This creamy Pea Salad recipe is a crowd-pleasing side that’s ideal for potlucks and barbecues. I lighten it up with a tangy Greek yogurt dressing, but it’s still got all the deliciousness (and bacon!) of the original.
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A classic potluck salad with a Well Plated spin.
Old fashioned pea salad is a Midwestern potluck/family reunion/parish cookbook stalwart.
These classic creamy pea salads of the past are made with bacon, a mayo-based dressing, and red onions. Some versions include cheese; others are made with ranch dressing.
- For today’s recipe, I wanted a more modern take on the pea salad that I grew up with.
- This is a healthy pea salad without mayo. The dressing uses yogurt and it features heart-healthy additions (like almonds!).
- At the same time, it stays true to its roots and tastes like it belongs at a proper cookout. You can thank the crispy, smoky bacon!
5 Star Review
“I made this last night, and it was a big hit. The bonus is I’ll have lunch for a few days too.”
— Jana —
How to Make Pea Salad
Prep. Cook the bacon, dice the red onion, and toast and chop the almonds.
Make the Dressing. Stir together the dressing in a big bowl.
Put It All Together. Add everything to the bowl with the dressing and stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
TIP!
While you can make fresh pea salad, I prefer to use frozen peas. They are just as nutritious as fresh peas and a complete time saver.
Since the peas are blanched before they are frozen, you do not need to cook them before adding them to the salad. Simply thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or run them under cool water to defrost.
Recipe Variations
- English Pea Salad. Add 2 to 3 diced hardboiled eggs.
- Sweet Pea Salad. Use baby peas or sweet peas, which are smaller and sweeter. These are my favorite!
- Southern Pea Salad. Add diced cheddar cheese, hard boiled eggs, and swap the red onion for green onion.
- Add Ham. You also can swap the bacon for diced leftover ham (like this Crockpot Ham).
- Make It Vegetarian. For a vegetarian pea salad, omit the bacon and use smoked almonds instead of the regular roasted almonds for a similar effect.
- Try a Vegan Version. If you are looking for a vegan pea salad or one that is dairy-free, check out my Pea, Lentil & Potato Salad (which can be made with or without the bacon).
What to Serve With Pea Salad
Pea salad is perfect for potlucks, picnics, and backyard barbecues! Here are some pairing ideas.
- Other Picnic Salads. Like Healthy Potato Salad and BLT Pasta Salad!
- Grilled Foods. It’s nice to have pea salad ready in the fridge when you’re outside making Grilled Chicken Breast.
- Burgers and Sandwiches. Who needs fries?! Serve your next Smash Burger or Tuna Melt with creamy pea salad.
Creamy Pea Salad with Bacon
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Ingredients
- 3 strips bacon cooked*
- ½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 16 ounces shelled petite peas fresh or frozen and thawed
- ¼ cup whole roasted almonds roughly chopped
- ½ small red onion finely chopped
Instructions
- If necessary, cook the bacon according to one of my easy methods listed below. Once cool, chop into small pieces and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, honey, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add the peas, almonds, and red onion. Toss gently to coat. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- *Easy bacon cooking methods: Air Fryer Bacon and Oven Baked Bacon.
- TO STORE. Refrigerate leftover pea salad for up to 4 days. Stir and taste for seasoning before serving.
- TO FREEZE. I do not recommend freezing pea salad. It will become mushy and the dressing will separate. (Don’t worry; you won’t have leftovers).
Nutrition
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I originally hit 3 stars by mistake instead of 5 stars. This salad sounds so good I can’t wait to make it. Both my husband and I love peas so this will be delicious I am sure. I wanted a recipe without mayo as we are eating healthier these days. Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Cindy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I substituted Kefir and smoked maple syrup for the dressing. Fantastic! Thanks for sharing such a supreme recipe.
Hi Nora! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I appreciate the recipe! My pea salad came out a little bit too “onion-y” to where the onion taste stood out too much. Any recommendations? Planning to make this for a large potluck very soon. Thanks!
Hi Ace, submerging raw onions into cold water for 15 minutes or more helps alleviate some of that strong onion flavor. You could also reduce the amount or just leave it out. Hope this helps!
This salad was a hit. Substituted walnuts for the almonds but otherwise, kept everything the same. Delicious. And stores well.
Great to hear! Thank you Angela!
OMG!! I made a double batch for my first try and WOW!! When I got to the point of mixing everything together, in my head – I wasn’t liking this salad. But the first spoonful won me over! Thank you so much, Erin! <3
Soo happy to hear this, thank you!
I’m definitely going to be making this pea salad again. It’s creamy and satisfying, but not too heavy.