This Southern English pea salad is a refreshing and scrumptious aspect dish, good for any gathering. Made with peas, bacon, herbs, and a creamy dressing, it’s certain to be a success at your subsequent potluck or vacation dinner.
It’s the right aspect dish for Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. I don’t know the place English pea salad originated from, or why it’s so dang good contemplating it’s the world’s shortest listing of elements, however I do know that any time somebody shares a photograph of a Southern Potluck or church unfold, there’s that pea salad!

Final Fourth of July, we had Cade’s mother, brother, and his household and a buddy over for a enjoyable day of swimming and consuming. Sure, I did put on a crimson bathing go well with. Sure, I did get mistaken for the lifeguard 100 occasions. I’ve had the worst time looking for a showering go well with that wasn’t reduce loopy excessive or loopy low all yr and this one I like, although I’ll watch the place I put on it now.
However again to the BBQ — we swam, the youngsters grew to become exhausted, and we headed again to the home the place we cooked up traditional burgers due to our 2 hamburger secrets and techniques put up, and a choice of our favourite summer time salads together with this inexperienced pea salad, our tomato mozzarella salad, and Nancy’s Southern Grape Salad. We completed the night time off with our dreamiest Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting EVER.
Inexperienced pea salad is taken into account to be low-carb, gluten-free, and a barely more healthy choice to pasta salad (although we’ve a pasta model of this recipe too if you happen to desire). However this doesn’t imply it’s straight up wholesome — it accommodates bacon, cheese, and mayonnaise, in spite of everything.

What Components Do I Want for This Salad Recipe?
Though English pea salad has a number of completely different names, it’s all the very same factor — chilly pea salad. You might hear it referred to as pea salad, English Pea Salad, Southern Pea Salad, Inexperienced Pea Salad, or, as we’ve referred to as it, Southern English Pea Salad.
Right here’s what goes into this straightforward potluck aspect dish recipe:
- Frozen Peas
- Mayonnaise
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Salt and Pepper
- Purple Onion
- Bacon
- Cheese (Colby Jack or Cheddar Cheese is our favourite)
Some recipes additionally name for hard-boiled eggs, which we unnoticed this time as I’m actually having fun with it as a straight up pea salad currently. I’ve added it into the recipe as optionally available in case you wish to add it, although.
For the precise measurements of every ingredient, maintain scrolling to the recipe card on the finish of the put up.


Make This Salad with Peas
This straightforward potluck dish takes simply quarter-hour to prep and may be served instantly. Right here’s find out how to make this salad recipe very quickly:
- In a big bowl, combine up a little bit mayo, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Add in peas, cheese cubes, chopped crimson onion, and hard-boiled eggs if you happen to select.
- Gently fold every part collectively, then add the crumbled bacon, giving it one final fold to include.
So easy, proper? Understand that you’ll have to barely defrost the frozen peas earlier than making this salad with bacon, so take that into consideration earlier than making this recipe.
Can You Put together This Salad Forward of Time?
English pea salad may be ready — however not assembled — forward of time. Nobody desires soggy bacon or cheese!
Right here’s find out how to prep this aspect dish recipe upfront:
- Depart the peas within the freezer till an hour earlier than meeting. And even as much as 3 hours earlier than you possibly can transfer them to the fridge.
- Prepare dinner and chop the bacon and retailer in a bag within the fridge.
- Prepare dinner, cool, and chop the eggs and retailer within the fridge.
- Chop the cheese and, you guessed it, again within the fridge.
- Ditto with the onion.
- Combine the dressing and retailer within the massive mixing bowl with saran wrap over it within the fridge.
Whenever you’re prepared, simply toss every part collectively and serve instantly. When you should combine it forward of time, nonetheless depart the bacon till you’re able to serve.


How Lengthy Does Pea Salad Final?
As a result of the mayonnaise breaks down the bacon and cheese we don’t a lot get pleasure from pea salad greater than a day or two later, and it have to be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge.
Can You Freeze Pea Salad?
You can’t freeze this salad irrespective of how badly you wish to maintain it. The mayonnaise separates and the elements turn into tender and yucky from the freezer.
Do You Prepare dinner Frozen Peas for Pea Salad?
No, please don’t ever cook dinner your peas for this salad. It’s meant to be a chilly salad very similar to potato salad.


Can I Omit the Bacon in This Pea Salad?
Sure, if you happen to’ll be serving vegetarians or just desire to not eat it, you’re welcome to omit the bacon. You may additionally serve the crumbled bacon on the aspect and let company assist themselves in the event that they wish to eat this pea salad with bacon. The flavour and texture of the bacon on this salad actually sends it excessive for me!
Is There a Mayonnaise Substitute I Can Use?
Not that I’m conscious of! Actual mayo is a should for us on this recipe. Nonetheless, you can all the time experiment with utilizing half plain Greek yogurt (or bitter cream) and half actual mayo, or use all Miracle Whip. When you attempt a special variation of this recipe and just like the outcomes, please tell us in a remark under!
Ideas for Making English Pea Salad
There’s a BIG FAT SECRET to creating English pea salad. Are you aware what it’s? It tastes finest with solely barely defrosted, by no means cooked frozen candy peas. That’s proper, seize your bag of peas and throw them into the fridge to defrost them a little bit, and whenever you pour them into the bowl it is best to hear them falling and they need to have a small crunch to them as they’re nonetheless a little bit frozen.
Additionally, when chopping the crimson onion we desire to cube it into small bits and never slices as that’s extra cumbersome to eat. Plus, crunching down on an enormous chunk of uncooked crimson onion makes my eyes water.
When you’re not an enormous fan of uncooked onion, attempt working it below chilly faucet water for a number of seconds to take away its chunk. Bear in mind to pat it dry earlier than tossing it within the English pea salad.


Indulge within the contemporary and vibrant flavors of the South with this scrumptious English pea salad recipe. Excellent as a aspect dish or a light-weight lunch!
Extra Aspect Salad RECIPES:
Description
On the lookout for an Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, or Christmas potluck dish? Look no additional than this English Pea Salad with Bacon!
Stop your display screen from going darkish
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In a skillet over medium warmth, add the bacon and cook dinner till crisp, turning as soon as to cook dinner on each side.
6 Slices Bacon
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Take away to a paper towel lined plate.
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As soon as cool, chop the bacon into small items.
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In a big bowl, whisk collectively the mayonnaise, vinegar and salt and pepper.
1 Cup Mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar, Salt and Pepper
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Add the partially defrosted peas, crimson onion, eggs if desired, cheese and stir to mix.
16 Ounces Peas, 1/3 Cup Purple Onion, 2 Arduous Boiled eggs, 1 Cup Colby Jack Cheese
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Add the bacon and season with salt and pepper if wanted.
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Serve instantly.
Could also be saved within the fridge for 3 days.
Energy: 269kcal
Advisable Merchandise
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