Creamy Southern Pea Salad

Here is my favorite southern pea salad recipe, with sweet petite peas, crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, sharp cheddar cheese, and a creamy dressing made with mayo and sour cream.

This pea salad is a staple at our summer cookouts and potlucks. It’s one of those dishes that disappears fast, so I’ve learned to always make a double batch. Plus, it actually tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have had time to blend together!

What Kind of Peas Should I Use?

For this Southern pea salad, you’ve got a few options that’ll all turn out great. Frozen peas are probably the easiest route – just thaw them out and you’re ready to go. Canned peas work too, though you’ll want to drain and rinse them well to get rid of any excess salt or that tinny taste. Fresh peas are wonderful if you can find them at the farmer’s market, but they’ll need a quick blanch in boiling water for about 2-3 minutes before cooling them down. Whichever type you choose, make sure your peas are completely cooled before mixing them into the salad, otherwise they’ll make your mayonnaise mixture runny and nobody wants that.

Options for Substitutions

This salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Peas: Frozen peas work great here – just thaw and drain them well. Fresh peas are nice too if you have them, but you’ll need to blanch them first for about 2 minutes in boiling water, then cool them down in ice water.
• Bacon: Turkey bacon is a lighter option if you prefer, though it won’t give you quite the same smoky flavor. You could also use diced ham or leave it out for a vegetarian version.
• Cheddar cheese: Sharp cheddar gives the best flavor, but mild cheddar, Colby, or even pepper jack work fine. Just stick with a cheese that melts well and has good flavor.
• Sour cream: Greek yogurt makes a good substitute if you’re looking for something tangier or want to cut calories. Use the same amount and mix it with the mayo.
• Mayonnaise: You can use all sour cream instead of mayo, or try a mix of half mayo and half Greek yogurt for a lighter dressing.
• Celery: If you’re not a celery fan, diced bell pepper adds a nice crunch, or you can just leave it out altogether.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with pea salad is using frozen peas straight from the bag without properly draining them, which creates a watery mess that dilutes all the flavors – make sure to thaw them completely and pat them dry with paper towels before mixing.

Undercooking your bacon is another common error that leads to chewy, rubbery pieces instead of crispy bits that add the perfect crunch, so cook it until it’s completely crisp and let it cool before crumbling.

Don’t skip the chilling time or try to rush it by serving the salad right away, as those 2 hours in the refrigerator allow all the flavors to blend together and the dressing to thicken up properly.

Finally, be careful not to overmix once you add the mayonnaise and sour cream – gently fold everything together just until combined, or you’ll end up mashing the peas and turning your salad into mush.

What to Serve With Pea Salad?

Southern pea salad is a classic side dish that pairs perfectly with just about any backyard barbecue or potluck spread. I love serving it alongside grilled chicken, pulled pork sandwiches, or juicy burgers since the creamy, tangy flavors complement smoky meats really well. It’s also great as part of a bigger picnic spread with other cold salads like coleslaw, potato salad, or macaroni salad. If you’re looking for something lighter, try it with cornbread or dinner rolls on the side, and maybe some sliced tomatoes or pickles to round out the plate.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your pea salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavors actually get better after sitting for a few hours, so it’s great to make the night before a picnic or potluck. Just give it a good stir before serving since the dressing might settle a bit.

Make Ahead: This salad is perfect for making ahead! You can prep all the ingredients and mix everything together up to a day in advance. If you’re worried about it getting watery, you can keep the dressing separate and toss it together an hour or two before serving.

Serve: Always serve this salad cold, straight from the fridge. If it’s been sitting out at a picnic or party for more than 2 hours, it’s best to toss it since it has mayo and eggs. When in doubt, keep it chilled until you’re ready to dig in!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1700-1900
• Protein: 60-70 g
• Fat: 130-145 g
• Carbohydrates: 70-85 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 18 oz peas (I use Birds Eye frozen petite peas)
• 2 eggs (hard-boiled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 7 slices bacon (cooked until crispy and crumbled)
• 1/2 cup onion
• 1 cup cheddar (sharp variety provides a bolder flavor)
• 1/2 cup celery
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 dash cayenne
• 1 pinch smoked paprika

For the dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s for a creamier texture)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (use Daisy for a thick and smooth consistency)

Step 1: Prepare the Protein and Vegetable Components

• 2 eggs
• 7 slices bacon
• 18 oz frozen peas

Start by hard-boiling the eggs if you haven’t already—place them in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes before cooling and dicing into 1/2-inch pieces.

While the eggs cook, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy, about 8-10 minutes, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and crumble once cooled.

Finally, thaw the frozen peas by running them under cold water in a colander for 2-3 minutes, then drain thoroughly—this prevents excess water from making the salad soggy.

Step 2: Prepare the Vegetables and Create the Seasoning Blend

• 1/2 cup onion
• 1/2 cup celery
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 dash cayenne
• 1 pinch smoked paprika

Dice the onion into small, uniform pieces (about 1/4-inch) and chop the celery into similar-sized pieces—consistent sizing ensures even distribution throughout the salad.

In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne, and smoked paprika.

I like to combine my dry seasonings separately first so they distribute evenly rather than clumping when mixed into the wet ingredients.

Step 3: Combine the Base Ingredients with Seasonings

• drained peas from Step 1
• diced eggs from Step 1
• crumbled bacon from Step 1
• diced onion and celery from Step 2
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
• seasoning blend from Step 2

In a large bowl, combine the drained peas from Step 1, diced eggs, crumbled bacon, diced onion and celery from Step 2, and the sharp cheddar cheese.

Add the seasoning blend from Step 2 and toss gently to coat everything evenly.

This step ensures the seasonings are distributed throughout before adding the creamy dressing, which can sometimes mask flavors if added first.

Step 4: Create and Incorporate the Creamy Dressing

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and sour cream until smooth and fully combined.

Pour the dressing over the pea mixture and fold gently with a rubber spatula until everything is evenly coated and well combined.

I use sour cream and mayo in equal parts because it gives you the richness of mayo with the slight tang and body that sour cream provides—it’s more interesting than mayo alone.

Step 5: Chill and Serve

Transfer the salad to a serving bowl or storage container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

This resting time allows the flavors to meld together and the salad to reach an ideal cold temperature.

The salad can be made up to 24 hours ahead, making it perfect for potlucks and gatherings.

Creamy Southern Pea Salad

Delicious Creamy Southern Pea Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 17 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 1800

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the salad::

• 18 oz peas (I use Birds Eye frozen petite peas)
• 2 eggs (hard-boiled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 7 slices bacon (cooked until crispy and crumbled)
• 1/2 cup onion
• 1 cup cheddar (sharp variety provides a bolder flavor)
• 1/2 cup celery
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 dash cayenne
• 1 pinch smoked paprika

For the dressing::

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's for a creamier texture)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (use Daisy for a thick and smooth consistency)

Method

 

1. Start by hard-boiling the eggs if you haven't already—place them in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes before cooling and dicing into 1/2-inch pieces. While the eggs cook, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy, about 8-10 minutes, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and crumble once cooled. Finally, thaw the frozen peas by running them under cold water in a colander for 2-3 minutes, then drain thoroughly—this prevents excess water from making the salad soggy.
2. Dice the onion into small, uniform pieces (about 1/4-inch) and chop the celery into similar-sized pieces—consistent sizing ensures even distribution throughout the salad. In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne, and smoked paprika. I like to combine my dry seasonings separately first so they distribute evenly rather than clumping when mixed into the wet ingredients.
3. In a large bowl, combine the drained peas from Step 1, diced eggs, crumbled bacon, diced onion and celery from Step 2, and the sharp cheddar cheese. Add the seasoning blend from Step 2 and toss gently to coat everything evenly. This step ensures the seasonings are distributed throughout before adding the creamy dressing, which can sometimes mask flavors if added first.
4. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and sour cream until smooth and fully combined. Pour the dressing over the pea mixture and fold gently with a rubber spatula until everything is evenly coated and well combined. I use sour cream and mayo in equal parts because it gives you the richness of mayo with the slight tang and body that sour cream provides—it's more interesting than mayo alone.
5. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl or storage container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. This resting time allows the flavors to meld together and the salad to reach an ideal cold temperature. The salad can be made up to 24 hours ahead, making it perfect for potlucks and gatherings.