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Crisp, creamy, and packed with flavor, this Pea Salad with Bacon and Cheese is a classic side dish that’s perfect for potlucks, summer barbecues, and weeknight dinners. It comes together in just 10 minutes and is loaded with sweet peas, smoky bacon, red onion, Colby Jack cheese, and a tangy-sweet dressing that ties it all together.
Try This Next: For another easy crowd-pleaser, try my Broccoli Salad or Hawaiian Macaroni Salad next.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Lightning Fast – Just 10 minutes of prep with no cooking (aside from the bacon).
- Super Easy – Uses frozen peas! No shelling or cooking required.
- The Perfect Dressing – Sweet and tangy dressing balances the smoky bacon and sharp onion.
- Can Be Made In Advance – This is a great make-ahead option! Just assemble right before serving.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
Before You Begin…
Get all of your ingredients together and prepped.
- Red Onion: Soaking in ice water mellows the sharpness without losing the crunch.
- Colby Jack Cheese: Mild and creamy, but you can sub cheddar or pepper jack if you want more bite.
- Frozen Peas: Thaw quickly by rinsing under cool water in a colander for about 2 minutes.
- Bacon: Cooked until crisp, and then crumble. Don’t skip this for texture and flavor!
How To Make Pea Salad
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
Soak the Onion: Dice red onion and soak it in ice water for 10 minutes. This takes away the harsh bite but keeps the crunch.
Mix the Dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar (or honey), garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Combine: Drain the onion and add it to the dressing along with cheese cubes, thawed peas, and crumbled bacon. Toss until evenly coated.
Chill: Refrigerate until serving. Give it another toss before serving and adjust seasoning if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use canned peas instead of frozen?
Frozen peas are best for their texture and vibrant color. Canned peas are too soft and will make the salad mushy.
What’s the best way to make this ahead?
Store the dressing and each component (peas, bacon, cheese, onion) in separate containers in the fridge. Toss together just before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This cold pea salad is the perfect side for grilled meats or sandwiches. You can mix things up by using sharp cheddar or pepper jack for a spicier version. For a kid-friendly option, omit the onion or use a milder cheese.
Want to bulk it up? Stir in hard-boiled eggs or diced ham.
Storage Tips
The Best Way to Store Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Best eaten within 2 days. Not recommended for freezing, as the dressing can separate and the peas will become mushy.
Recipe Tips
- Make-Ahead Tip: Prep all components separately and store in the fridge. Assemble right before serving for the best texture.
- Doubling: This recipe scales easily for a crowd! Just double all ingredients.
- Cheese Swaps: Try sharp cheddar, double cheddar, or even a spicy cheese blend if you like heat.
- No Fresh Garlic: Stick to garlic powder. Fresh garlic will overpower the peas.
More Salad Recipes
- Southern Potato Salad
- Spinach Salad
- Cauliflower Salad
- Simple Carrot Salad
- Asian Cucumber Salad
- Simple Cabbage Salad
Pea Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup Red onion finely diced
- Ice water
- 1 cup Colby jack cheese cut into tiny cubes
- 6 cups Bag frozen peas thawed (about 20 ounces)
- 10 slices Bacon cooked crisp and crumbled
For the dressing
- ⅓ cup Mayonnaise
- ½ cup Sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Granulated sugar or honey
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Place diced red onions into a small bowl, cover with ice water and let sit for about 10 minutes while you prep the salad. This will take some of the ‘bite’ out of the onion.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients. Drain the red onion.
- Add the red onion, cheese cubes, peas and bacon to the bowl on top of the dressing. Toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, give the salad another toss, taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container. This salad is best if eaten within 2 days. This salad is not a candidate for freezer storage.
- To make ahead of time: Mix dressing and store in a jar in the fridge. Thaw peas, cook and crumble bacon, dice cheese, dice onion, store in separate containers or bags in the fridge until ready to assemble the salad.
- This recipe makes 8-10 generous servings and can be doubled for a large crowd.
- ½ cup diced red onion is about half of a medium size red onion.
- Thawing peas quickly: Place the peas in a strainer and run them under cool tap water until thawed, about 2 minutes. Allow to drain while you prep the rest of the salad.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
