This Easy Pea Salad has been made in my family for years! It always goes fast and is perfect to take to a barbecue or summer potluck.
Yep, this is my mom's recipe. And her mom's before her. And even her mom's mom before her! It's one of those easy-yet-delicious recipes that she keeps in her head, ready to be made at a moment's notice.
Don't let the short list of ingredients fool you, though. This easy pea salad is really flavorful without much effort, and it keeps well, too. It's the first thing I make when I get my hands on fresh peas, and I also keep a bag of frozen peas on hand for an easy side dish anytime!
This is a great recipe to keep on hand to take to a backyard barbecue. It pairs really well with or smoked pork butt or toss some chicken wings on the smoker.
Ingredients
- Green Peas: Fresh peas are delicious in this easy pea salad but frozen peas will do the trick just fine, too. I don't recommend using canned; they'd be a bit too soft. But if you can get fresh, use them as they make this even better (just give them a quick blanch before adding to the recipe).
- Mayonnaise: I use regular mayo, but you can also use light mayo to cut down on some calories.
- Balsamic vinegar: The addition of sweet and tangy balsamic vinegar helps cut through the richness of the other ingredients.
- Sugar: The sugar won't make it sweet, it just helps to balance the flavors.
- Sweet onion: Red onions are more commonly used in a pea salad, so use those if you like, but I prefer the milder and sweeter flavor of sweet onions in this recipe.
- Shredded cheddar cheese: I use sharp cheddar, but use a mild or medium cheddar if you prefer. You can also dice the cheese, just be sure to keep it small so it doesn't overpower the other flavors.
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper: Remember: SALT = FLAVOR. 🙂
How to Make This Easy Pea Salad
This easy salad really is fast and easy to make! Here are the steps to do it:
- In another a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix together the mayo, vinegar, sugar and sweet onion. Mix in the cheese, then season to taste with salt & pepper.
- Gently fold in the peas until they're completely coated with the dressing.
- Serve immediately or leave it in fridge for up to 12 hours before serving. It will taste even better the longer it sits.
Variations
This easy pea salad needs just a few key ingredients, but of course there are always a few more that can be added! Here are a few ideas:
- Bacon or ham: Crumbled bacon is a great addition, just sprinkle it on top right before serving so it retains it's crunch. Diced ham can be mixed right in.
- Hard-Boiled Eggs: Eggs will bulk it up, and will add a little creaminess (and some protein).
- Celery or red bell pepper: Either of these will add a crunchy texture along with a pop of color from the red bell peppers.
- Sunflower Seeds: Sunflower seeds would be delicious!
- Pickles or Pickle Relish: The briny flavor of pickles will change the flavor quite a bit, but it's a delicious addition.
- Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt: Replacing some of the mayo with either sour cream or yogurt to keep it lighter.
- Vinegar: Balsamic vinegar is definitely best here, but feel free to use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Dijon Mustard: A dollop of Dijon is really good - I've added it many times!
- Seasonings & herbs: Try adding garlic powder or fresh herbs like dill, chive, basil tarragon or parsley.
Related
Looking for more ideas to take to a pot luck or barbecue? Try these:
Pairings
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this easy pea salad:
Easy Pea Salad
A wonderfully easy salad with peas, sweet onions and cheddar cheese. It's perfect to take to a pot luck or barbecue!
Ingredients
- 32 ounces (4 cups) of fresh or frozen peas (lightly blanched if fresh; thawed if frozen)
- ½-¾ cup mayo (start with ½ cup and add more if you need it)
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ cup minced sweet onion
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or cut into very small pieces)
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Mix together the mayo, vinegar, sugar and sweet onion in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix in the cheese, then gently fold in the peas.
- Season to taste with salt & pepper.
- Serve the salad immediately or leave it in the fridge for up to 12 hours.
Notes
- Substitute some of the mayo for sour cream or yogurt for a lighter version.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 304Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 356mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 4g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
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Natalie says
I made this using one can of peas and an equal amount of celery for crunch. I used a splash more balsamic vinegar and sugar, and also added garlic and onion powder, and dill. For cheese I used diced sharp cheddar. It was fantastic!! Thank you!
Kristy Bernardo says
So awesome! Thanks, Natalie!
BBJ says
I've been looking for a pea salad recipe, and this one looks better thank any other I've seen. Many thanks!
Kristy Bernardo says
I'm so glad, BBJ! Cheers 🙂
Marcy says
Did you use white balsamic for this recipe? I used the regular one and my dressing turned a purplish/brown color. Not like the picture. Please advise.
Kristy Bernardo says
Hi Marcy, I use regular balsamic just as you did. There's only 1 tablespoon and that small amount will very slightly change the color of the dressing but it definitely doesn't turn it brown. I'm wondering if you used a different amount? Hope you enjoyed the flavor! Cheers 🙂
Anna says
This looks lovely! I love the crispness of peas but have never had them in a salad, I'll have to try soon. Perfect for spring!
Kristy Bernardo says
You'll love this one, Anna!
Kate Diethood says
Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best!! I LOVE "Mom's recipes"!! And they never taste quite as awesome as when that Mom makes them. 🙂
Kristy Bernardo says
I completely agree, Kate! Have a great day 🙂
Jerry says
Wait. Just wait. did you say peas, mayo, balsamic and cheddar? Yeah. now I'm drooling all over my keyboard. Thanks a lot for that 😉
I'm so definitely going to have to make this. and soon.
heather says
peas are one of the only vegetables that my kids really like, so I be this salad would go over really well!
Mirlandra says
Yum! Anything with spring peas in it has to be great. I got mine in the ground a little bit late this year and now I'm getting impatient for them to grow big! I need to save this recipe for when they come ripe. Thanks!
Nyssa says
I'm really just not a raw onion kind of girl, so I just made this and used cherry tomatoes instead of onions. I'm sure the flavor is quite different, but it's pretty delicious! Great recipe!
Kristy Bernardo says
What an interesting twist on it, love it! Really glad you enjoyed it, Nyssa 🙂
dina says
i made something like this recently. it's yummy!
the wicked noodle says
Thanks, dina!