Classic Cheddar Bacon Green Pea Salad
This classic cheddar bacon green pea salad is definitely a classic retro favorite! This vibrant and crispy salad is bursting with flavor thanks to the delicious combo of green peas, bacon, and cheddar smothered in a creamy mayonnaise dressing!
This salad is the real side salad deal! It’s packed full of protein and the dressing is just incredible. It’s also super easy to make and looks great once it all comes together, which makes it the perfect dish to take along to BBQs or picnics and potlucks! It works well on its own but will pretty much go with any main as a side also! You have a few options when you’re cooking the bacon for this salad. You can fry it on the stove, which will take about 10-15 minutes (make sure to keep flipping it until it’s nice and crisp on both sides). Or you can cook it in the microwave if you prefer. I rarely cook bacon in the microwave, to be honest, but it’s easy enough to do. Just place the slices in between two paper towels and cook for around a minute per slice. If you’re cooking thinner slices it won’t take as long so keep an eye on them. Remember, you can always cook a little longer if they’re undercooked but you can’t “uncook” them if they’re overcooked!
This pea salad is best eaten on the day it’s made, but you can make it a day ahead if you wish. Just don’t add the bacon until you’re serving because it’ll get soggy if you leave it overnight. This salad is a bit heavy on the mayo, so if you want to cut calories you can always use Greek yogurt instead. Using less cheese will also make it a bit healthier, and that’s pretty easy to do – just go for shredded cheese instead of chunks.
Ingredients:
- 8 cups green peas fresh or frozen that has been defrosted
- 1/2 cup red onion finely diced
- 1 cup cheddar cheese in small cubes
- 1/2 pound bacon cooked and then crumbled into small pieces
Sweet Mayonnaise Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4-1/3 cup white sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons white vinegar
- ground black pepper and salt