My friend Sarah (who is, yes, actually Irish) brought this to a Fourth of July cookout and it was GONE in ten minutes flat. Between the hot dogs. I have no explanation. Just the truth.
This pea salad is sharp and creamy and weirdly substantial. Kerrygold Dubliner in melty chunks, sweet peas, chopped eggs, a creamy dressing with relish and thyme, and a little trick of soaking the onions so they go sweet instead of harsh.
Twenty minutes. Feeds a crowd. Bringing this to every gathering from now on.
What Makes This Salad ‘Irish’?
The ‘Irish’ in this salad? It’s the CHEESE. Use Kerrygold Dubliner for that sharp, nutty flavor that makes it authentic.
Don’t grab any random cheddar. You need authentic Irish cheese for the real taste. It’s the star here!
Shred or cube it into small, even pieces. This ensures it DISTRIBUTES perfectly, so every bite has that Irish character.
For peas, stick with FROZEN Birds Eye sweet peas. They have a firm, crisp texture that canned just can’t match.
Hard-boil eggs and chop them CHUNKY. They add a creamy, hearty contrast that complements the cheese.
Soak diced onion in water for 5 minutes. It mellow’s the bite, giving a SWEETER note without the sting.
Fold everything together gently. Stirring can make it mushy; folding keeps all the textures INTACT.
Why Soak the Onion First?
- Raw onion can CRUSH the other flavors here…. not what we’re going for
- A 5 minute cold water soak pulls out those harsh sulfur compounds
- You end up with a milder, slightly SWEETER onion that won’t fight the creamy dressing
- DRAIN it completely before adding, otherwise you’ll dilute the whole salad
- Stick to COLD water (warm water turns the onion soft and kills the CRUNCH)
Five minutes is all it takes. Skip this and the onion screams louder than the Kerrygold…. don’t skip this!
Make Ahead & Storage Tips
Build it the NIGHT BEFORE and let the fridge do the work! Overnight chilling lets everything MELD together beautifully
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 DAYS. Give it a gentle stir before serving since the dressing settles at the bottom
(Hold back a bit of cheese to sprinkle on top right before serving…. keeps it sharp.)
More From the Kitchen
- Southern Pea Salad
- Fresh Broccoli Salad
- Ham and Pea Salad
- Easy Herbed Pea and Lemon Pasta Salad
- Creamy Broccoli Salad
- Easy Low Carb Broccoli Salad
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 1750-1950
- Protein: 65-75 g
- Fat: 115-125 g
- Carbohydrates: 115-130 g
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 3/4 onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
- 24 oz peas (I use Birds Eye sweet peas for the best texture)
- 3 eggs (hard-boiled and chopped into 1/2-inch chunks)
- 4 peppers
- 1 1/2 cups irish cheese (I prefer Kerrygold Dubliner for its sharp, nutty profile)
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayo (I always use Hellmann’s for a creamier dressing)
- 1/4 cup relish
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 2.5 tsp mustard
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Step 1: Chop and Soak Aromatics
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 onion
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 peppers
- 1 1/2 cups irish cheese
Start by hard-boiling the eggs if not already done—place them in cold water, bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes before cooling and chopping into 1/2-inch chunks.
While the eggs cook, finely dice the onion into 1/4-inch pieces and soak it in 1/2 cup of water for about 5 minutes to mellow its sharp bite and add a subtle sweetness to the salad.
Dice the peppers into bite-sized pieces, roughly 1/4-inch to match the texture of the other ingredients.
Shred or cube the Irish cheese into small, even pieces so it distributes evenly throughout the salad.
Step 2: Whisk the Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup relish
- 2.5 tsp mustard
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayo, relish, mustard, salt, thyme, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
The relish will add a subtle tang and texture that complements the creamy base.
I like to taste the dressing at this point and adjust the seasoning if needed—a pinch more salt or mustard can really bring everything together.
Step 3: Combine the Salad Ingredients
- 24 oz peas
- chopped eggs from Step 1
- diced peppers from Step 1
- diced onion from Step 1
- cheese from Step 1
- creamy dressing from Step 2
Drain the soaked onion completely and add it to a large bowl along with the peas, chopped eggs, diced peppers, and cheese.
Gently fold these ingredients together to distribute them evenly.
Pour the dressing from Step 2 over the salad and fold everything together until all the ingredients are well coated and the dressing is evenly distributed.
I find folding rather than stirring helps keep the ingredients intact and prevents the salad from becoming mushy.
Step 4: Refrigerate Until Chilled
Transfer the salad to a serving dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
This chilling time allows the flavors to meld together beautifully and gives the salad a refreshing, crisp texture that makes it perfect for serving alongside traditional Irish fare or as a standalone side.
Best Irish Pea Salad
Ingredients
Method
- Start by hard-boiling the eggs if not already done—place them in cold water, bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes before cooling and chopping into 1/2-inch chunks. While the eggs cook, finely dice the onion into 1/4-inch pieces and soak it in 1/2 cup of water for about 5 minutes to mellow its sharp bite and add a subtle sweetness to the salad. Dice the peppers into bite-sized pieces, roughly 1/4-inch to match the texture of the other ingredients. Shred or cube the Irish cheese into small, even pieces so it distributes evenly throughout the salad.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayo, relish, mustard, salt, thyme, and black pepper until smooth and well combined. The relish will add a subtle tang and texture that complements the creamy base. I like to taste the dressing at this point and adjust the seasoning if needed—a pinch more salt or mustard can really bring everything together.
- Drain the soaked onion completely and add it to a large bowl along with the peas, chopped eggs, diced peppers, and cheese. Gently fold these ingredients together to distribute them evenly. Pour the dressing from Step 2 over the salad and fold everything together until all the ingredients are well coated and the dressing is evenly distributed. I find folding rather than stirring helps keep the ingredients intact and prevents the salad from becoming mushy.
- Transfer the salad to a serving dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. This chilling time allows the flavors to meld together beautifully and gives the salad a refreshing, crisp texture that makes it perfect for serving alongside traditional Irish fare or as a standalone side.
What kind of relish are you using in the dressing? TY