Pea Salad with Bacon

Sweet green peas are mixed with savory bacon, red onion, and tomato in a creamy dressing. This pea salad with bacon is a perfect make-ahead salad for any occasion.

When a lettuce salad does not sound appealing you can still make a beautiful green salad with peas. This versatile salad is delicious on its own or as a side dish for grilled foods or sandwiches.

Even better, Pea Salad with Bacon is seasonless since you use frozen peas that are thawed.

I don't know how far back this salad dates, but I definitely remember having it in the 70s at a San Franciso restaurant in Ghirardelli square. Their version was slightly different and included water chestnuts and small cubes of mild white cheese.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients
• Step-by-Step Instructions on How to Make Pea Salad with Bacon
• What to Serve with Pea Salad with Bacon
• My Top Tips
• Substitutions & Variations
• Make-Ahead & Storage
• More Great Salads
• 📖 Recipe

Over the years I've tinkered with the recipe and made it many ways. All mayo, no mayo. Fresh peas, frozen peas. Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce. Every version has been delicious. But for me simple has always been best.

Why This Recipe Works

It's a pretty simple recipe and is fast to make. Mix the dressing which contains pantry and fridge staples. Then add thawed frozen peas and savory ingredients to complement them, which for this version are bacon, red onion, and tomato.

Sound delicious? Great! So, let's cook!

Ingredients

Here's what you need to make this Pea Salad with Bacon:

• Mayonnaise - Mayo makes the salad creamy. I actually prefer Miracle Whip Salad Dressing but you can use your favorite mayo. Duke's would be another great choice because it has a mild lemony flavor.
• Sour Cream - Sour cream brings a different, tangy creaminess to the dressing.
• Lemon Pepper - Lemon pepper is a combination of lemon and flowery black pepper flavors.
• Garlic Powder - A hint of garlic gives the salad another savory note to go with the red onion.
• Green Peas - Frozen peas that are thawed but not cooked are the star of this salad. The flavor is fresh, the color is bright, and it is perfectly safe to eat thawed peas. Just set them out to thaw while the bacon is cooking and you are prepping the other vegetables.
• Sugar Peas - These can be raw or blanched and shocked in ice water for a bright green look.
• Bacon - Any type of sliced bacon; smoked or maple can be used. I prefer to cook the bacon in the oven while I prep the other ingredients. You can also purchase already-cooked bacon crumbles.
• Red Onion - Red onion has the best flavor for salads. I mince it fine so that it is evenly distributed throughout the salad.
• Tomato - Any fresh, small red tomato will work. One small Roma, Capri, or even several cherry tomatoes will be delicious. I consider the tomato optional. Sometimes I want its bright flavor and sometimes I just want sweet peas and savory bacon!

Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.

Step-by-Step Instructions on How to Make Pea Salad with Bacon

In a large bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon pepper, and garlic powder.

Add the green peas, snap peas, sugar peas, bacon, tomato, and red onion.

Mix well with a silicon spatula.

Cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. This salad becomes more flavorful while it is refrigerated.

My Top Tips

♡ Use frozen peas that are thawed, but not cooked for this recipe. They taste fresh and are perfectly safe to eat raw.

♡ After refrigerating the salad the dressing may tighten and become too thick. Gently stir in a tablespoon of heavy cream or half and half to make it creamy again.

Substitutions & Variations

• Add Cheese - Some people like cheese in this salad. You can add up to 1 cup of shredded cheese. Good choices are Monterey jack, Swiss, and mild cheddar. Boursin Cheese Bites are also very tasty.
• Add Water Chestnuts - Sliced water chestnuts are really delicious in this pea salad. I have used canned that are drained thoroughly.
• Add Celery - For additional crunch, you can add some chopped fresh celery.
• Omit the Tomato - My husband likes this salad without tomato and I like it both ways, with or without.

Make-Ahead & Storage

Some dishes need time for the flavors to develop and this Pea Salad with Bacon will always taste best if the ingredients have time to blend and marry. So, make it at least 4 hours in advance.

You can store the salad in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Do not freeze it. Salads with mayonnaise do not freeze well and the dressing will separate.

More Great Salads

📖 Recipe