English pea salad features sweet peas, crispy bacon, spicy red onion, and cheddar cheese, all mixed together in a creamy dressing! It's a quick and easy side dish for lunch or dinner.
This no-cook, southern pea salad is a breeze to make! Ten minutes & you're in business. It's that simple.
English pea salad is a mixture of thawed green peas, crunchy bacon, and cheddar cheese that's coated in a mayo-based creamy dressing.
It's quick, satisfying, and easy to customize. Swap the bacon for ham, the shredded cheese for cubes, or add boiled eggs. The choice is yours!
If you plan to make this recipe for a picnic or potluck, just double or triple it to feed a crowd.
Ingredients
- Peas - A 12-ounce bag of frozen peas does the trick. Be sure to thaw & drain them, so they're not frozen or liquidy. Avoid canned peas in this recipe. They don't have the fresh color, flavor, or texture of frozen peas.
- Bacon - I used thick-cut bacon, but any kind of cooked bacon is fine. Cook it crispy, then crumble it into pieces. I like to make this recipe when I have leftover bacon on hand. Or swap the bacon with diced ham!
- Cheese - As long as it's cheddar, any shape will do. I like shredded, but diced cheddar cheese works too!
- Red onion - Their spicy crunch pairs so well with the creamy dressing. If you're stomach can't handle them, just leave them out.
How to make english pea salad
Make the dressing:
In a small bowl, combine the mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, and sugar. Stir well with a spoon.
Assemble the pea salad:
In a large bowl, combine the thawed peas, shredded cheese, bacon, and red onion. Leave out the bacon if you plan to chill it longer than 30 minutes, then stir it in right before serving.
Add the dressing to the bowl and stir until well combined.
Chill the pea salad for at least 30 minutes before enjoying!
Recipe Tips
- Thaw the frozen peas in the refrigerator overnight. Then just thaw and use! If you forget, that's okay too. Just place the bag of peas on the counter & it will thaw in less than an hour.
- Cook the bacon ahead of time. For a super quick assembly, cook the bacon before you plan to make the salad.
- If you like a lightly dressed salad, only add ½ of the dressing at first. Stir & gradually add more until you get the consistency you like.
- Feel free to customize this recipe to fit your tastes! Don't like bacon? Swap it with ham or leave it out. It's your kitchen and your the boss. You could also add diced celery, red bell peppers, fresh dill, or diced pimentos.
- This english peas salad recipe is keto-friendly. Just leave out the teaspoon of sugar in the dressing.
FAQs
Yes, English peas are the ones you find frozen at the grocery store. They are most commonly referred to as sweet peas. They are found in pods just like snap peas, but the pod is fibrous and not edible. The peas must be shucked first, then are enjoyed fresh or cooked.
No, canned peas don't work in this recipe. They don't have the fresh, crunchy, or bright green qualities that frozen peas do. Canned peas have an almost mushy texture that won't taste good in a creamy mayo-based dressing.
This salad is best enjoyed cold, so it's important to chill it for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours before serving. After that, it can be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, but it will taste the best within 24 hours of being made.
More Salad Recipes
- Rocket and Parmesan Salad
- Quinoa Salad with Feta & Peaches
- Easy Pesto Egg Salad
- Spinach Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette & Pears
English Pea Salad
Equipment
- Large Bowl
- Measuring cups & spoons
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 12 ounce peas, thawed & drained
- 4 slices cooked bacon, chopped
- ⅓ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup diced red onion
For the dressing:
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the mayo, sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, and a pinch of kosher salt, Stir well with a spoon, then set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the peas, shredded cheese, and red onion. Pour the dressing over the peas and stir until well combined.
- Place the pea salad in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes. Stir in the bacon and serve!
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