Pea Salad Recipe

Pea salad folds peas and crisp vegetables into a creamy dill dressing, then adds bacon and cashews. Chill before serving and add the crisp toppings near the end.

Ingredients and preparation

Gather the ingredients below before starting. The recipe card provides the exact amounts and any optional substitutions.

5 ounces bacon (about 4 – 6 slices)
1/2 cup celery (diced)
1/2 cup green bell pepper (diced)
1/4 cup red onion (diced)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp fresh dill (chopped, plus more for garnish)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces frozen green peas (no need to thaw)
1/2 cup roasted cashews (chopped )

How to make it

Read the complete directions in the recipe card before beginning. Prepare ingredients first, follow the stated order and check the specified cooking or chilling time. Use the visual result and the card's doneness guidance rather than the clock alone.

Serving and storage

Serve as directed in the card. Cool and store leftovers promptly in a covered container; follow food-safety guidance for ingredients that need refrigeration.

Recipe card

The card below has the complete quantities, times and step-by-step method.

Pea Salad Recipe

Print Recipe

This simple yet exquisite Pea Salad Recipe will be one that you will impress your guests with all spring and summer long. It is great to make ahead of time using frozen peas that you don’t even thaw or cook.

Author: Maya Collins
Prep Time: 24 mins
Total Time: 264 mins
Yield: 6, 6 servings 1x
Category: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

5 ounces bacon (about 4–6 slices)
1/2 cup celery (diced)
1/2 cup green bell pepper (diced)
1/4 cup red onion (diced)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp fresh dill (chopped, plus more for garnish)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces frozen green peas (no need to thaw)
1/2 cup roasted cashews (chopped )

Instructions

Over medium heat, cook the bacon in a large skillet until browned and crispy, about 8–10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Once cool, crumble into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Use pre-cooked bacon to save time.
While the bacon cooks, dice the celery, green bell pepper, and red onion. Set aside. I like to dice the vegetables about the size of the peas.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, chopped dill, salt, pepper, and diced vegetables. Stir well until everything is evenly coated in the dressing. Gently fold in the frozen peas. See “In a Hurry” below for using thawed peas.
Cover and refrigerate for 2–3 hours or until the peas have thawed and the flavors have melded. Stir once halfway through chilling to redistribute the dressing. Make this salad the morning of or even the day before needed.
Just before serving, fold half the crumbled bacon and half of the chopped cashews into the salad. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle the remaining bacon and cashews over the top. Garnish with additional dill, if desired. Serve chilled.