Classic Pea Salad is an easy to make summer side dish! It’s so creamy and loaded with flavor from frozen sweet green peas, crisp onions, bacon, and cheddar cheese. A seasoned mayo dressing holds it all together in the best way. It’s a picnic basket staple!
Pea Salad
Pea Salad may be an “old fashioned” side dish just like Grandma used to make but it truly withstands the test of time as a summertime favorite! It’s a cold, creamy salad that’s got a whole lot to love. The sweet peas are balanced perfectly with salty bacon and bold red onions. Cheddar cheese is also mixed throughout and it might just be my favorite ingredient! Holding it all together is mayonnaise that’s made flavorful with just a little bit of salt, pepper and sugar. There’s something so tempting about the slightly sweet and savory combination that I just can’t get enough of! Being from the Midwest, this pea salad recipe is a tried and true one that I’ve loved since childhood.
Enjoy more of the best summer salad recipes like Summer Fruit Salad, Cherry Tomato Salad and of course the classic Perfect Potato Salad.
How to Make Pea Salad
- Prepare the peas. Open your bag of frozen peas and empty them into a colander. Let them thaw slightly on the counter while you’re making the dressing and prepping your other ingredients.
- Make the dressing. Mix together the mayo, sugar, salt, and pepper until combined.
- Toss it all together. Mix the red onions, cheddar cheese and bacon together with the dressing. Gently fold in the peas.
- Chill. Chill the salad (covered) in the fridge for at least 1 hour prior to serving. This gives it just enough time to settle and chill all the way through.
What kind of peas do I use in pea salad?
Pea salad simply starts out with a 16 ounce bag of frozen peas. You can use canned peas instead if that is what you have on hand. Keep in mind that the frozen peas are much more green! They look prettier, have a slight crunch that makes this salad so good, and they hold up a little better than canned. If you use canned peas, I would recommend chilling them for a couple of hours before making this salad so that they don’t become mushy as you stir.
Ingredient Notes
- Frozen Sweet Peas – Canned peas may be used instead, but the consistency may differ. Frozen peas are definitely preferred if possible! No matter what, do NOT cook the peas.
- Bacon – I use bacon bits because they’re convenient and I enjoy the flavor. Real bacon can be used instead if preferred. Cook until crispy and fully drain of excess grease prior to chopping.
- Cheddar Cheese – A bag of shredded cheddar works just fine! With that being said, I do prefer to freshly grate my cheddar cheese right off the block if I have the time. The flavor and texture is unmatched.
- Mayonnaise – Regular mayo with the full fat content is my favorite to use. You can opt for low fat mayonnaise if preferred, but the conistency of it won’t be quite as thick.
- Red Onion – Green onion is a good option if you like a more mild onion flavor. Red onions are the best here because have the most potent flavor which greatly compliments the other ingredients in pea salad.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
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The Best Classic Pea Salad
Ingredients
- 1 16 Ounce Bag Frozen Green Peas
- 1 1/3 Cups Mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
- 1 Small Red Onion, Chopped
- 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1 2.8 Ounce Bag Real Bacon Bit Pieces** See Note
Instructions
- Remove the frozen peas from the freezer. Open the bag and place the peas in a colander. Allow them to thaw slightly on the counter while you mix up the salad dressing.
- In a large bowl mix together the mayonnaise, sugar, salt, and pepper with the red onion, cheese, and bacon bits.
- Add the frozen peas to the salad and stir well, but gently to combine.
- Chill the salad, covered, for at least one hour before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this tonight exactly as recipe calls… with real bacon, delicious. Have had 3 helpings myself over 3 hour period & omw to get another!!! LOVE!
I also use lettuce, eggs, bacon,ham,etc and use canned peas instead of frozen. It I use frozen I cook for a couple of minutes and let cool prior to adding.You can add whatever you like in a salad. I layer mine in a clear pedestal dish. It makes a very colorful table decoration.
Love this salad. Easy to make. I make it without sugar and it taste great.
I happened across this recipe and was intrigued. All I have to say is “WOW!!!! My new addiction!” The only thing I changed was I used real bacon (I did not have imitation on hand but did have the real thing). This recipe is soooo easy and soooo good. I had to make another batch. I’m having some now even.
Love Love Love this.
I forgot the 5+ Star Rating
Tastes just like my moms. And that is a great compliment!
I have made this for years. I get asked all the time to bring this, broccoli salad, and pasta salad to ever get together with both family and friends. I like using real bacon and put about a teaspoon of the bacon grease in my mayo dressing to give it more of a bacon flavor. You can also add diced cashews to add a nutty component.
This is one of my husbands favorite salads and takes no time to make. I didn’t have mayonnaise on hand so I used ranch dressing with bacon and through in some bacon strips left over from breakfast. I like to use the thick cherry wood flavor and instead of salt and pepper, I used McCormick Montréal steak seasoning and a pinch on Italian seasoning. He gobbled it up and asked to make it for our friends retirement party! Every one was asking for the recipe! ?
I made this for my family’s Christmas in July cookout. It was delicious and reminded me of 7-layer salad without the lettuce and egg. I’m so glad I made a double batch because I took home leftovers and have been eating it everyday!
I have made this twice. This time a double batch with one portion of bacon bits and the other diced ham. Awesome.
We love this frozen pea salad. I leave out the bacon and add hard boiled eggs to the mix before serving.
Can you use Miracle Whip instead of mayonnaise?
Yes, if that’s your preference it will work fine 🙂
I would just add that if you use Miracle Whip, leave out additional sugar.
Miracle Whip goes BEAUTIFULLY with EVERYTHING!!!!!
I’ve used it in a VERY similar recipe and it’s freat, just use VERY little if any sugar.
I hate Miracle Whip!!! It’s HELLMANS MAYO…all the way!!!!!!