10 Canned Pea Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

It's no secret that peas are controversial. People ban the pod-born pellets from their diets for multiple reasons. Whether it's their taste, texture, or maybe just that off-putting green coloring, some people simply refuse to accept the tiny green veggies. Personally, though, I think it's high time we give peas a fair chance.

Peas actually do have a lot going for them. They really do, I promise. They're rich in essential nutrients, support healthy digestion thanks to their natural fiber content, and are a great source of plant-based protein. Thanks to canned peas, you can also enjoy them all year-round–not just in their peak season during spring and summer. The challenge is simply to find the right canned pea brands. The wrong ones are sure to deepen the pea hatred even more.

From the outside, it's obviously tough to know which cans will actually taste good and fresh rather than mushy, bland, or even metallic. So, I recently dug into a plethora of options so that you don't have to. I picked up 10 different cans of peas, from name brands to generic store brands. Then, I tasted each and judged them on taste, texture, overall quality, and, of course, a few other key details like price point. Even if peas aren't usually your jam, keep an open mind, because some of the top picks are actually pretty tasty. Perhaps they could even help to sway some of the most ardent pea skeptics.

Walmart specifies that its Organic Great Value brand "uses only wholesome ingredients with no artificial flavors or preservatives to deliver great foods you can trust." But from what I can tell after trying its green peas, the line has less to offer yet charges more.

For more than twice the price of Walmart's standard Great Value peas, you're getting early peas — a specific kind that can be grown earlier in the season and which matures faster. This pea variety tends to be smaller in size, and that definitely checks out here. These are easily the tiniest peas of the entire group. It's almost comical when compared to the fuller picks found in other cans. Unfortunately, the cuteness of the petite size doesn't translate to concentrated flavor. These ended up being rather flavorless, even with the addition of sea salt. They're also severely devoid of moisture on the inside.

I additionally found it slightly ironic that the peas are labeled as being certified USDA organic, yet they're a product of France. You'd think a premium-positioned product would opt for domestic sourcing. Then, to top it off, the can doesn't specify whether its lining is BPA-free. Neither of Walmart's Great Value pea options makes that distinction. I suppose it still could be, but for an organic-labeled product, I would expect that detail to be called out front and center. All things considered, I'd say you're better off skipping these. They simply don't justify the "organic" price tag or make a name for themselves in terms of flavor.

Walmart's non-organic Great Value Sweet Peas were also not my favorite. Knowing that the can could potentially contain BPA, the product automatically started at a deficit in my mind — a deficit that it couldn't seem to work its way out of.

The peas do have a few redeeming qualities. For example, I liked the price point for the 15-ounce can, and I appreciated that the packaging notes the peas are picked and packed the same day. They also came in at a nice medium size–about twice as large as the tiny organic Great Value peas. A fact that gave me hope. That's about where the positives end, though. The peas themselves are a bit too mushy for my liking, and a surprising number of them came already squished in the can. The sweetness level is just okay, and they hardly tasted salty at all, despite salt being listed as one of the few ingredients. The result is a pea that's more satisfying than the organic version — simply because there's a little more substance to it — yet still pretty disappointing all-around.

If you're shopping at Walmart for peas, I'd say you're better off avoiding Great Value altogether. Reach for a name brand like Del Monte or Libby's instead, especially if you're serving your peas straight-up as a side dish and not burying them inside a recipe.

Smart Way is just one of the many names in Kroger's family of brands. But unlike Private Selection, which touts its premium, artisan-style foods, or Simple Truth, which offers natural and organic products, Smart Way promises low costs above all else. The line was first introduced in 2022, and its products have slowly started to infiltrate various shelves, including the canned veggie shelf.

The brand's can of sweet green peas certainly looks like a budget find. The pure white label and ultra-simple imagery are a clear tell. It is cost-effective, I'll give it that. It matches Walmart's Great Value in terms of price. However, I just can't get on board with the taste. Despite a little added sugar and a touch of salt, the flavor is surprisingly muted. And given the larger size of these peas, I expected a rush of juiciness to come bursting out of each sizable sphere. Instead, they were somewhat dry, even straight from the liquid in the can. The can does note that it comes with a non-BPA liner, so it at least jumps Walmart's selections. That's pretty much the only health credential it can claim, though.

Overall, this is very much a "what you see is what you get" kind of product, and honestly, just what I'd expect from an opening price point brand. It's passable, yet if you're willing to spend even a few more cents, you can get a noticeably better product.

Kroger's sweet peas rang up at the lowest price. But because they come in a mini 8.5-ounce can — just over half the size of most other options — that fact should be taken with a grain of salt. These are Garden Variety Sweet Peas, essentially your standard shelling peas or English peas. I also didn't notice until after I bought them that they're labeled as "no salt added." Had I caught that beforehand, I probably would have sought out the salted version instead. Despite the word sweet in the title, there's no added sugar, either, leaving you with truly just peas and water in the can.

The store does claim they're picked at the peak of freshness, though, and for what they are, they aren't half bad. They have a very pure, natural flavor to them — not complex and hardly sweet at all, yet pleasant. The texture is surprisingly good, too. Some of the peas even offer that nice little bursting sensation when you bite into them, which is more than I can say for several of the other cans I tried. For not having any add-ins, I was genuinely impressed by these.

Are there tastier options out there? Yes, absolutely. But these are a solid find, especially if you want more control over sodium levels or seasonings. Plus, you can always use something like brown sugar to zhuzh them up. 

Giant Eagle's Sweet Peas are a middle-of-the-pack kind of product. They come in another one of those mini 8.5-ounce cans, which seems to be a recurring theme among store-brand peas, though a larger size is also available if you prefer. Inside, you'll find peas that are ample-sized and the same dull green shade that most canned peas default to.

Flavor-wise, these are ... so-so sweet peas. They have a straightforward taste. They're not overly sweet, but they're also not overly vegetal or metallic. Just an average, everyday pea flavor. Sodium levels are just about on par with every other salted can you can find, and they're in between squashy and firm.

Unrelated to their direct taste, a couple of benefits to note are that they're made in the USA, they contain no preservatives, and they come backed by Giant Eagle's return guarantee. It's actually a pretty good one — comparable to Aldi's Twice as Nice guarantee. The store promises 100% satisfaction or double your money back. Not too shabby. I'd venture to guess that most people would be sufficiently satisfied with this product, though, so need for a return. They're not complaint-worthy. Just nothing super special either.

The full name of these peas made me giggle. They go by "Very Young Sweet Small Peas." Beyond just sounding funny and oddly specific, the "very young" designation means that they're picked even earlier than classic young peas, and you may hear them referred to as petite pois. At Aldi, not only are these peas picked early, but they're also packed the very same day to help lock in that freshness. There are no artificial preservatives or unnecessary add-ins either, just a little salt and a few grams of added sugar.

All of these efforts are reflected in the taste. I actually like the smaller size here and the fact that each tiny little green orb has a pleasantly firm texture, instead of mushy or grainy. There's additionally a good level of juiciness inside. The flavor is pretty neutral overall, but in a clean, refreshing way. The peas offer their own unique flavor that's elevated by the trace amounts of salt and sugar rather than trampled by them.

This is just one more win from Aldi's Happy Harvest brand. The line of canned and jarred goods is a reliable one when it comes to affordable yet quality pantry staples like just like these peas. It even offers a variety of medium sweet peas as well if petite pois aren't really your thing.

Del Monte is the king of canned vegetables. The brand has a presence in nearly every major grocery store you can think of. And not just a meek presence, a large one. So, it came as no surprise that I found a few different cans of peas on the shelf donning the Del Monte name. I figured just one would be enough to judge the brand by, so I went with its can of Fresh Cut Sweet Peas in the smaller 8.5-ounce size. Like many other brands, a larger 15-ounce can is also there if you need it.

These peas do contain a bit more sea salt and noticeably more sugar — 5 total grams of added sugar — than most other canned varieties I sampled. And that likely explains why they taste better than many. They almost have a buttery quality to them that makes them enjoyable to eat, even just straight out of the can (I may have done just that). They're medium in size, uniform all-around, and the can highlights that they are non-GMO, which adds a little extra confidence in their ingredient quality.

This isn't exactly the healthiest helping of the bunch. But they're undeniably a good choice. There's something reassuring about buying from a brand with nearly 140 years of experience. Del Monte clearly knows what it's doing when it comes to harvesting and canning. That being said, there are a few other brands out there giving the company a run for its money.

Here we have another pod of Very Young Small Sweet Peas, this time from the brand Le Sueur. The name may sound French and the silver can even has an image of the symbolic fleur de lis. But the premium canned vegetable brand is actually headquartered in Minnesota — in Le Sueur, Minnesota, to be exact. It's also all about peas. Its website promotes its "perfect peas since 1907" and makes sure to call out their tenderness and farm-fresh flavor.

After trying them for the first time, I can confirm that 100 years of tradition has produced some quality peas. They're certainly petite, just not quite as small as the ones from Aldi or Great Value Organic. This size works to their advantage. They're firm yet still bursting with moisture on the inside — proof they were harvested at just the right time. They also include only a small amount of added salt and added sugar (just 1 gram of added sugar per serving), so they have a light flavoring to them.

They do come at a slightly higher price point–over twice the cost of some other canned pea options. But for the tenderness and delicate flavor, it's worth the splurge. They're great eaten completely on their own, though you could also easily upgrade them by tossing them into a salad for even more nutrients and sustenance.

Nature's Basket is one of Giant Eagle's own private label brands. It was relaunched in 2023, with a focus on responsible sourcing and high-quality ingredients. That means many of its products, like its canned sweet peas, are certified organic, non-GMO, and they avoid using artificial flavors and preservatives.

I could immediately tell the difference between these and the store's generically branded sweet peas. While the store's non-organic take was just alright, these just simply hit the spot. Their plumper size gives them an extra dose of juiciness, and the salt and sugar are at just the right amounts to enhance without being overwhelming. You can also tell they're picked and packed fresh, because they still have that bright, garden-like sweetness rather than the muted flavor you often get with canned peas.

Like the Le Sueur option, they come in at a slightly higher price point, but from what I can tell, it's justified. You know you're getting something good and wholesome out of this purple can.

Libby's claim to fame is undeniably pumpkin. In fact, the brand churns out nearly 85% of the world's canned pumpkin, so there's a high possibility you've indulged in a holiday pie courtesy of the Chicago-based company. But Libby's is no one-trick pony. It also cans some everyday essentials like sweet peas, and though they may not be as popular or flashy as the sweet orange purée, they deserve some recognition of their own.

They come with all the credentials you would want in a can of peas. They're grown in the USA and, according to the brand, packed within hours "to capture their naturally sweet flavor and tender texture." No preservatives are used in the making, the cans don't use BPA, and they're seasoned with just a bit of sea salt and sugar. The result is peas that are sizable with a fresh and snappy taste. Plus, they ring up at a surprisingly low price. I picked up this can for less than a dollar. Considering the quality, that makes them a certified steal and my favorite pick of the bunch.

Libby's also graces customers with some tasty recipe suggestions that make canned peas sound far more enticing. You can try out pea pesto flatbreads, pea pasta with Parmesan, or peas and ricotta crostinis. You probably didn't know the vegetable could be so versatile, did you? But Libby's proves there's plenty of potential packed into a humble can of peas.

For this taste test, I rounded up 10 different brands of canned peas from a few major grocery stores. To taste them all, I warmed each one quickly in the microwave and resisted adding any butter or seasonings so I could evaluate them in their natural state. I focused first and foremost on flavor. Most cans included a bit of salt and sugar, but I made sure neither was overwhelming and that the peas still had a good natural taste and freshness. Texture was another key factor. Peas shouldn't be too mushy, but at the same time, not too firm either.

Then, I also factored in other details like price point, the type of peas used (when that information was available), and whether the product offered any extra perks like organic certification, non-GMO ingredients, or BPA-free can linings. While I viewed most of these as nice-to-haves rather than deal-breakers, I noticed that the top picks with the best quality and flavor often came with several of these added benefits as well.