Pea Salad Recipe is a delicious, quick, and creamy side dish with sweet peas, crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and a simple homemade dressing.
Author’s Notes
Straight From My Mom’s Recipe Box
As a born and raised Utahn, I’m very familiar with all kinds of creamy potluck style salads. I grew up on my mom’s famous orange fluff salad, my all-time favorite raspberry fluff, this bacon-filled broccoli salad, and yes, even the interestingly named frog eye salad.
So it’s about time I share a salad my mom made nearly every Spring and one that definitely showed up at a few church potlucks. This creamy pea salad recipe!
I honestly love frozen peas. Like a ridiculous amount. I know peas can be a bit controversial, but I truly don’t know a better way to eat them than in this salad!
This salad is creamy, comforting, and packed with flavor. The perfect easy side for so many mains.
Ingredients In This Pea Salad Recipe
| Ingredient | Let’s Chat About It |
|---|---|
| Frozen peas | Thaw completely and dry well with paper towels so the dressing stays creamy and doesn’t get watery. |
| Bacon | Cook until crisp so it keeps its texture in the salad. Let it cool before mixing in. |
| Red onion & parsley | Dice the onion very small so it doesn’t overpower this pea salad recipe. Parsley adds a nice freshness, but can be skipped. |
| Sharp cheddar cheese | Grate from a block for the best flavor and texture. Sharp cheddar adds more flavor than mild. |
| Dressing | Whisk until smooth. The mayo and sour cream make it creamy while the vinegar and Dijon add a nice tanginess. |
Quick Tip
Many recipes cube the cheddar, but I prefer it grated so it blends more evenly throughout the salad.
How To Make My Mom’s Pea Salad Recipe
- Cook bacon: Cook until crisp; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool.
- Make dressing: Whisk everything together in a large bowl until smooth.
- Combine salad: Add the peas, onion, cheese, parsley, and cooled bacon; stir.
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to let the flavors develop.
- Serve: Stir gently, taste, adjust seasoning if needed, and enjoy!
Chelsea’s Notes
Thawing & Drying Frozen Peas
This pea salad recipe works best when the peas are fully dried so they don’t water down the salad.
- Rinse: Place peas in a colander and rinse under cool water until thawed.
- Drain: Shake well to remove excess water.
- Dry: Spread on paper towels and pat dry before adding to the salad.
Storage
Store pea salad recipe leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Stir before serving. For best flavor and texture, add the bacon and red onion just before serving.
More Incredible Salad Recipes:
Salads With Meat
Grilled Steak Salad Recipe
Salads
Strawberry Salad
Salads
Spring Quinoa Salad
Dressings
Creamy Balsamic Dressing Recipe
Pea Salad Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 4 cups frozen green peas thawed and dried completely
- 8 slices bacon cooked to crisp & diced
- 1/3 cup finely diced red onion
- 3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley optional
- 1/3 cup mayo Best Foods/Hellman's
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Cook bacon by baking it, in a skillet, or using microwave bacon. Dab off grease then dice finely.
- In a large bowl, whisk together mayo, sour cream, vinegar, Dijon, sugar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Add thawed and dry peas, red onion, cheese, parsley, and cooled bacon to a large bowl. Add dressing on top and gently stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes for flavors to meld or serve immediately if needed.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
