Creamy Pea Salad with Bacon – green peas, cheddar, red onion and bacon tossed with light Ranch dressing. Great summer side dish for potlucks!
The under-rated green peas get a center stage in summer’s favorite side dish! This Creamy Pea Salad is a great way to enjoy them, paired with cheese, bacon and creamy dressing. It’s perfect served cold with BBQ meat, sandwiches or mixed with cooked pasta for a great lunch salad.
This Creamy Pea Salad with Bacon is a crowd-pleaser and can be made a day ahead. If you are worried about the onion overwhelming the dish, simply store it separately and add just before serving. I used my favorite creamy dressing recipe from the BLT Pasta Salad. It’s perfect!
HOW TO MAKE GREEN PEA SALAD?
To make this Creamy Pea Salad, combine frozen green peas, cooked and chopped bacon, chopped red onion and cubed cheddar cheese (any level of sharpness you like). For dressing, combine mayo, sour cream, Ranch salad dressing, salt, pepper and chopped parsley. Toss everything together.
This recipe is very close to the old-fashioned pea salad, served for potlucks and get-togethers for generations. I skipped celery and used red onion instead of green. The dressing is made with mayo, sour cream and Ranch dressing. I skipped the vinegar and sugar.
WHY ARE FROZEN PEAS BETTER FOR THIS SALAD?
The reason I used frozen, green peas in this salad, is the texture. I like it better than from canned peas. You can use what you prefer, of course. Just make sure to drain and rinse them well before tossing with the rest of the ingredients. There is no need to thaw the frozen peas ahead of time. Simply mix everything together and by them time you are ready to serve this salad, the peas will be thawed.
CRAVING MORE? Check out these easy and crowd-pleasing salad recipes for summer!
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- 1 lb frozen green peas
- 4 oz. mild cheddar
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 6 slices bacon
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup Ranch dressing
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Cook bacon to crispy, cool and chop. Set aside.
- Cube cheddar, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine frozen peas (no need to thaw them), bacon, cubed cheddar and chopped onion. Toss gently.
- In a measuring cup, combine mayo, sour cream, Ranch dressing, vinegar, salt, pepper and parsley. Mix well. Pour dressing over salad. Toss gently to coat.
- Cover bowl with salad with saran wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
The reason I used frozen, green peas in this salad, is the texture. I like it better than from canned peas. You can use what you prefer, of course. Just make sure to drain and rinse them well before tossing with the rest of the ingredients. There is no need to thaw the frozen peas ahead of time. Simply mix everything together and by them time you are ready to serve this salad, the peas will be thawed.
Maki says
Can this be made a day ahead? It looks delicious and pretty!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Yes, you can store it in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Bacon won’t be as crispy so you can store it separately or make it the day you will serve the salad. I hope this helps!
Cathy @ Lemon Tree Dwelling says
I don’t even like peas (lol) but this looks amazing!
Krista says
This is a great side dish to all Summer BBQ’s!
Dee says
I love salads in the summer!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says
Such a gorgeous salad! Must try this soon!
Nutmeg Nanny says
I love peas and I love bacon…I need to make this!
Dorothy at Shockinglydelish says
I love that you used frozen peas. The texture is so much better! Can’t wait to make this one!