Tasty Old Fashioned Pea Salad

Here is my favorite old fashioned pea salad recipe, with a creamy dressing made from mayonnaise and sour cream, sweet peas, sharp cheddar cheese cubes, crispy bacon, and red onion.

This pea salad is a classic side dish that shows up at every potluck and family gathering in my house. It’s one of those recipes that people always ask for, and I love how easy it is to throw together. Plus, it tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have had time to blend together.

What Kind of Peas Should I Use?

For this old fashioned pea salad, you’ll want to use frozen peas that have been thawed, not canned. Frozen peas have a better texture and stay nice and firm in the salad, while canned peas can get mushy and don’t hold up as well with the creamy dressing. Just let your frozen peas thaw in the fridge overnight or run them under cool water for a few minutes before mixing them in. Some people like to blanch their peas quickly in boiling water for extra brightness, but honestly, thawed frozen peas work perfectly fine straight from the bag. Fresh peas from the pod are great too if you happen to have them, but frozen is way more convenient and tastes just as good.

Options for Substitutions

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

• Peas: Frozen peas work great here – just thaw them first. You can also use fresh peas if they’re in season, though frozen are honestly more convenient and just as tasty.
• Cheddar cheese: Sharp cheddar is traditional, but you can swap it for mild cheddar, colby, or even pepper jack if you want a little kick. Just make sure to cube it into bite-sized pieces.
• Bacon: Turkey bacon works if you prefer a lighter option. You can also use bacon bits in a pinch, though freshly cooked bacon definitely tastes better.
• Mayonnaise and sour cream: You can use all mayo or all sour cream if that’s what you have – just stick to 2/3 cup total. Greek yogurt can replace the sour cream for a tangier, healthier twist.
• Cider vinegar: White vinegar or white wine vinegar will work just fine. You could also use a splash of lemon juice for a slightly different flavor.
• Dill: Fresh dill is wonderful if you have it – use about 1 tablespoon chopped. Dried dill works perfectly well too, which is what the recipe calls for.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with pea salad is using frozen peas straight from the bag without thawing them first, which waters down your dressing and leaves you with a bland, watery salad – instead, thaw the peas completely and pat them dry with paper towels before mixing.

Overdressing the salad is another common error that turns everything mushy, so start with about two-thirds of your mayo-sour cream mixture and add more only if needed after the salad has chilled.

Don’t skip the chilling time or try to serve it right away, as the flavors need at least an hour to blend together, and the salad actually tastes even better the next day.

Finally, add your bacon right before serving rather than mixing it in early, which keeps it crispy instead of letting it turn soft and chewy in the dressing.

What to Serve With Pea Salad?

Pea salad is one of those classic side dishes that fits right in at summer barbecues and potlucks, so it pairs perfectly with grilled meats like burgers, hot dogs, or chicken. I love serving it alongside other picnic favorites like potato salad, coleslaw, or baked beans for a full spread that everyone can dig into. It also works great as a side for sandwiches – think pulled pork, ham and cheese, or even a simple turkey club. Since the salad is already pretty rich and creamy from the mayo and sour cream, you can balance it out with something fresh like sliced watermelon or corn on the cob.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your pea salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavors actually get better after sitting for a few hours, so it’s great to make the night before a potluck or BBQ. Just give it a good stir before serving since the dressing might settle a bit.

Make Ahead: You can prep most of this salad ahead of time by cooking the bacon, dicing the cheese and onion, and mixing the dressing separately. Store everything in the fridge, then toss it all together with the peas about an hour before serving for the best texture and flavor.

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 2100-2300
• Protein: 80-90 g
• Fat: 130-150 g
• Carbohydrates: 140-160 g

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s mayonnaise)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp dill
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp dry mustard powder

For the salad:

• 32 oz peas (I use Birds Eye sweet peas)
• 8 oz cheddar cheese (cut into 1/4-inch cubes)
• 3 oz bacon (fried until crisp and crumbled)
• 1 red onion (finely diced into 1/8-inch pieces)

Step 1: Prepare the Dressing Base

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp dill
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp dry mustard powder

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, and cider vinegar until smooth and well combined.

Add the dill, salt, black pepper, granulated sugar, and dry mustard powder, whisking until the spices are evenly distributed throughout the dressing.

This creates a flavorful base that will coat all the salad components.

I like to taste the dressing at this point and adjust the vinegar or salt if needed—it should have a nice tangy, savory flavor with just a hint of sweetness.

Step 2: Cook the Bacon

• 3 oz bacon

While the dressing is ready, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until it’s golden brown and crisp, about 8-10 minutes depending on thickness.

Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool slightly, then crumble it into bite-sized pieces.

This can be done while you prep the other ingredients to save time.

Step 3: Prepare and Combine All Components

• dressing mixture from Step 1
• 32 oz peas
• 8 oz cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• crumbled bacon from Step 2
• 1 red onion, finely diced

Add the thawed peas, cheddar cheese cubes, and finely diced red onion to the dressing from Step 1, stirring gently but thoroughly to coat everything evenly.

Fold in the crumbled bacon from Step 2 at the end, being careful not to break the bacon pieces too much.

I find that folding rather than stirring vigorously helps keep the texture nice and prevents the cheese from breaking down.

The salad should look colorful and creamy at this point.

Step 4: Chill and Serve

Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

This chilling time allows the flavors to meld together and gives the peas and cheese time to absorb the creamy dressing.

Stir gently once more before serving to redistribute any dressing that may have settled to the bottom.

Tasty Old Fashioned Pea Salad

Delicious Tasty Old Fashioned 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: 2200

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the dressing::

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's mayonnaise)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp dill
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp dry mustard powder

For the salad::

• 32 oz peas (I use Birds Eye sweet peas)
• 8 oz cheddar cheese (cut into 1/4-inch cubes)
• 3 oz bacon (fried until crisp and crumbled)
• 1 red onion (finely diced into 1/8-inch pieces)

Method

 

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, and cider vinegar until smooth and well combined. Add the dill, salt, black pepper, granulated sugar, and dry mustard powder, whisking until the spices are evenly distributed throughout the dressing. This creates a flavorful base that will coat all the salad components. I like to taste the dressing at this point and adjust the vinegar or salt if needed—it should have a nice tangy, savory flavor with just a hint of sweetness.
2. While the dressing is ready, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until it's golden brown and crisp, about 8-10 minutes depending on thickness. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool slightly, then crumble it into bite-sized pieces. This can be done while you prep the other ingredients to save time.
3. Add the thawed peas, cheddar cheese cubes, and finely diced red onion to the dressing from Step 1, stirring gently but thoroughly to coat everything evenly. Fold in the crumbled bacon from Step 2 at the end, being careful not to break the bacon pieces too much. I find that folding rather than stirring vigorously helps keep the texture nice and prevents the cheese from breaking down. The salad should look colorful and creamy at this point.
4. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. This chilling time allows the flavors to meld together and gives the peas and cheese time to absorb the creamy dressing. Stir gently once more before serving to redistribute any dressing that may have settled to the bottom.