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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Erin: I love, love peas, red onions, and almonds; and fresh veggie salads.
Question: My hesitation with this recipe is that I am an “I love mayo” person (olive oil mayo); I really, really do not like Greek yogurt; that and cottage cheese are about the only dairy products I do not like. Can you or perhaps other readers suggest an adjustment(s) to the recipe to use mayo? If not, I will experiment with it myself, but thought I would ask all of the helpful people here. Thanks!
First off: these photos?!?!! I’m so hungry!!
Second: I love peas. I haven’t made a pea salad in forever. I’m off to make one now :)