• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Family Food on the Table
  • Recipe Index
  • Main Dishes
  • Baby Food
  • Subscribe
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Main Dishes
  • Baby Food
  • Subscribe
  • About
×
Home » Recipes » Salads

Creamy Pea Salad with Bacon

By: Kathryn Doherty | Last Updated: Mar 5, 2025 | Published: May 9, 2019
This post may contain affiliate links. See my 
disclosure policy.

Jump to Recipe
Pin

Creamy pea salad with cheddar and bacon is a classic Southern side dish at potlucks and BBQs and easy to make ahead. It’s always a hit!Classic pea salad with bacon and cheddar cheese in a white serving bowl

We are entering the summer season (yes, I'm a little early, but can you forgive my eagerness?) and that means we need some summer salads!

My mom's classic spaghetti salad, my summer corn salad, creamy BLT pasta salad and healthy broccoli apple salad are just a few of our favorites.

And today I’m bringing you a classic Southern side dish, creamy pea salad with bacon.

It’s a staple at potlucks and picnics and church gatherings, as well as BBQ parties all summer long.

This chilled salad is easy to make, can be prepped ahead, and is always a hit!

(If you love peas like I do, check out these other fun ideas and recipes for how to use frozen peas.)

Pea salad topped with crumbled bacon and served in a large white bowl

Sweet green peas are mixed with cheddar cheese cubes, crunchy, salty bacon and red onion then covered in a creamy mayo-based dressing that brings everything together.

It’s such a great mix of flavors and textures and it looks really pretty too!

Maybe that’s why we Southerners love it.

It’s got mayo, cheddar and bacon, so that’s a winning trio right there.

Then we add some green veggies for good measure. And also, it’s a really good-looking dish to show up with and set out on the table.

So it checks all the boxes!

(You might also like this classic, cold shrimp pasta salad that's great at picnics and potlucks, too.)

Ingredients for pea salad in separate white bowls with a blue napkin underneath White bowl with ingredients layered in, including peas, cheese, red onion and bacon

OK, so I’ve got some FAQs and some notes, tips and substitutions coming up for this recipe. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

What is pea salad?

It’s a creamy, cold side dish of peas, cheddar cheese, bacon and red onion with a mayonnaise dressing. It’s a classic at BBQs and potlucks in the South.

What kind of cheese is in pea salad?

Sharp cheddar cheese is the traditional cheese used in pea salad. I use white cheddar cheese, but regular is fine. I like having it cut into small cubes but you can use shredded cheddar as well.

Southern pea salad with bacon on top in a white serving bowl

Can I skip the red onion?

Sure. You can also soak it in cold water to take some of the bite out though, if you have a particularly pungent onion.

Just chop the amount you need - ¼ cup for this recipe - and put it in a small bowl of cold water for 5-10 minutes.

Then drain the water, pat the onion pieces dry and proceed with the recipe.

How should I cook the bacon?

You can fry the bacon in a pan on the stove, flipping until it’s crisp and cooked on both sides, about 10 minutes total.

You can also cook the bacon in the microwave. Place your slices between two paper towels and place in the center of the microwave plate. Cook on high for about a minute per slice.

If you have one, you can even make Air Fryer bacon. So crispy!

If you have thin pieces, it’ll take a little less. If you have thick-cut bacon, which is what I use, it takes almost a full minute per piece.

I recommend starting with less time and checking as you go. You can always add an extra 30 seconds as needed to get the bacon to your desired donees.

Creamy pea salad with cheddar cheese and bacon in a large white serving bowl

How to make pea salad:

- Make sure to use frozen peas that you just thaw out under running water. The peas should not be cooked.

- Mayonnaise is traditional for the salad - and Miracle Whip or Duke's are the classics often used in the South. I use a light mayo and that’s fine here too.

- You can also substitute part or all of the mayo for some Greek yogurt, if you want to add more of a tang to the dressing.

- Some people add a few pinches of sugar to the mayonnaise for the dressing in this salad. I don’t think it’s necessary because the peas add plenty of sweetness, but feel free to try that.

Pea salad is best the day it’s made. If you are making it a day ahead, I’d recommend waiting to add the bacon so it doesn’t get soggy.

A spoon resting in a small white bowl full of a creamy pea salad with red onion, small squares of cheese and cooked, crumbled bacon on top.

Making this for a party? It’s an easy recipe to double and you’ll need it - everyone loves this salad and goes back for more!

I hope you give it a try for a picnic, potluck or BBQ this season!

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

Creamy pea salad with cheddar cheese and bacon in a large white serving bowl
PRINT PIN SaveSaved!
No ratings yet

Creamy pea salad with bacon

Creamy pea salad with cheddar and bacon is a classic Southern side dish at potlucks and BBQs and easy to make ahead. It’s always a hit!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Additional TimeAdditional Time30 minutes mins
Total Time40 minutes mins
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. frozen green peas
  • ¾ cup diced sharp cheddar cheese (or sub grated cheddar)
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped (see notes)
  • ½ cup mayonnaise (see notes)
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Place the frozen peas in a colander and thaw under running cold water, about a minute.
  • Add the peas, cheddar, bacon and red onion to a large bowl and mix well.
  • Add the mayonnaise, salt and pepper and stir until everything is well coated.
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving, to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to get chilled.
  • This salad is best served on the day it’s made. (You don’t want the bacon to get soggy.)

Notes

If your red onion seems pungent, you can dice it then soak the red onion pieces in a small bowl of cold water for 5-10 minutes to take out some of the bite. Just drain them well and pat them dry before adding them to the salad.
Mayonnaise is traditional for the salad. I use a light mayo and that’s fine here. You can also substitute part or all of the mayo for some Greek yogurt, if you want to add more of a tang to the dressing.
Some people add a few pinches of sugar to the mayo for the dressing in this salad. I don’t think it’s necessary because the peas add plenty of sweetness, but feel free to try that.
Pea salad is best the day it’s made. If you are making it a day ahead, I’d recommend waiting to add the bacon so it doesn’t get soggy.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 490kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 784mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or follow me on Instagram @familyfoodonthetable and tag me in your photo!
A small white bowl full of a creamy pea salad with red onion, small squares of cheese and cooked, crumbled bacon on top.

Pin

More Salads

  • Close up of a wooden spoon resting in a large bowl of Asian style coleslaw with peanuts and ramen.
    Crunchy Asian Coleslaw with Ramen
  • Mediterranean Orzo Salad
  • Close up of an oval serving platter with a veggie loaded Mediterranean tuna salad garnished with fresh herbs and lemon slices.
    Mediterranean Tuna Salad
  • Close up of Mediterranean farro salad with olives and feta cheese in a large glass bowl with colorful throw towels nearby.
    Mediterranean Farro Salad

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Holly

    May 12, 2019 at 11:01 am

    Yummm! This looks like the perfect side dish for picnics and bbq's this summer!

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      May 13, 2019 at 8:58 am

      Absolutely! It's a great one for summer parties! 😊

      Reply
  2. Erin

    May 13, 2019 at 2:17 pm

    I can see this at a ton of potlucks this summer. Yum! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      May 15, 2019 at 7:09 am

      It's a perfect potluck dish!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Meet Kathryn

Hi there! I’m Kathryn Doherty, a cookbook author, mom of two, and devoted food and home cooking nut. I’ve got lots of easy recipes to help you get delicious food on the table for your family!

More about me →

Popular Recipes

  • A cream cheese chicken and mushroom mixture in a large pan with a wooden spoon resting in it.
    Easy Cream Cheese Chicken
  • Close up of honey garlic chicken served in a blue and white bowl with sliced green onions on top.
    Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
  • Close up of a whole roasted chicken on a large white serving platter with veggies and fresh parsley to the side.
    Easy Whole Roasted Chicken
  • Close up of a fork resting in a bowl of rice and curried ground turkey with peas.
    Curry Ground Turkey with Rice and Peas
  • Close up of a wooden spoon drizzling pan gravy over seared pork chops.
    Easy Skillet Pork Chops with Gravy
  • Close up of a dark skillet with a saucy honey garlic chicken dish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions sprinkled on top.
    15-Minute Honey Garlic Chicken

Footer

↑back to top

About

  • Contact
  • Work With Me

Newsletter

  • Sign up for emails!

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright
  • Accessibility

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Family Food on the Table

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required