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30-Minute Easter Pea Salad Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 122 reviews

This 30-Minute Easter Pea Salad is a refreshing and crowd-pleasing spring side dish featuring sweet peas, crispy bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, and a creamy sour cream and mayonnaise dressing enhanced with fresh dill. Perfect for potlucks, Easter dinners, or summer barbecues, this salad combines flavorful, simple ingredients for an easy yet delicious treat.

Ingredients

Scale

For the dressing:

  • 3/4 cup sour cream (I use Daisy for the cleanest flavor)
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1.5 tbsp sugar
  • 2.5 tsp cider vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill (chopped)

For the salad:

  • 8 slices bacon (cooked until crisp and crumbled)
  • 4 cups peas (thawed and patted dry to prevent watery dressing)
  • 1/3 cup red onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese (preferably Tillamook sharp cheddar, shredded)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Ingredients: Pat the thawed peas dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture which prevents watery dressing. Finely dice the red onion into uniform 1/4-inch pieces for even distribution. Shred the cheddar cheese if not already shredded. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes until crisp, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Once cooled, crumble the bacon into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Build the Creamy Dressing Base: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper until smooth and fully combined. The sugar and vinegar balance sweet-tangy flavors, while sour cream and mayo add richness without heaviness.
  3. Combine and Finish the Salad: Add dried peas, diced red onion, shredded cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon to the dressing base. Gently fold everything together until evenly coated, taking care not to crush the peas. Using sharp cheddar like Tillamook provides a pronounced cheese flavor that enhances the salad.
  4. Chill and Serve: Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. This allows the flavors to meld and the dressing to coat all ingredients thoroughly. The salad can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead for convenience during holiday entertaining.

Notes

  • Thaw and pat dry frozen peas completely to avoid watering down the dressing.
  • Do not add bacon until just before serving or after chilling to keep it crispy.
  • Start with three-quarters of the dressing and add more if needed to prevent overdressing that leads to a mushy salad.
  • Chilling the salad for at least an hour improves flavor melding and texture.
  • Substitutions: turkey bacon or diced ham can replace regular bacon; Greek yogurt can substitute sour cream or mayo for tangier flavor; white vinegar or lemon juice can replace cider vinegar; colby or monterey jack cheese can replace cheddar; yellow or white onion can replace red onion.
  • Best served cold and consumed within 3 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • Discard leftovers left out for more than 2 hours due to perishable dairy ingredients.

Keywords: pea salad, Easter side dish, creamy pea salad, bacon pea salad, spring salad, potluck salad, quick salad, sharp cheddar salad

Find it online: https://kitchenwithkai.com/30-minute-easter-pea-salad-recipe/