This creamy pea salad is the perfect summer side to serve at your next cookout. Made with sour cream and ranch and topped with crispy bacon, it’s ready to serve in minutes.
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Creamy Pea Salad Recipe
Move over pasta and potato salads, this pea salad is the must make side dish for this summer.
Perfectly creamy and cheesy with just the right amount of tang, it’s a great option for picnics and summer BBQs.
Fresh, delicious, and you a can feel good about all the vitamins and minerals your getting from the garden peas!
Be sure to try my Cucumber Salad and Cheesy Broccoli Salad too!
Why you’ll love this Pea Salad recipe:
- QUICK AND EASY: Just mix the ingredients together and you are good to go!
- SO CREAMY: This pea salad is deliciously creamy, but it’s made without mayonnaise. Instead, we use sour cream and ranch to give it a nice fresh flavor.
- MAKE AHEAD: This is a great make ahead side that can be served right from the fridge.
How to make Cheesy Pea Salad with Bacon
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
- Combine the sour cream, ranch and seasonings.
- Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.
- Chill before serving and top with crispy bacon pieces.
How long does it keep?
Once you have made your creamy pea salad, cover it and refrigerate for an hour to let the flavors develop. It will keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, so it’s a great make ahead option.
Because this salad contains dairy, don’t leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Do you use fresh or frozen peas?
I made this with frozen peas as they are super convenient, but you can use fresh if you have lots to use up! You need to thaw frozen peas before using them, do this quickly by putting them in a fine mesh sieve and running them under cold water for a couple of minutes.
What do you serve it with?
This pea salad is great to serve with all of your cookout favorites. It’s great with seafood, chicken and meats. Try it with:
Tips!
- Thaw the peas fully before mixing them with the other ingredients.
- I prefer to use a full fat sour cream, but you can use a low fat one to cut down on calories.
- I like to add a little cayenne for some spice, but you can leave this out if you like. Alternatively, feel free to add a little more if you like things spicy!
This creamy pea salad is a real crowd pleaser. It’s fresh and creamy without being too heavy, and it pairs perfectly with all of your favorite summer mains.
More Salad Recipes we Love
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Pea Salad Recipe with Cheese and Bacon
Ingredients
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup ranch dressing
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 4 cups frozen peas thawed
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- ¾ cup sharp cheddar cheese cut into small cubes
- 6 slices cooked bacon crumbled
Instructions
- Combine sour cream, ranch dressing, salt, and peppers in a large bowl; whisk to combine.
- Add peas, onion, cheese, and bacon to the bowl. Stir to coat completely.
- Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with some crispy bacon.
Becky’s Tips
- Thaw the peas fully before mixing them with the other ingredients.
- I prefer to use a full fat sour cream, but you can use a low fat one to cut down on calories.
- I like to add a little cayenne for some spice, but you can leave this out if you like. Alternatively, feel free to add a little more if you like things spicy!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
Is there a specific ranch dressing that you use?
Use your favorite kind!