Classic Southern Creamy Pea Salad with Bacon
This recipe delivers a classic Southern pea salad, featuring sweet peas, sharp cheddar, crispy bacon, and a rich, creamy dressing. It is a simple, make-ahead side dish perfect for potlucks and BBQs.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 min
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 (15 ounce) cans sweet green peas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the drained peas, shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, chopped red onion, and chopped celery into a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and sugar until smooth. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.
- Pour the creamy dressing over the pea mixture. Gently fold all ingredients together until everything is evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl and chill the pea salad in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. This allows the flavors to blend.
- Taste and adjust seasoning before serving cold as a side dish.
Notes
- You can prepare the bacon and chop the vegetables a day ahead to speed up assembly time.
- For a tangier flavor, substitute plain Greek yogurt for half of the mayonnaise in the dressing.
- This salad tastes best when served cold, making it an ideal make-ahead salad for gatherings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 26
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Unsaturated Fat: 17
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 14
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 8
- Cholesterol: 40