Old-Fashioned Cheesy Peas On Toast

Cheesy peas on toast served on lemon patterned plate with fork and knife to side, flower patterned pot in background and a green table cloth.

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: British, English

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Servings:

Calories: 307kcal

Author: Jacq

Cheesy peas on toast is a delicious dinner or tea time meal and can be quickly prepared with little fuss. It is easily adaptable so you can use your usual ingredients and switch out the peas for cooked beans if preferred. The cheesy peas can also be served as a side dish, or the cheese sauce prepared and poured over cooked potatoes, veggies, rice, pasta, or even fries or chips for - cheesy chips!

Alternatively, omit the cheesy flavour and instead prepare creamed peas to enjoy on toast or as a side dish.

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

non-stick saucepan for cooking sauce
Saucepan for cooking peas
Colander,
hand whisk

Ingredients

cheese sauce

600 mililitres soya milk [or your usual milk]
3 tablespoons plain flour [all-purpose flour or use a gluten-free plain flour alternative]
3 tablespoons vegan butter [or margarine or your usual cooking fat]
½ teaspoon mustard powder [we used Colemans mustard powder]
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
¾ teaspoon salt [we used sea salt, use more or less to taste]
5 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes [use more if preferred, or replace with about one cup of grated vegan cheese or your usual cheese, adjust to taste preferences]

Peas:

550 grams frozen peas [or fresh peas]

Toast:

4 slices wholemeal bread [can use more slices if necessary and they can be buttered or unbuttered]

Instructions

Prepare the peas

Cook the peas according to the package instructions. Once cooked drain the peas into a colander and then once fully drained place the peas back into the saucepan. Place a lid over the pan and keep somewhere warm while the sauce is prepared.
550 grams frozen peas

Prepare the sauce

Add the butter to a non-stick saucepan and over a low-medium heat heat until melted.
3 tablespoons vegan butter
Add the flour and use the hand whisk to stir the flour through until smooth. Cook and stir for one minute.
3 tablespoons plain flour
Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly, until all the milk is incorporated.
600 mililitres soya milk
Over a medium-high heat bring the sauce to a gentle boil, stirring frequently, and once the sauce is boiling turn the heat down to low-medium.
Gently boil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, and don’t leave it untended as it could bubble up. If it does bubble up turn the heat down and keep stirring.
After 5 minutes, turn the heat off, and add the nutritional yeast flakes [or cheese], mustard powder, ground white pepper and salt. Add more yeast flakes or cheese, and salt, to taste if necessary.
½ teaspoon mustard powder, ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, ¾ teaspoon salt, 5 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

Toast the bread

Meanwhile toast the bread and spread with butter or margarine if liked.
4 slices wholemeal bread

Assemble

Add the cooked peas and stir well. We like to keep about half a cup or about a tablespoon of peas per serving separate so that they can be used as a garnish - about a tablespoon of peas sprinkled over each serving as they provide a nice green pop of colour.
Scoop the cheesy peas over the toast and sprinkle a few peas over for a green garnish, and if liked sprinkle over some fresh chopped parsley or mint, or some finely chopped chives or spring onions [green onions/scallions]

Notes

Nutritional data is for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients vary.
Leftover cheesy peas can be stored within a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
To reheat, whisk some extra milk through the cheesy peas as the sauce will become very thick as it’s stored. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil and reheat for a minute or just until piping hot, stirring constantly.
Use more toast per person if feeding hungry appetites!
Recipe Variation: To make cheesy chips or fries - omit the peas and toast, and prepare the sauce. Pour some of the cheese sauce over cooked chips and an optional step is to also sprinkle over some grated cheese and then place until a grill or broiler, or pop into an oven or air-fryer and heat until the cheese has melted and the sauce bubbly.
Recipe Variation: Creamed Peas - omit the nutritional yeast flakes or cheese and prepare the white sauce as per the recipe, mix the cooked peas through and you have creamed peas. For a parsley sauce stir through a few handfuls of finely chopped parsley into the white sauce. Or use finely chopped mint or chives.
We are a plant-based family recipe blog so all our ingredient suggestions will be for vegan-friendly ingredients but if you have different dietary requirements then you can use your every-day ingredients.
The nutritional yeast flakes can be replaced with grated vegan cheese or your usual cheese. adjusting the quantities to your own preferences.
For gluten-free cheesy peas on toast use gluten-free bread and for the sauce use a gluten-free plain flour.
The peas can be either fresh, frozen, or canned.
The peas can be replaced with cooked beans such as haricot beans [navy beans], butter beans, cannellini beans, etc.
The cheese sauce can be prepared minus the peas, and served over potatoes such as mashed potatoes, vegetables, rice, or pasta.
Instead of on toast, use the cheesy peas or creamed peas as a side dish.
For more useful recipe notes and FAQs do have a look at our detailed recipe notes and FAQ sections, as well as our four top tips for preparing the best cheese sauce, located above this recipe.

Nutrition