Pea salad is made with a creamy mayo dressing, bacon, cheese, and bright pops of peas. It only requires a handful of ingredients and is easy to make!
Our take on a classic is creamy and fresh, with the perfect amount of salty and fatty. It is full of flavor and a great way to get those veggies in! Try this as a tasty side with Baked Chicken Nuggets, Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken, or Dr. Pepper Ribs.
A Creamy Classic
Pea salad is a southern style classic side that is creamy and full of flavor. The fresh peas are the perfect backdrop for all of that fatty cream, bacon and cheese!
There are many takes on pea salad, but we just like to keep things simple. Peas, bacon crumbles, and cheese with a simple mayo and vinegar dressing to bring it all together.
This side is perfect for large gatherings like family parties or BBQs. It comes together quickly with only a few ingredients. AND it is perfect to make ahead as it actually tastes better and better as the ingredients meld together over time and add flavor.
How to Make Pea Salad
COMBINE. In a small bowl add the mayo, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper and mix together to make the dressing. Next, stir in the peas and cheddar cheese.
CHILL. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
GARNISH & SERVE. Cook the bacon and crumble it. After the salad has chilled top with bacon crumbles and sunflower seeds, if you’re using them.
Make ahead: You can mix up the pea salad the day before and keep it covered in the fridge. I would personally add the bacon at the end just to make sure it doesn’t get mushy, but you can mix them in whenever you wish.
Leftovers can last for 2-3 days.
Variations
Pea Salad is super simple to make and pairs well with many dishes like chicken, shrimp, steak and more. It also pairs well with other mix ins such as:
- Diced bell peppers
- Ham cubes
- Diced hard boiled eggs
- Diced onions
Using fresh peas: If you are lucky enough to have a bountiful garden with peas you can use those to make this yummy salad. Frozen peas are already blanched to they don’t need to be cooked, but fresh garden peas do. Shell the peas and place them in a pot of boiling water for about 5 minutes or until tender. Drain and dry.
For more simple salads, try:
- Cashew Chicken Salad
- Summer Corn Salad
- Macaroni Salad
- 7 Layer Pasta Salad
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Broccoli Slaw
Pea Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 (24 oz) c frozen peas thawed
- 2/3 – 1 c mayo
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3/4 c cheddar cheese shredded
- 4 strips bacon
- sunflower seeds optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl add the mayo, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper and mix together to make the dressing. Next, stir in the peas and cheddar cheese.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Cook the bacon and crumble it. After the salad has chilled top with bacon crumbles and sunflower seeds, if you're using them.
I hate to admit, that I was hesitant to try this. I am not the biggest pea fan, but I will happily admit that this was surprisingly delicious!! I will eat peas like this any day! It was creamy & loaded with flavor!
What a delightful little salad! Peas are so underappreciated and I absolutely love them but never think of adding them to a salad. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Total crowd pleaser. My family LOVED this salad!
I loved how easy this is to make!! Really amazing! Thanks for the recipe!
Peas are not my favorite veggie but the added Mayo makes it very edible.
I was a little cautious about this salad but I think I ate more of it than anyone. It was fresh and delicious.