Southern Paula Deen Pea Salad

If you ask me, pea salad is one of those Southern classics that never goes out of style.

This Paula Deen-inspired side dish brings together sweet peas, crispy bacon, and sharp cheddar cheese in a creamy, tangy dressing. The mayonnaise base gets a little kick from lemon juice and onion powder, while hard-cooked eggs add protein and richness.

It comes together in minutes since you’re using frozen peas that just need thawing. The bacon adds a smoky crunch that makes every bite interesting.

It’s the kind of potluck-ready dish that works for cookouts, picnics, or weeknight dinners when you need something quick and satisfying.

What Kind of Peas Should I Use?

For this pea salad, frozen peas are your best bet and they’re what most people use for this classic recipe. You’ll want to thaw them completely before mixing them in – just let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes or run them under cool water and drain well. Fresh peas can work too if you happen to have them on hand, though they’ll need a quick blanch in boiling water first to soften them up a bit. Canned peas aren’t really recommended here since they tend to be mushy and can make your salad watery, so stick with frozen if you can.

Options for Substitutions

This simple salad is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Bacon: Turkey bacon works great if you’re looking for a lighter option. You can also use diced ham or leave it out completely for a vegetarian version.
• Cheddar cheese: Sharp cheddar gives the best flavor, but mild cheddar, Colby, or even pepper jack will work. Just shred it fresh if possible – pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt into the salad as nicely.
• Mayonnaise: Greek yogurt or sour cream can replace some or all of the mayo if you want a tangier taste. You might need to add a bit more lemon juice to balance it out.
• Peas: Frozen peas are traditional and should be thawed but not cooked. Fresh peas work too, though you’ll want to blanch them quickly in boiling water for about 2 minutes, then cool them down in ice water.
• Hard-boiled eggs: The eggs add protein and creaminess, but you can reduce to 1 egg or skip them entirely if needed. The salad will be a bit lighter without them.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with pea salad is using frozen peas straight from the freezer, which releases excess water and makes your salad watery – thaw them completely and pat dry with paper towels before mixing.

Another common error is adding the dressing while ingredients are still warm, especially the bacon and hard-boiled eggs, as this can cause the mayonnaise to separate and turn oily.

Undercooking the bacon is also a problem since chewy bacon doesn’t provide the crispy texture contrast this salad needs, so make sure it’s completely crisp before crumbling it into small, bite-sized pieces.

For the best flavor, let the salad chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving, which allows the flavors to blend together and the dressing to thicken up properly.

What to Serve With Pea Salad?

Pea salad is perfect for summer cookouts and potlucks, so I love serving it alongside grilled chicken, burgers, or hot dogs. It pairs really well with other picnic favorites like potato salad, coleslaw, or baked beans for a full spread. Since this salad is pretty rich and creamy thanks to the bacon, cheese, and mayo, I like to balance it out with something simple like corn on the cob or sliced watermelon. You can also serve it on top of butter lettuce leaves for a lighter lunch, or stuff it into a pita pocket with some extra veggies for a quick sandwich.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This pea salad is actually better the next day after the flavors have had time to mingle! Keep it covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just give it a quick stir before serving since the mayo dressing might settle a bit at the bottom.

Make Ahead: You can definitely prep this salad a day in advance, which makes it perfect for potlucks or busy weeknights. I like to cook the bacon and eggs ahead of time, then mix everything together a few hours before serving so the peas stay nice and crisp.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 950-1100
• Protein: 45-55 g
• Fat: 65-75 g
• Carbohydrates: 40-50 g

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon, preferably thick-cut
• 10 oz frozen peas, thawed and well-drained
• 1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 hard-cooked eggs, diced
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Step 1: Prepare the Bacon and Protein Components

• 6 slices bacon, preferably thick-cut
• 2 hard-cooked eggs, diced

Cook the bacon slices in a large skillet over medium-high heat until they’re crispy and golden, about 8-10 minutes.

Once cooked, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool completely.

Once cooled, chop or crumble the bacon into bite-sized pieces.

While the bacon cools, prepare your hard-cooked eggs if not already done—dice them into small pieces and set aside.

Step 2: Make the Dressing

• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, onion powder, and sugar until smooth and well combined.

This creates the flavor base for the salad.

Taste as you go—I like to add the sugar to balance the acidity of the lemon juice, giving the dressing a subtle sweetness that complements the savory bacon and cheese.

Step 3: Assemble and Season the Salad

• cooked and chopped bacon from Step 1
• 10 oz frozen peas, thawed and well-drained
• 1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• diced eggs from Step 1
• dressing mixture from Step 2
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped bacon from Step 1, thawed and well-drained peas, shredded cheddar cheese, and diced eggs.

Pour the dressing from Step 2 over the mixture and fold everything together gently until all components are evenly coated.

Season with salt and black pepper to taste, starting with a pinch of each and adjusting as needed.

I find that the bacon and cheese are already quite salty, so go easy on the salt initially.

Step 4: Chill and Serve

Transfer the salad to a serving dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

This allows the flavors to meld together and ensures the salad is nicely chilled.

You can make this salad up to 4 hours ahead of time, making it perfect for potlucks or picnics.

Southern Paula Deen Pea Salad

Delicious Southern Paula Deen Pea Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 1025

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 6 slices bacon, preferably thick-cut
• 10 oz frozen peas, thawed and well-drained
• 1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 hard-cooked eggs, diced
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Method

 

1. Cook the bacon slices in a large skillet over medium-high heat until they're crispy and golden, about 8-10 minutes. Once cooked, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool completely. Once cooled, chop or crumble the bacon into bite-sized pieces. While the bacon cools, prepare your hard-cooked eggs if not already done—dice them into small pieces and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, onion powder, and sugar until smooth and well combined. This creates the flavor base for the salad. Taste as you go—I like to add the sugar to balance the acidity of the lemon juice, giving the dressing a subtle sweetness that complements the savory bacon and cheese.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped bacon from Step 1, thawed and well-drained peas, shredded cheddar cheese, and diced eggs. Pour the dressing from Step 2 over the mixture and fold everything together gently until all components are evenly coated. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, starting with a pinch of each and adjusting as needed. I find that the bacon and cheese are already quite salty, so go easy on the salt initially.
4. Transfer the salad to a serving dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together and ensures the salad is nicely chilled. You can make this salad up to 4 hours ahead of time, making it perfect for potlucks or picnics.