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This homemade Pea Salad recipe is made from a simple creamy dressing, crisp bacon, diced hard boiled egg, shredded cheese, crispy fried onions, and peas . It is super easy to make because the frozen peas only need to be thawed, not cooked!
A popular recipe during Easter, Thanksgiving, and summer potlucks, alongside Frog Eye Salad and Ambrosia Salad.
Why this recipe is so great:
- It just works. Don’t ask my why or how. It certainly isn’t the prettiest thing to look at. But the combination of tender flavorful peas with just the right amount of all the other ingredients is surprisingly delicious.
- Easy side dish. Whether you need something for a potluck or something nostalgic like grandma used to make, This no-cook pea salad recipe is super easy to put together. That is, of course, if you’re like me and always have cooked bacon and hard boiled eggs at the ready.
Ingredients needed:
Exact quantities are listed in the recipe card below, but here is a summary.
- Peas – You’ll want to use frozen peas for this recipe and just let them thaw in the bowl. They are picked when they are perfectly ripe and blanched before they are flash frozen.
- Bacon – I always have cooked bacon on hand. That way it’s easy to throw into scrambled eggs or a recipe like this pea salad.
- Eggs – Chopped hard boiled eggs are a great addition to make this salad extra creamy.
- Crispy fried onions – Like the kind you put on top of green bean casserole at Thanksgiving. A lot of pea salad recipes call for raw diced onion, but I found the crispy fried onions add the best flavor and texture.
- Cheddar cheese – Save yourself some work and buy pre-shredded.
- Sour cream, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper – Combined to make the dressing. Very similar to a coleslaw dressing.
How to make Pea Salad:
Detailed step by step instructions are listed in the recipe card below, but here is a summary.
- Measure: In a large bowl, combine all of the measured salad ingredients.
- Add dressing: In a separate bowl, mix together the dressing ingredients. Then, fold it into the salad ingredients.
Recipe tips for perfect results:
- Make ahead directions: If making this pea salad ahead of time, combine all ingredients except for the the fried onion pieces and refrigerate. Don’t add the fried onions until you are ready to serve. That way they will stay crispy.
- Substitutions: This recipe is super flexible and many of the ingredients can be omitted or swapped out based on your preferences.
If you’ve made this or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out. I love hearing from my readers!
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Equipment
Ingredients
Salad:
- 16 ounces frozen peas reserve about a tablespoon to set on top of salad just before serving
- 2 hard boiled eggs peeled and chopped, can use 2 or 3 depending on preference
- 6 ounces bacon about 4-6 slices, cooked crisp and chopped
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup fried onion pieces chopped
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Prepare dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Prepare salad: Add 16 ounces frozen peas, 2 hard boiled eggs (peeled and chopped), 6 ounces bacon (cooked crisp and chopped), and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese to the large bowl with the dressing. Gently fold to combine. To keep them crisp, hold off on folding in the 1 cup fried onion pieces just before serving.
- Serve: As garnish, top with reserved peas, some additional crumbled bacon, more fried onion pieces, or chopped chives or scallions just before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this for a work gathering and it was such a hit! I really like using frozen peas, they are so tasty and crisp.
Delicious! Just like I remember my aunt making. Such great flavor combination and yummy texture. Thanks for this easy salad recipe!
This salad was so easy and delicious! Even my picky kid devoured it. Thanks so much for the great recipe!