus 300 milligrams for every other brand we sampled. That's a marked difference.
Simple Truth Organic is the Kroger premium store brand. Though it strives to produce a superior product at a more affordable price, these peas did not deliver. At first glance, these peas were all over the map in size. They were also inconsistent in shape, with some being whole and others halved or completely mashed in the can. Their aroma was sweet with a vegetal undertone.
At first bite, they had a pretty good snap, which faded into a mushy texture. As we began to taste the flavor, we bit into what felt like a pebble. This instantly ended our sampling. If you cannot clean your peas properly before canning them, we cannot endorse them. Therefore, they ranked at the bottom of our list.
13. Great Value Sweet Peas
Walmart's Great Value brand of sweet peas was second to last on our list. Roughly half the can disintegrated into pea mush once we drained the can. This would be fine for soup if you intend to purée it, but if you want whole peas, you would have been hard-pressed to find them in this can. And the ones we could see were medium-sized, roughly the diameter of a pearl.
They had a very starchy smell and a brownish-green hue. Unsurprisingly their texture was mushy and the flavor could only be described as synthetic. They had an artificial sweetness, leaving a strange aftertaste in our mouths, presumably a by-product of the brine they were soaked in. Though these peas are a great deal, we would skip them. Plenty of other options exist that aren't much more expensive, remain whole in the can, and at least taste like real peas, even if they are not as good as fresh.
12. Butter Kernel Sweet Peas
Butter Kernel began canning sweet corn in 1895 with 10 dedicated farmers living in Faribault, Minnesota. Though the enterprise has expanded to encompass other vegetables, like sweet peas, it maintains a commitment to quality and freshness. Our first impression of these peas was that they had a convenient pop cap, which is nice when you don't have a can opener.
Once we drained these peas, we noticed a very aggressive pea smell, and they were uneven in size and a yellowish-green color. The texture was quite pasty, leaving a residual film of graininess on our teeth that was a bit unappealing. The flavor was also remarkably neutral. We kept waiting for something to hit us, but there wasn't anything there. With that, we rated these toward the bottom of the list. Though we appreciate the longevity and ability of this company to persevere through some ups and downs, we weren't enthralled by its peas.
11. Green Giant Sweet Peas
If ever a company embodied the sweet pea, it would be Green Giant. This company began in 1903 under the name Minnesota Valley Canning Company. During a particularly robust pea harvest in 1925, the friendly spokes giant was introduced, eventually prompting the company to be renamed after him in 1950.
At first glance, the peas in this can had a chartreuse color and were small in stature. Their aroma was distinctly sour, likely a result of the brining liquid. Something we disliked was how poorly they were cleaned; there were stems attached to many of the peas, which required additional cleaning, making them not ready to use straight out of the can. The texture was also slightly mealy.
Flavor-wise, these were the saltiest of the peas we sampled, though, under the salt, they had a sweet and nutty flavor. We might have eliminated some of this salinity if we had rinsed them. We opted not to so that we could make it a fair comparison with the other peas sampled. All in all, these peas were not "ho, ho, ho" but ho-hum.
10. Cadia Organic Sweet Peas
Cadia is a company that works with farmers to offer sustainable and high-quality products. Its target audience is natural food markets across the country. These peas are certified organic and sourced from farmers in the northern part of the U.S. With these credentials, we had high expectations going into this tasting.
Upon first glance, when we drained the can, the volume of peas appeared to be less than every other 15-ounce can we sampled. This may have been an optical illusion, as we did not weigh the volume of peas in every can after draining. The aroma was very vegetable-forward, and the color a pale green. The peas were unevenly sized, and many of them disintegrated. When we sampled them, they were mealy and had hardly any flavor. Overall, we were underwhelmed, particularly after evaluating the stellar profile this company presents on its website.
9. Field Day Organic Green Sweet Peas
Field Day Organic offers a broad spectrum of organic, non-GMO, fair trade products at competitive prices. We found them at a Schnucks grocery store and its peas looked promising, although we were surprised to see sugar added to the brine. This brand also had an easy-to-use pop cap, which we appreciated.
When we opened the can, a visible layer of starch coated the bottom. This was something we hadn't seen up to this point in any other can. The peas were uneven in size and had a gray-green color. Yet again, some had fallen apart in the can but were not completely disintegrated and there was virtually no aroma to the brine or the peas.
The flavor didn't improve, with a mushy texture and a bitter aftertaste. These peas left a pasty residue in our mouths, befitting the gunk we observed at the bottom of the can. They weren't the worst peas we tasted, but definitely not the greatest, particularly for what is supposed to be a premium organic brand.
8. Schnucks Small Early Peas
Established in 1939, family-owned Schnuck Markets, Inc. has grown to service a tight pocket of Midwestern states, including Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Its namesake brand includes over 2,300 items with value pricing, including these small early peas. These peas were visually appealing, with a delightful lime green color. They had a fresh aroma that was bright and redolent of the field. The peas were evenly sized and, though called small on the label, were heftier than some of the others we sampled.
As enthusiastic as we were about the appearance of these peas, their flavor was just meh. They had a mushy, pasty texture and a bland taste. That said, there wasn't anything offensive or off-putting about this brand. It would be perfectly serviceable for a soup, stew, or three-bean salad. The discrepancy between what these peas looked like versus what they tasted like landed them a spot about midway through our ranking.
7. Happy Harvest Very Young Small Sweet Peas
Aldi enjoys a loyal fan base, so we wanted to include its trademark brand retailed under the Happy Harvest moniker. Being very young and small, we expected these peas to be sweet and petite, which they were. The aroma upon opening the can was quite vegetable-forward and grassy. The tiny peas had a dull green color. Unfortunately, about half of them were disintegrated, making them a challenge to sample.
The texture of these peas was very soft, which could be a by-product of being younger, but is more likely the result of the canning process. Though these had a hint of salinity, it was not overwhelming. We found them to have a pleasant, sweet flavor and these were the first that left us thinking of fresh sweet peas. With that, they were an average brand that would work well in most recipes. Our only complaint was the integrity of the peas in the can.
6. Kroger Small Sweet Peas
With nearly 2,800 stores in 35 states, Kroger has grown from humble beginnings in 1883 as a small country store in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, into one of the largest retailers globally. Its store brand products consistently offer quality at an affordable price. These sweet peas were no exception.
When we busted into this can, the fresh pea aroma was delightful. They smelled the most like we were getting peas straight from the farm of all the brands we sampled up to that point. They had a pale green hue and were mid-sized compared with other peas in the tasting. The texture had a toothsome initial snap, which yielded a mild, delicate flavor. Our only complaint was the slightly pasty aftertaste and lingering coating on our tongues of starch. Otherwise, these were a fine example of a canned pea that would be lovely in a pot pie or shepherd's pie recipe, as well as a soup or salad.
5. Full Circle Market Organic Sweet Green Peas
The Full Circle Market organic brand is the premium label under the Topco corporate umbrella. This company began as a food cooperative in 1944, selling dairy products and paper goods during wartime. It has since grown to include a myriad of brands servicing retailers across the country. We found these peas at Schnucks.
The largest of all the peas we sampled, these had a brownish-green color and a strong earthy, minerally aroma. The texture of these was firm but not snappy, something we had been looking for up to this point, as fresh peas tend to be al dente when shucked. They had a hint of bitterness when we tasted them, befitting of their mineral scent. This brand of peas had a natural flavor that, though less sweet than others, was of good quality. They would be ideal in a pasta dish topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese or in a Spanish paella.
4. Del Monte Very Young Small Sweet Peas
Del Monte has been a gold standard in canned vegetables since the company's inception in 1886. The fact that these peas landed in fourth place did not shock us. We did want to mention that except for the one low-sodium brand we sampled, every other brand had 300 milligrams of sodium per half-cup serving, but not this one. This one was slightly higher at 380 milligrams. This may not mean much, but someone monitoring their sodium intake may want to opt for a different brand.
The peas themselves were a smaller size with a yellowish-green hue. The aroma was quite legume-forward, like chickpeas or lentils, but it wasn't overpowering. The texture had a nice pop when you bit into them. The flavor, though starchy, had a nice balance between sweet and salty. These did leave a slight pasty residue on our tongues, but it wasn't overwhelming. These are reliable and cost-effective, making them a solid choice for any recipe.
3. Le Sueur Very Young Small Sweet Peas
The distinctive French name of this brand caught our attention. Its origin dates back to 1700 when French explorer Pierre-Charles Le Sueur settled in the Minnesota River Valley. In 1903, the Minnesota Valley Canning Company was established in La Sueur, Minnesota, specializing in cream-style corn. Le Sueur Z, an offshoot of this company, began canning Early June Peas in 1907. In 1950, the Minnesota Valley Canning Company became the Green Giant Company, but Early June Peas remained under the La Sueur label.
Since this brand was founded on peas and this vegetable remains its focus, it makes sense that it should land in our top three. These petit pois have a very mild pea aroma and lime green color. The texture is starchy, as evidenced by the rich starchy liquid left at the bottom of the can after we drained the peas. Their flavor was delicate, mild, and almost creamy. These would be superior peas for a luscious pea soup with smoked ham or turned into a hummus-like dip or spread.
2. Hy-Vee Sweet Peas
In second place, and the top contender for a grocery store brand product, is the Hy-Vee Sweet Pea. Hy-Vee has enjoyed a stellar reputation since its humble origins in Iowa in 1930. With accolades like "Top 5 Most Trusted Grocery Retailers" by Newsweek and "#2 Best Supermarkets in America" by USA Today, we expected great things. It was delivered with a punch. The difference between this and every other store brand was night and day. The medium to small peas was a grayish-green hue. They smelled briney, but not overtly, and had a clean vegetable aroma.
Where these peas shined was their texture. They were firm, with each one popping in our mouth distinctly as we bit into them. They were also sweet and juicy and had a wonderful aftertaste. This is the ideal pea for a salad, although it would be great in any application. We did note that Hy-Vee has a low-sodium option. Assuming those peas are canned with the same freshness, we would purchase those in a heartbeat.
1. That's Smart! Sweet Peas
Before conducting this taste test, we had never heard of the That's Smart! – advertised as the go-to value brand — which is shocking, considering its peas were superior to everything we tasted. Unfortunately, its products are only available in select retailers, making them hard to come by. That said if you can find them, be smart and buy them — they were the runaway winner.
Like a couple of the other brands, there was a distinct layer of starch at the bottom of the can. At first glance, the peas were wildly erratic in size and color, which had us questioning what we were getting into. The aroma was redolent of freshly shucked peas which clearly is hard to preserve based on every other brand we tried. The best feature of these peas was their snappy texture, popping in your mouth like little juicy balloons. They weren't salty and had a delightful nutty aftertaste that had us saying "yum" out loud. We were unconvinced that a canned pea could compare to a frozen or fresh pea when we began this taste test. These proved us wrong. Five stars all the way.