Bacon Pea salad is a simple side dish that everyone loves, it’s perfect for potlucks.
Tender sweet peas are mixed with bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and a bit of red onion. It’s all tossed in a simple creamy dressing for an easy make- ahead dish.
Since this uses frozen peas, it’s quick to make and the perfect salad all year long!
Ingredients in Pea Salad
This is a take on a classic pea salad, jam-packed with flavor. It’s the perfect side dish for a summer barbecue or even Thanksgiving dinner!
Peas – Frozen peas are the best option. They’re sweet, tender, and don’t require cooking. To make creamy pea salad with fresh peas from the garden, shell the peas and place them in a pot of boiling water for 5-8 minutes or until tender. Drain well and cool completely.
Add-Ins – We love crisp bacon, cheddar cheese, and red onion. Chopped boiled eggs can be added if you’d like.
- Use real bacon bits in place of cooked and crumbled bacon.
- We love sharp cheddar cheese best in this pea salad recipe but you can swap in your favorite cheeses.
- Green onion or sweet white onion can be used in place of red onion.
Dressing – This pea salad dressing is both tangy and creamy and takes just a couple of minutes of prep. A bit of mayo is mixed with sour cream, a splash of vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Simple yet perfect.
- For a lighter dressing swap the sour cream with Greek yogurt.
- The dressing in the recipe is best but you can also use Ranch dressing if you prefer.
Do You Have to Cook Frozen Peas for Salad?
You do not have to cook frozen peas to make green pea salad.
Frozen vegetables are blanched before freezing (in other words, partially cooked and quickly chilled.) This prevents the cell walls from bursting and turning vegetables into mush.
To make a sweet pea salad, buy frozen tiny peas, sometimes called baby peas or baby sweet peas. They contain more sugar and make a nice complement to the saltiness of the bacon.
Simply run the peas under cold water to allow them to thaw.
How to Make Bacon Pea Salad
Here are the steps to making a delicious pea salad with bacon:
- Thaw the peas by running them under cold water.
- Cook the bacon until crispy and then crumble.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the peas, bacon, and onion, and stir to coat with the dressing.
Voila. It’s so easy!
Got Leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. This pea salad does not freeze well.
More Veggie Salads
The Best Bacon Pea Salad
Bacon Pea salad is a creamy, flavorful side made with sweet baby peas, cheddar cheese, bacon, and red onion.
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Combine all dressing ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
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Add peas, bacon, onion, and cheese to the bowl and gently stir.
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Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Season with additional salt & pepper to taste.
To save on cleanup, whisk the dressing in the same bowl you’ll be mixing the salad in.
Additional bacon makes a great garnish before serving.
Leftover salad will retain good quality for up to 3-4 days when stored in a covered container in the refrigerator. Stir before serving, as some separation may occur.
Calories: 301 | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 331mg | Potassium: 336mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 965IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Lunch, Salad
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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