This Creamy Pea Salad recipe is a delicious side dish recipe made with simple ingredients. With sweet peas, crispy bacon, chunks of cheddar cheese, and a creamy dressing, this salad is a perfect side dish, and is hearty enough to be a main dish salad. You could serve this tasty and filling Bacon Pea Salad at your next gathering!
A classic Pea Salad is a great recipe and has long been a potluck staple. Aside from being a pretty salad with the bright green peas, the salty bacon and tangy salad dressing is a real crowd pleaser!
This simple salad is one of my personal favorites. It goes great with Slow Cooker Whole Chicken, or Maple Ginger Pork Chops.
Serve This Sweet Pea Salad at potlucks, baby showers, game day parties, tailgating, dinner parties, or really any occasion!
This is a great classic side dish for picnics, too. Just keep in the cooler until ready to serve. It's so lovely to eat this cool salad on a warm day!
What is in Pea Salad?
Sour Cream - Adds creaminess and cuts the heaviness of the mayo. Many creamy recipes combine mayonnaise and sour cream (I use fat free, but use what you like).
• Mayonnaise - Use real mayo, not the salad dressing style. I like Best Foods® or Duke's®.
• Salt - Brings out all of the flavors.
• Sugar - Just a bit helps balance out the vinegar.
• Apple Cider Vinegar - This always enhances a homemade dressing, adding a lovely tangy flavor.
• Frozen Peas, Thawed - You can also use fresh sweet baby peas if you can fine them.
• Cooked Bacon - We like lots of bacon! I prefer chopped bacon over crumbled bacon as I like the larger pieces. Use what you like!
• Finely Diced Red Onion - A little sharp red onion flavor enhances each bite of this green pea salad.
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese Cubes (or medium) - Both the flavor of the cheddar cheese and the texture compliments the salad nicely. Don't make the cubes too large though. I don't care for shredded cheese in this salad recipe, but if you have to use it, I highly recommend shredding it yourself for the best results. Packaged shredded cheese is fine for many recipes, but it is coated with a starch that prevents clumping and isn't very palatable in a salad, in my opinion.
What Meat Can I Use Besides Bacon?
You can use cubed ham or turkey in place of the bacon. Smoked turkey or cubed chicken is really good as well. This is a great way to use up leftover ham.
Make This a Vegetarian Pea Salad
Omit the meat for a vegetarian pea salad. If you want a vegan pea salad, omit the meat and use vegan mayonnaise and a non-dairy sour cream.
Can I Use Canned Peas?
- I don't recommend it, they are not good in this recipe. You want the fresh taste and crispness of the slightly crunchy peas that only fresh peas or frozen will give you.
- I like the ease and convenience of using thawed frozen peas. They are already cold and the taste is nice and consistent.
How to Make Creamy Pea Salad
1) Prepare all of the ingredients. dice the onion, cube the cheese, thaw the peas, cook and chop the slices of bacon, etc.
2) In a medium mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise, sour cream, salt, sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Give a good stir to blend it all together until smooth. Set aside.
3) In a large mixing bowl, add the thawed peas, bacon, onion, and cheese cubes. Toss lightly.
4) Add the dressing to the peas mixture and gently stir to coat the ingredients with the dressing evenly.
5) Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill. Serve cold.
More Delicious Easy Salad Recipes
Broccoli Grape Salad Recipe
Tortellini Pasta Salad
Mixed Bean Salad
Easy Rice Salad
Chicken Taco Macaroni Salad
Leftover Pea Salad Storage
Store leftover creamy Pea Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this salad.
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If you make this yummy English Pea Salad recipe, please let me know. You can leave a comment below with a star rating. I'd love to know how you liked it!
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Equipment
- 2 Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- ½ cup Sour Cream
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 4 cups Frozen Peas thawed
- 8 slices Cooked Bacon* chopped
- ½ small Red Onion finely diced
- 1 ½ cups Cheddar Cheese Cubes (medium or sharp)
Instructions
- Prepare all of the ingredients. dice the onion, cube the cheese, thaw the peas, cook and chop the bacon, etc.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, salt, sugar, and apple cider vinegar until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the thawed peas, bacon, onion, and cheese cubes. Toss lightly.
- Add the dressing to the peas mixture and gently stir to coat the ingredients with the dressing evenly.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill.
- Serve cold.
Jill says
This was so easy and is one of my favorite salads of all time! Sometimes I add a little chopped mint which is really good.