This creamy Pea Salad is an easy, cold salad recipe packed with savory flavor and a satisfying crunch. It makes a perfect side dish for dinner or any party, delighting guests with its refreshing taste and simple preparation!
The BEST Green Pea Salad Recipe
This creative and delicious salad is a great rendition of a classic potato salad. The pops of fresh, sweet flavor of the peas balance the rich and creamy dressing, salty bacon, and sharp cheese. It has a lovely variety of textures, too! My favorite part about this recipe is that my kiddos like it. They like to top their portion with more crumbled bacon and a sprinkle of cheese, but they often ask for seconds. If you want to get a little more veggies into your kids’ tummies, give this creamy pea salad a try.
Why You’ll Love This Pea Salad
- It’s easy to make. Most of this recipe involves mixing the ingredients. It only takes a few minutes to put it together and then the refrigerator does the work to ensure the flavors meld together.
- There’s no cooking required. This is the perfect cold salad. Some of the ingredients (like the bacon) require prior cooking but this recipe works great with leftover cooked bacon, too. I love making this in the summer when it’s too hot to turn on the oven.
- It’s a cheap recipe. Pea salad is very budget-friendly. The ingredients are affordable even on a tight budget and many of them are staples you may have in your kitchen already.
What You’ll Need
Below are the ingredients needed to make the creamy dressing as well as the salad itself. They are common items that you can find at any grocery store. Take a look at the recipe card for exact measurements and more information.
For the dressing
- Sour cream: The tangy flavor of the sour cream perfectly balances the savory elements like the bacon and cheese. It also adds richness and a creamy texture to the dressing.
- Mayonnaise: I love a combination of mayo with sour cream. It adds plenty of fat and flavor and it takes on flavors of other ingredients so well, too.
- Sugar: A little bit of sweetness creates the perfect balance. The peas are a little sweet but it gets lost with the other bold flavors. Sugar brings out the flavor of the peas.
- Vinegar: I use some white vinegar for acidity and brightness. It lifts the flavors of the salad.
- Salt and pepper: With the other strong flavors, it makes sense to keep the seasoning simple. A little salt and pepper add the perfect amount of flavor while enhancing the other ingredients.
For the salad
- Peas: You can’t have a pea salad without green peas! I thaw frozen peas for this because they are previously cooked and ready to eat.
- Bacon: Chop leftover cooked bacon, cook it fresh, or even use bacon bits. This will depend on your preference and whether or not you want larger pieces in the pea salad.
- Cheese: I use shredded sharp cheddar cheese for its flavor. It’s my favorite variety for this recipe. You may use another kind like feta cheese for extra tang, or try mozzarella or a fiesta blend for a milder flavor or parmesan for a stronger flavor.
- Onion: I love the bite of fresh red onion. It’s sharp and crunchy and I like the flavor and texture it adds. Try sweet yellow onion for a milder flavor if you prefer.
How to Make Pea Salad With Bacon
Here are the steps needed to make this sweet pea salad recipe. I recommend ensuring that your bacon and onion are chopped and the dressing ingredients are measured before you start. This will make the process faster and easier!
- Make the dressing. Add the mayo, sour cream, sugar, vinegar, and spices to a small mixing bowl. Whisk until they are well combined.
- Combine the salad ingredients. Stir the peas, bacon, cheese, and onion in a separate larger bowl until well-mixed.
- Mix it all together. Pour the dressing over the peas salad and toss it gently to coat all of the ingredients.
- Chill and serve. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2-3 hours. Enjoy as a BBQ side dish or take to a potluck dinner, however you like!
Tips for Success
- Make it ahead. Since this salad is best after it’s had time in the refrigerator, it’s the perfect make-ahead recipe. Prepare the creamy pea salad and store it covered in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it.
- Drain the peas. The frozen peas give off excess moisture as they thaw. Pour the bag of peas into a colander and allow any excess water to drain so the salad doesn’t become watery or thin. You can also use canned peas, drain them as well.
- Try it with green beans. This recipe is easy to customize. Try making it with another green veggie to create a completely new flavor profile. One of my favorites for this is green beans. They have great texture and taste yummy when cold.
Proper Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. This is a cold salad so there’s no need to reheat it. I also do not recommend freezing it as it will have a watery texture when thawed.
More Creamy Salad Recipes to Try
Pea Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Salad
- 4 cups frozen sweet peas thawed
- 12 strips bacon cooked until crisp then finely chopped or crumbled
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 a medium red onion peeled and diced
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the salad dressing ingredients. Cover and refrigerate while you move on to the next steps.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the peas, cooked bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and diced red onion.
- Pour the salad dressing over the salad in ingredients in the large bowl; toss well. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours before serving.
Last Step:
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78 comments on “Creamy Pea Salad with Bacon”
This was delicious. My husband and I really enjoyed it!
Thanks Kathy!
Wonderful! Thank you! God bless you!
I love all your recipes and how they are set up . I just wish you could add the calorie count and nutrition facts per serving . Thank you so much for great ideas
Thanks Joann. All our newer recipes have that info. We are working on updating the older ones to included that.
So my only additional ingredient was dill. Im a dill Lover
I love this salad=== add chopped eggs then we can claim it is healthy! (tastes good too)
Mom used to make this. We called it “Pickles*, Peas, and Cheese Salad”. Haven’t had it in years. Thanks for the recipe.
*Bread and Butter pickles or Sweet pickles
Cheese, onions and sweet pickle chunks ❤️❤️❤️
I added 3 hard boiled chopped eggs to recipe.
Love pea salad. This is a great recipe.
I too make this but add fine diced egg and couple squirts of yellow mustard. No problem storing leftovers, have never had any…lol
I have never eaten frozen peas without cooking them first. It looks delicious and differently going to try it.
yummy!!!!
My Mother made the best pea salad. Pretty much like this one, but no bacon. Never had bacon in it. Might have to try it.
I am making this for the first time today to take to my sister’s 4th of July cookout. Can’t wait to see how it turns out!
I have a recipe that calls for Miracle Whip. Really good.
I made this today for tonights dinner, I put a Cucumber dill dressing on it. Can’t wait to try it!
I have been making this for 40+ years with a couple of differences. I add 3 finely diced hard cooked eggs and the dressing has no sour cream but does have a little yellow mustard and a tablespoon or 2 of 1/2 & 1/2.
Yes mine has some bpiles & chopped eggs in it as well
I have a recipe close to this I’ve been making also for 40 yrs. It’s called seven layer salad, it also have sliced eggs, lettuce, green peppers. All in layers with the same dressing minus the sour cream! It’s so good and if layered in a clear glass dish it’s so pretty too.
I made this during the Thanksgiving holiday. This hit a homerun! We all loved it. I used Wrights’s thick bacon. Next time I do this I will use regular or cut back on the thick slices. The bacon was a little overpowering but that was my fault. Thick was all the store had. This will definitely become a family favorite. Oh, my hubby does not like peas and he loved this!
I make this for any potluck I go to , only I add cauliflower, everyone always asks, “Are you bringing your pea salad ” ?
I, too, do not like peas but I am going to make this for one of our church dinners. That way I can try it and not worry about it going to waste.
I would use stevia instead of sugar and apple cider vinegar to turn this into a keto friendly recipe for me. I probably would it in half for just one person though. But I love everything in it. Thank you!
This salad is definitely not keto friendly. Peas are loaded with carbs.
I made this a little more keto friendly using cauliflower and broccoli instead of peas and monk fruit sweetener instead of sugar. Definitely a keeper. Thanks so much!
I haven’t had this for forty years. It was always there at Thanksgiving Dinner and I always loved it. Thanks for reminding me…..I will definitely have to make this soon (just to bring back the happy memories as everyone I shared the table with is now gone).
forgot to give it 5 stars.
This green bean salad minus the bacon and sour cream just used Mayo dates back to the 1940s right after World War II at least that’s when we started having it oh I dated myself!