Growing up, my family would go out for Sunday brunch a few times a year, and I can still picture myself making my way down that buffet line, piling my plate high with just about everything in sight. Those spreads were something special—glazed ham, eggs Benedict, waffles, fruit salad—you name it. A couple of years ago, my sister and I met our dad back in our hometown for brunch, and sure enough, all those same comfort foods were still there. And yes, I loaded up my plate just like I did as a kid. Some habits never change!
Okay… and I was really, really hungry.
Out of everything on that table, though, the dish that always stood out to me was the pea salad. It had chunks of cheese, bits of red onion, and the creamiest, dreamiest dressing. I couldn’t even begin to count how much of it I’ve eaten over the years—and I’ve loved every single bite.
It may sound simple, but don’t underestimate it. This pea salad is fresh, flavorful, and the perfect addition to Easter dinner or spring potlucks.
Should you use frozen peas in this pea salad?
Yes, frozen peas are flash-steamed before they're frozen. For this recipe, there's no need to cook them further before assembling the salad. Just grab a package straight from the freezer, let it thaw, and carry on with the recipe.
Why is my pea salad dry?
Just like with pasta salad, the dressing has a tendency to sort of disappear while it chills in the fridge. I like to add about two-thirds of the dressing and save the rest to add before serving, if it looks like it needs it. You can also make a double batch of the dressing if you like a creamier pea salad—I like mine only lightly dressed. This salad tastes even better after it sits at room temperature for about 30 minutes, which gives the dressing time to loosen up some.
What kind of cheese is best in pea salad?
I can’t speak with authority on this since I never watched the Sunday brunch chef make the pea salad, but I’m 80% sure the cheese used in that pea salad was American cheese. It just had that unapologetic American cheese quality about it. I should make an anonymous phone call over there someday and pretend I’m taking a survey of country clubs across the nation and ask them what kind of cheese they use in their pea salads. And while I’m at it, I’ll ask them if their refrigerator is running… (Man, I love prank calling. It’s a shame it’s a fading art form.) As for me, I’m using sharp cheddar, just to be rebellious. Monterey Jack would be nice, too!
Can you make pea salad ahead of time?
Yes! This salad can be made up to two days ahead of time and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Wait to add the bacon until just before serving so it stays nice and crisp.
Is pea salad a good Easter side dish?
Absolutely! Its bright green color and fresh flavor make it a perfect addition to Easter and springtime menus. It goes great with baked ham, roast chicken, beef tenderloin, pork chops...you name it, it will probably taste good with it!
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Ingredients
1/3 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
4 cups frozen green peas, almost totally thawed
8 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped
1/2 small red onion, halved and sliced very thin
6 oz. cheddar or American cheese, cut into small cubes
3 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley, plus more for serving
Directions
Step 1In a small bowl, mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and vinegar together to make the dressing.
Step 2Stir two-thirds of the dressing into the peas until the peas are coated. Gently stir in the bacon, onion, cheese, and parsley until all combined. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours before serving. (Pop the extra dressing in the fridge, too.)
Step 3Remove from the fridge and stir in the rest of the dressing to your liking. Sprinkle with more parsley before serving.
Let's talk pea salad! There's nothing complicated about it.
Ree Drummond
Start with peas! Frozen peas are great, and here’s what I do: I let them thaw for just a bit at room temperature, but I don’t let them go all the way. You want them to stay nice and cold and firm so they don’t freak out and get mushy when you mix the salad together.
Ree Drummond
While the peas are thawing a bit, fry some bacon. I would highly recommend waiting until your husband leaves the house to meet with his father-in-law about an issue with a fence before you do this. Otherwise, the bacon won’t wind up in the pea salad. It will wind up in his mouth.
Ree Drummond
For supah flavah, slice a red onion (otherwise known as a purple onion) in half and remove the weird core if it’s large like this.
Ree Drummond
Then slice the onion as thin as you can.
Ree Drummond
This is way more than I need for the salad, but if I’m going to slice a red onion (otherwise known as a purple onion), I’m going to slice a red onion (otherwise known as a purple onion.) Can I get an amen?
I have no idea what I just said.
Ree Drummond
One of the defining ingredients in the pea salad I’ve always loved are nice chunks of cheese throughout the whole darn thing. I use cheddar.
Ree Drummond
Slice the cheese into slices…
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Then cut the slices into sticks…
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And cut the sticks into cubes.
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While you’ve got the knife handy, chop the bacon into little bits…
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And grab some parsley and mince it up.
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Next, for the dressing, measure some mayo…
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And some sour cream…
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And put them in a bowl with a little vinegar, salt, and pepper.
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And stir it until it’s nice and smooth.
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Put the peas into a bowl and plop on about 3/4 of the dressing, reserving the rest for later if you think it needs it.
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Stir until the peas are coated…
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Then add the red onion…
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The bacon…
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And the cheese.
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Stir it together until it’s all coated…
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Then sprinkle in some parsley…
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And stir until it’s all mixed. Taste and adjust seasonings—add more salt and pepper if it needs it…
Ree Drummond
Then cover it with plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for at least a couple of hours.
Ree Drummond
When you pull it out of the fridge, give it a stir and a taste and make sure it’s all good. Add a little more dressing if it needs it (sometimes the dressing “disappears” a tiny bit when it sits in the fridge) and definitely add more salt and pepper if it needs it.
Ree Drummond
Serve it in a pretty bowl with whatever else is on your table! (Note: The salad is even better if you let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.)
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