Pea Salad
Updated
Updated
This easy green Pea Salad is an old fashioned classic recipe served cold and enjoyed all year round. Made with bacon, cheddar cheese, red onions, and a sweet dressing, all in one bowl and in only 15 minutes!
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5 STAR REVIEWS
Pea…salad? I know. Sounds weird, right? But it’s incredibly fantastic. It’s a staple at potlucks, baby showers, and luncheons all across the Midwest and Southern states – you’d be hard pressed not to find it served at any type of gathering. And for good reason – it’s crazy easy and super delicious!
I’ve personally served this pea salad so many times over the years to friends, whose first reaction is “ew” – and then they ask for the recipe after one bite! Try this side salad at your next gathering and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
Helpful Tips & Variations
- Peas. The star of this salad are peas, of course. I always use frozen (thawed) petite peas, which are sweet, colorful, and have a slight crunch. You can use canned peas if you want, but just keep in mind that they don’t look as nice and because of their softer texture, they don’t hold up as well.
- Bacon. The end. Lol. Just kidding. Salty bacon adds another level of awesome flavor and also balances out the sweetness of the peas and dressing.
- Cheese. My preference for this salad is sharp cheddar cheese, for the best flavor. I also buy a block and cube it about the same size as the peas, but many pea salads use shredded cheese, which is totally fine, too!
- Onion. Technically, you can use any type of onion here, but I always include red onion for the taste and pop of color.
- Dressing. This is really the other star of the show. Like so many classic salads, it has a sweet and tangy flavor that cannot be denied! Don’t freak out over the sugar – it’s a necessary ingredient to balance out the vinegar and it’s only a small amount.
Pea Salad
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon, , diced
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups frozen peas, , thawed
- 1/3 cup diced red onion
- 3/4 cup cubed sharp cheddar cheese, (approximately the same size as the peas)
Instructions
- In a large nonstick skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
- Put sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar, apple cider vinegar, coarse salt, and pepper in a large bowl; whisk to combine.
- To the bowl, add peas, red onion, cheddar cheese, and the cooked crispy bacon; gently stir to coat completely.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with some crispy bacon and enjoy the salad cold.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!
How To Store Leftovers
Any pea salad leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this salad – the dressing will not hold up very well, and the peas and bacon will get too mushy once thawed.
More Classic Salad Recipes:
- Chicken Salad
- Easy Egg Salad
- Deviled Ham Salad
- Delicatessen Fruit Salad
- Creamy Waldorf Salad
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Yes I made this for a Church event, and it was very good and simple to make.
I’m obsessed!! I’m gunna make this all the time now!! Haha 😄 thanks
Absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Since I didn’t have bacon on hand, I used left over baked ham. This is a top shelf recipe and a crowd pleaser. Thank you for sharing!
Delicious! I can’t get enough! Thanks for sharing, Amy!
Absolutely fantastic. The flavor is wonderful. I could eat the whole bowl!!!
Love Pea Salad and this recipe did not disappoint!
I actually really like all of your recipes! I have tried many!
Your instagram content is great!
I can’t wait to see this mother’s day 💗
Made this exactly per recipe for Easter. Absolutely outstanding all loved it. An absolute winner
Made this today for Easter. 5 stars hands down! Had a little nostalgia bc it reminds me of my grandmas when I was little. I used 6 oz of cheddar but otherwise made it exactly as stated and it was absolutely perfect. The creamy tang of the sauce with some salt and the sugar to cut the acid, perfection. I’ll keep this and make it many more times for sure. It was truly perfect.
Made this for my work party Christmas last yr. It turned out perfect and was delicious! I’m making this recipe again for my family’s Easter lunch and will use canned peas this time. It’s amazing!
I made this and it’s very good. I did add chopped sweet pickles to recipe
This was delicious, Everyone loved it!
I am 63 years old & I remember how I used to love the chilled pea salad, one bite of this took me to back in the day!
Thank you so much for this perfect recipe.
OMG, this is my go to salad when I have to take a dish. Everyone loves it. Let’s just say, no left overs and I make a huge bowl full. So I make sure I make extra for my family. Thank you, it’s a wonderful dish.
Oh my, I did not even know that I needed this recipe in my life. I had a pea salad that my Grandma made about 50 years ago. Last time I had it. It wasn’t even on my radar. Now that I’m cooking for my parents nightly, and we are huge pea fans, this is great for a change of pace. I made it to recipe except I added more vinegar as I used a “fancy” white balsamic. Thank you so much for this!!!
Just a great recipe for potluck. Always a big hit
Can I use regular vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar?
Hi Deb – it’s not my preferred vinegar for this recipe, but yes, in a pinch it will be ok.
Could I add chopped, salted peanuts to this? Maybe leave out the bacon? I need to eat more vegetables and this sounds great.
Sure. Enjoy!
Yep this recipe was the bomb .com!!! Oh I used ham as well as bacon! Chef’s kiss! Dallas,Tx. approves!!!
Excellent. Just added chopped pickled beets for color.
I almost follow your recipe to a “T”, except I added more cheese. I haven’t had this in decades, and it’s just as good as I remembered. Will keep this recipe for future uses. Thank you, for sharing :) :)
This is an amazing salad. Due to family dietary issues i leave out onions when they are at the meal. I mix everything except bacon, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Just prior to serving i add lightly salted cashews and the bacon. Toss it well and wait about 15 minutes and serve. A crowd favorite and will be going to my family’s Thanksgiving meal tomorrow. I cannot wait! Thank you for posting! (This cashews really bring it up and notch. Can use toasted pecans instead if desired.
Have made this many times, is my family’s favorite. It’s now a required dish at family get togethers.
This is the best pea salad I have ever eaten…cutting the cheddar cheese approximately the size of the peas makes this salad the best!!!
Don’t hate me but I didn’t have bacon and still wanted that crunch, so I swapped in chopped celery. Most of a head. Otherwise I followed the recipe, adding a sprinkle of salt at the end. And it was still almost as good! The dressing is really the key, along with the barely thawed baby peas. And now my celery is used up before it got wilted in the vegetable bin! I think next time I’ll try it with all the bacon plus celery too.
This is the best pea salad I have ever tasted!!!I recommend cutting the cheddar into pea sized little pieces..it takes a little extra time but the texture and flavor make this pea salad the very best!
Oh my goodness, by far one of the best pea salad recipes I have ever made, thank you so much for sharing it. I took a taste, it was game over I darn your tore the whole bowl up. Don’t tell her I said so but this is even better than my grandmother’s recipe…lol
Haha! I love it. It’ll be our little secret, Robert.
I just made this. Took one taste then sat down with the bowl and a fork. Lol Super quick and easy and I just eyeballed most of the ingredients. Thank you for sharing
Made it and the family devoured it! Just like the salad served in a local BBQ restaurant! Thanks for a great new addition to my menu choices.
Made this. It’s as good as I remember from a salad buffet I used to eat at. Family loves it too!
I grew up in Midwest
I love pea salad
Your recipe was perfect
Looking forward to checking out many more of your recipes!
Very good and easy and quick to make.
Wonderful recipe for a classic salad! I added sliced water chestnuts and celery to make it the way it was served when I was young. Doing that really adds a tasty crunch. I brought it to a barbecue where it went perfectly with the burgers and baked beans that were served. Everyone liked it, even those that had never had it before. This recipe is a keeper!
I haven’t made pea salad in years. I fixed your recipe and it was a hit. The salad was easy to fix and was a perfect side dish. I made the recipe – but used Lesueur peas. I’ll be making this recipe more Often. I’ve put it in my permanent Recipe book.
First time making pea salad. It was very good. Took to a church dinner. It went over very well. Just a little bit brought home. I recommend this recipe. Will make again.
Just made this salad for a 4th of July cookout tonight. WOW, it is delicious and will definitely make this again. I went EXACTLY by the recipe and I LOVE it when that happens. Thank you for sharing your awesome recipes!
Great recipe. Mu husband didn’t even like peas and he asked me to make it again.
Such a simple yet tasty salad
I make this salad at least twice a week now! So super refreshing on a hot day.
This very simple but very tasty.Recipe is spot on from my childhood and all the places that I know make it with love. I’ve made it several times but what I’ve noticed.Is that the sweet frozen peas are far superior in flavor than the fresh peas that I get at trader joe’s and boil.
Can you possibly use canned peas?
Please see the notes in the article about this.
Oh LAWD,,,,,,,, DON’T USE CANNED PEAS!!!!
I have made this salad many times now! I love it.
Made this today with grilled hamburgers & Brats, absolutely delicious! Made recipe as stated no changes, definitely a keeper
Could I use fresh from my garden peas instead of frozen?
Can’t see why not!
I love this recipe!
Made for Easter, loved by everyone. I will definitely make this again. It’s perfect and so refreshing.
Excellent! Need I say more?
Can I make it the night before?
Yep
OMG! Fantastic salad! Made for Easter. 5 people ate the whole salad. One guest threatened to lick the plate.
I made dish this for a funeral potluck. I of course had to taste it before I sent it off and it was delicious ?
I held back a couple tablespoons of dressing because I was afraid it would be too soupy. I didn’t use those 2 Tbsp’s but they didn’t go to waste them…I ate them…yum!
Can this salad be made a day ahead of time?
Yes
I only had a half bag of peas but had some frozen corn so made your exact recipe with peas and corn. It was wonderful and very pretty too. Thanks for sharing.
this is a little different from what I have made in the past but I’m going to make your recipe. I think I’m still going to add chopped boiled eggs (just a couple) So hungry for this
I make this recipe for my husband and sons frequently, they LOVE it! I had stopped eating it since developing allergies to lactose and eggs but have since begun making my own half batch with plant based sour cream, mayonnaise and cheese and it’s almost just as delicious as the original.