Pea Salad With Bacon
My pea salad is loaded with crunchy bacon, shredded cheese, and a flavorful dressing. It is cold, creamy, and best of all no cook. With just 6 ingredients its the picnic hero you can toss together before the grill even heats up!
Pea salad is one of those dishes that can be paired with almost any picnic food. Consider Dr. Pepper Ribs, burgers, or grilled pork tenderloin. My version is super easy to make, you don't even have to "cook" anything. And you know I'm posting a veggie dish its gonna be good. We load this one up with al the good stuff like bacon, cheese, and a creamy dressing.
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
- Mayonnaise: Avoid Miracle Whip which can make the salad overly sweet. I like Duke's Mayonnaise.
- Peas: I like using frozen petite sweet peas. They have a sweet flavor, and don't require any cooking. Avoid using canned peas which can be mushy.
- Bacon: I like using microwave bacon so I don't have to use the stove at all. Hormel Black Label is my preferred brand.
- Bell Pepper: Green is classic, but red and yellow varieties are often sweeter.
- Onion: I used a red onion. Sweet Vidalia onions are also great if they're in season. Avoid pre-chopped onions which tend to be very strong. Shallots or green onions can be used if you prefer a milder onion flavor.
Krystle's Tips: Steal My Culinary School Secrets
- Dry Well: Drain peas and drain well. Then pat dry to avoid watering down the salad. A salad spinner also works great for this if you have one!
- Tame Onion's Bite: Soak for 5-10 minutes in cold water to mellow out that raw onion flavor. You could also microwave the chopped onions for 1-2 minutes if you'd prefer.
- Add Bacon Last: I like to fold in just before serving to help it stay crunchy.
More Summer Sides To Try
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Pea Salad With Bacon
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Ingredients
- 2 Bags Frozen Peas ~5 Cups
- 1 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese Shredded
- 1 Red Onion Finely Diced
- 1 Green Pepper Diced
- 1 Cup Mayonnaise
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
- 6 Slices Bacon Cooked Crisp and Roughly Chopped
Instructions
- In a large colander, rinse peas in room temperature water. Drain well and pat dry.
- Stir in cheese, red onion, green pepper, salt/pepper, and mayonnaise.
- Fold in bacon.
- Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.
Nutrition
The addition of crispy bacon brings out another level of the salad. I am going to make it again.
This creamy pea salad is the ultimate no-cook side—crunchy, cheesy, and packed with flavor. Just six ingredients and a few minutes to prep make it perfect for any picnic or BBQ.
My family loved this! Will definitely be making again!
This is the PERFECT summer salad! I couldn't stop eating it and can't wait to make it for dinner guests. It's delicious.
This creamy pea salad is amazing! Such a delicious recipe.
My mother-in-law would have LOVED this salad. Very similar to a 7 layer salad, but not nearly as much work. Super delicious with the peas, the dressing, the cheese and the bacon. The onions add a nice sharpness.
My kids are extremely picky and loved this meal. This is one of the only ways I can get them to eat vegetables to thank you.
This compliments any main dish! It's a delicious way to use peas & so creamy!
This is interesting and would love to try this. I have never had a pea salad in my life. So I am very excited.