Pea Salad

Old fashioned classic Pea Salad is a favorite that is served cold and enjoyed all year long! A creamy dressing with beans, cubed cheese, bacon and onions. It is perfect for holidays, potlucks, picnics, BBQs and so much more. Best part is it’s ready in less than 30 minutes.

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So many recipes I love are old-fashioned ones that have been made in my family for years, and this green pea salad is always a favorite! If you’ve been looking for easy salad recipes, this is a great one to try.

It’s so simple to make and tastes amazing – creamy cold with crispy bacon, cubes of cheddar cheese, and a tangy, slightly sweet dressing. Altogether it makes the perfect side dish salad.

Plus, if there’s one veggie my kids love, it’s green peas! They love creamed peas, and they are happy to dig into this creamy cold pea salad with bacon, too.

You Will Love This Classic Pea Salad

• It’s perfect any time of year. It’s great during the summer and for holiday meals because it pairs well with so many main dishes.
• You can’t beat the flavor combo of sweet peas, crispy bacon, and the sour cream-mayo dressing.
• You can prep the ingredients a day ahead and then assemble them before serving to make things easy!

Add this easy salad to your meal plan and you won’t regret it!

Ingredients

• Sour cream – I use full-fat sour cream, but you can sub low-fat if that’s what you like!
• Mayonnaise – If you use Miracle whip it will give it a sweeter taste. Cut back the granulated sugar.
• Granulated sugar – This gives the dressing a touch of sweetness.
• White vinegar – I like to add this to balance out the richness of the dressing. It gives it a little zing.
• Salt and black pepper
• Frozen green peas – Be sure to thaw them first!
• Cooked chopped bacon – Cook it on the stove, or try my easy oven bacon!
• Finely diced red onion – You could also use thin-sliced green onions or diced yellow onion.
• Cheddar cheese cut into small cubes – sharp, aged, mild… choose your favorite cheddar!

How to Make the Salad

Combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper in a large bowl.

Place the bacon, cheese, peas, and onion in the bowl and gently mix to combine it all together.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least one hour before serving. You will want it nice and cold!

FAQs!

There’s reason this pea salad has been a favorite for so long – it’s so good! This is a dish you will want to try because once you make it for family and friends they will beg you for the recipe! It’s seriously the best.

More Easy Salad Recipes!

• Creamy Cucumber Salad is always a favorite summer salad!
• Skinny Broccoli Slaw is a lightened-up version of a classic side that everyone loves!
• Couscous Salad is loaded with veggies and the perfect side for any meal.
• Cashew Coleslaw has a great combination of flavors and textures that’s always a hit!
• Make a cool and creamy Crab Pasta Salad and watch disappear fast!

Did you try it? Don’t forget, comment below and let me know how much you love this recipe!

Post a picture on Instagram and be sure to tag me so I can see it too! You can find me at @julieseatsandtreats or just #julieseatsandtreats -if you hashtag me, I’ll get to see it that way too!

Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

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5 from 7 votes

Pea Salad

A classic cold salad recipe that's perfect for entertaining! Creamy Pea Salad is full of peas, bacon, onion and cheese in a dressing.

Prep:10 minutes mins

Chilling Tim:1 hour hr

Total:1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

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Ingredients

Dressing

• ▢ ½ c. sour cream
• ▢ ¼ c. mayonnaise
• ▢ 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 tsp white vinegar
• ▢ ½ tsp salt
• ▢ ¼ tsp ground black pepper

Salad

• ▢ 4 c. frozen green peas defrosted
• ▢ 8 slices bacon cooked until crispy, chopped
• ▢ ½ small red onion finely diced
• ▢ 6 oz cheddar cheese cut into small cubes

Instructions

• In a large bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until combined.
• Add in peas, bacon, onion and cheese, gently stir to coat.
• Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.
• Garnish with additional cubed cheese and crumbled bacon if desired.

Tips

How do you thaw frozen peas?
You can leave them in the refrigerator overnight or leave them at room temperature to thaw. Or, you can place them in a colander and run them under cool water, too. Just be sure to thoroughly drain them before adding them to the salad.

Can you make it ahead?
You can make the salad several hours in advance or the night before. Or, you can make the dressing several days in advance and assemble the salad the day you want to serve it. Just keep in mind that the bacon won’t be as crispy if it sits in the dressing.

How long do leftovers keep?
They will keep for two to three days in the refrigerator.

Video

Nutrition Information

Calories: 481kcal (24%), Carbohydrates: 27g (9%), Protein: 20g (40%), Fat: 33g (51%), Saturated Fat: 13g (81%), Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 64mg (21%), Sodium: 651mg (28%), Potassium: 515mg (15%), Fiber: 8g (33%), Sugar: 12g (13%), Vitamin A: 1631IU (33%), Vitamin C: 64mg (78%), Calcium: 270mg (27%), Iron: 3mg (17%)

© Julie's Eats & Treats ®

We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box is calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.