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A bowl of pea salad with sliced hard boiled eggs on top

Easy English Pea Salad

5 from 21 votes

A wonderfully easy, hearty side dish loaded with hard cooked eggs, a little bacon, (because everything's better with bacon) minced red onion, and cheddar cheese all blended together with a creamy dressing.

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English Pea Salad is loaded with hard cooked eggs, a little bacon, (because everything’s better with bacon) minced red onion, and cheddar cheese all blended together with a creamy dressing.

A bowl of pea salad topped with sliced hard cooked eggs


 

A wonderful, hearty side dish great for many occasions.

If you happen to be invited to a Easter get-together, summer BBQ, bridal luncheon, baby shower, church picnic or office potluck, this is the salad you want to take along to share. It comes together in a flash and is so easy to make!

This salad even gets better after sitting for a few hours so making it ahead of time is preferred.

If you’ve only tried pea salad from the mayonnaise-bar at the all-you-can-eat buffet, you’re in for a nice surprise. This pea salad is coated in a tangy dressing but is not swimming in it. It’s not at all watery or mushy, and the contrasting textures of the ingredients really stand out.

A spoonful of English pea salad with boiled eggs, bacon and cheese

Garnish with eggs and cheese

Save a few slices of hard cooked egg, diced cheese and chopped bacon for a nice garnish before serving.

I like to save the bacon for last, adding it just before serving. It retains it’s nice crispy-crunch while adding that delicious salty bite. You can cut the cheddar into cubes or shred it on a large box grater, either way it works great.

Be sure to check the seasoning and add more salt if needed. I tend to go low salt on all my recipes, but this pea salad needs a little.

The brand of bacon will make a difference in how much seasoning you need. I used an all-natural uncured peppered bacon with loads of flavor. I’ve often wondered if maple bacon would be good in this pea salad, adding that little bit of sweetness … yum!

A blue bowl of English pea salad with boiled eggs, bacon and cheese

Be sure to use good quality frozen peas and thaw them completely in the refrigerator.

Place the bags of frozen peas in the refrigerator the night before making the salad. They’ll be thawed by the time they’re needed the next day. I don’t like to use canned peas for this salad as they’re soft and watery, and dull in color.

Fresh frozen peas have a nice snap when you bit into them, great color and a terrific fresh flavor.

If you’re worried about eating raw previously frozen peas, drop them in boiling water for 2-4 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon, then drain and cool before adding to this salad.

ABOUT ENGLISH PEAS

Peas have been around since ancient times and are believed to be native to Europe and parts of Asia. According to specialtyproduce.com, peas are from the legume family and are rich in vitamin A and vitamin B (particularly folic acid), calcium, iron, zinc, and potassium. They also contain fiber and protein and can help promote healthy vision.

You may have heard them referred to as ‘green peas’ ‘garden peas’ ‘shell peas’ and ‘English peas’ as I have done here. ‘Sweet Pea’ refers to a beautiful flowering plant that is not edible so I’m not sure why green peas are often referred to as sweet.

English peas are believed to have been cultivated in England in the early seventeenth century. Other favorite edible pea varieties include snow pea and sugar snap peas.

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A bowl of pea salad with cheese, bacon and topped with a hard cooked egg
A bowl of pea salad with sliced hard boiled eggs on top

Easy English Pea Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 10
Course: Salad
Author: Tricia
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5 from 21 votes
A wonderfully easy, hearty side dish loaded with hard cooked eggs, a little bacon, (because everything’s better with bacon) minced red onion, and cheddar cheese all blended together with a creamy dressing.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons minced red onion
  • 2 teaspoons apple-cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper plus more for garnish if desired
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce more or less to taste (like Cholula)
  • 2 13-ounce bags of frozen peas thawed overnight in the refrigerator
  • 2 large hard-boiled eggs chopped (reserve a few slices for garnish if desired)
  • ½ cup cheddar cheese cut in 1/4” cubes or shredded
  • 4-6 slices bacon cooked and diced

Instructions

  • In a 2-cup measuring cup combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Stir until well blended.
  • In a large mixing bowl using a rubber spatula, gently combine the peas, hard-boiled eggs and cheese. Pour the dressing over the top of the peas and fold together just until well blended.
  • Refrigerate the salad for 8 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, gently stir the salad and add the chopped bacon. Garnish with additional chopped bacon, cheese and/or sliced eggs if desired. Best served at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

  • Optional: Use a flavored bacon such as black pepper or maple for extra zing
  • I like the Birds’ Eye brand of frozen Sweet Garden Peas
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
  • It is possible that there is bacteria on the frozen peas. If you are concerned, please blanch the peas by dropping them in boiling water and cook / stir for 2-4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain and cool before adding to the salad.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 96kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 214mg | Potassium: 33mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 151IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 0.2mg

English Peas are versatile and terrific in many recipes.

Sneak some peas into a nice One-pan cheesy potato and green pea casserole and this Creamy Pasta with Bacon and Peas.

We often add peas to soups, stir fry dishes, stews, casseroles, and of course salads like this Beet, Avocado and Pea Salad which also uses tender pea shoots. Hope you’ll give it a try!

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37 Comments

  2. Trenda Wilson

    5 stars
    I used to green onions instead of the red onion and it turned out very delicious! I will certainly use this recipe again and again. Kudos.!

    Reply

  3. Christine

    5 stars
    Made this recipe for the hubbys request to have English pea salad for Thanksgiving. He loved it!! Will definitely make it again!

    Reply

  6. Bren Langston

    I’ve been trying to find a pea salad t! hat is like the one my grandma used to make.(I won’t put hot sauce in it). I like the creaminess of the other ingredients though!

    Reply

  7. Abbe@This is How I Cook

    Years ago during college I was the brunch manager and salad chef at a prime rib restaurant. They did Sunday brunch and I always made this salad to go on the buffet. Needless to say, it was always the first to disappear. Now you have me craving it!

    Reply

  10. Susan

    This reminds me a little of the retro 7-layer salad that I used to love at my husband’s family’s pot luck get !!togethers except no lettuce. This sounds delicious, Tricia! Happy Easter to you and your family

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      No Sherry I do not – but I know some people will not eat raw peas that have been frozen. You can drop them in boiling water for 2-4 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon, then drain and cool before adding to this salad.

      Reply

      • Dorothy Wheat

        I like the raw peas and I see no need to thaw them. They thaw really fast once you put them in the salad. And they’ve never made me sick. The peas are blanched before they are frozen. That’s like dipping them in boiling hot water. Then they are dipped in cold water to stop the cooking before freezing them.

      • Tricia Buice

        Hi Dorothy – I don’t care for using peas while still frozen, but if it works for you then go for it. I know peas are blanched before frozen but according to the package directions, the peas should be cooked to be completely safe from bacteria. My preference is to pour boiling water over the frozen peas then immediately run cold water over them to stop the cooking process. I appreciate your comment. Have you tried this recipe?