Pea Salad Recipe
A classic layered pea salad recipe made with crisp lettuce, sweet peas, cheddar cheese, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, and a creamy mayonnaise dressing. Perfect for potlucks, holidays, family gatherings, or an easy side dish.
Love a good salad recipe? I have a few more you’ll want to try! My White Potato Salad is creamy, classic, and perfect for summer gatherings. If you’re looking for something a little different, try my Simple Tuna Salad or give my BLT Pasta Salad a try for another easy, flavorful summer favorite.
If you had told me the first time I made this pea salad that my whole family would actually love it, I probably wouldn’t have believed you!
I’m honestly not a huge fan of peas. But my mother-in-law made a different kind of pea salad the last time she came to visit, and she happened to leave a few extra cans of peas behind. Rather than let that can sit in my pantry forever, I decided to see what I could come up with.
And that’s how this recipe was born!
I threw together some of the ingredients I already had in the kitchen, crisp lettuce, cheddar cheese, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, onion, and a creamy mayonnaise dressing. I wasn’t expecting much the first time I made it.
But my family loved it.
Now it’s one of those easy cold salads I can make when I want something simple, especially during the summer when the last thing I want to do is turn on the oven.
Why You’ll Love This Pea Salad
There are plenty of reasons this pea salad has become a family favorite around here.
First, it’s incredibly easy to make. There’s no cooking involved beyond boiling the eggs and cooking the bacon if you aren’t using leftover bacon.
It’s also a great make-ahead side dish. Pop it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it, and you have a cold, creamy salad that’s perfect for summer meals, cookouts, potlucks, and family gatherings.
And perhaps my favorite thing about this recipe?
It doesn’t have to be layered!
You can make a beautiful layered pea salad in a trifle bowl when you’re serving guests, or you can do what I usually do and simply toss everything together in a big bowl and serve it to my family.
Both ways are delicious.
A Simple Pea Salad That’s Easy to Make
This is one of those recipes where you don’t need a long list of fancy ingredients.
You’ll need:
- Shredded lettuce
- Peas
- Onion
- Cheddar cheese
- Bacon
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Cherry tomatoes
- Croutons
- Mayonnaise
- Sugar
- Salt
The creamy dressing is especially simple. Just mix the mayonnaise, sugar, and salt together in a small bowl.
That’s it!
If you’re looking for a simple pea salad recipe with mayonnaise, this is definitely one to keep handy.
The Ingredients for Pea Salad
Lettuce
I usually use a head of lettuce that I’ve shredded myself, but a bag of shredded lettuce works perfectly fine too. Using bagged lettuce makes this recipe even quicker for busy days.
Peas
You can use either canned peas or frozen peas.
If you’re using canned peas, drain them well before adding them to the salad. If you’re using frozen peas, thaw them first.
And yes, I realize I’m saying this as someone who doesn’t particularly love peas, but somehow all of these other ingredients make peas taste pretty darn good!
Cheddar Cheese
I like shredded cheddar cheese because it adds a nice creamy, cheesy flavor throughout the salad.
Bacon
Bacon adds a salty, smoky bite that goes really well with the sweet peas and creamy dressing.
Hard-Boiled Eggs
The eggs add richness and make the salad more filling.
If you were searching for a peas salad recipe with egg, you’ve found a good one!
Cherry Tomatoes
The tomatoes add a little freshness and color. I like cutting them in half before adding them to the salad.
Onion
A little diced onion adds just enough bite without overpowering the other ingredients.
Croutons
I like adding croutons at the end for a little crunch. If you’re making the salad ahead of time, you may want to wait until just before serving to add them so they stay crisp.
How to Make Pea Salad
The great thing about this recipe is that there are two ways to make it.
You can make it as a layered salad for a pretty presentation, or you can simply mix everything together.
Option 1: Mix Everything Together
This is actually how I make this recipe most of the time.
And it’s probably the easiest way to make it.
Start by mixing the mayonnaise, sugar, and salt together in a small bowl.
Then add your shredded lettuce, peas, diced onion, shredded cheddar cheese, bacon, diced hard-boiled eggs, and halved cherry tomatoes to a large bowl.
Pour the dressing over the top and gently toss everything together until the ingredients are coated.
Add the croutons and give it another gentle stir.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.
That’s it!
This is also the version shown in my ingredient photos. I mixed all of the ingredients together rather than building the salad in layers because that’s how I normally make it for my family.
There’s nothing fancy about it, and that’s exactly what I love about this recipe.
Option 2: Make a Layered Pea Salad
If you’re taking this salad to a cookout, holiday meal, potluck, or family gathering, making it into a layered pea salad is a fun way to serve it.
A clear trifle bowl works especially well because you can see all of those colorful layers.
And don’t worry about making the layers perfect. You really can’t mess this up!
Start With the Peas
Begin by putting a layer of peas in the bottom of your trifle bowl.
Add the Cheese
Next, add a layer of shredded cheddar cheese.
Add the Mayonnaise Dressing
Spoon some of the mayonnaise dressing over the cheese.
You don’t need to make this layer perfectly even. Just spread it around as best you can.
Add the Onion and Egg
Sprinkle diced onion over the dressing, followed by diced hard-boiled egg.
Tip: You can also leave the hard-boiled eggs whole, slice them in half, and place them yolk-side against the glass for a pretty layered look; just keep in mind that you’ll need a few extra eggs to do this.
Add Another Layer of Peas
Add another layer of peas.
Add the Lettuce
Next comes a layer of shredded lettuce.
Add the Tomatoes and Bacon
Add your halved cherry tomatoes, followed by the diced cooked bacon.
Keep Building
Add another layer of cheddar cheese, followed by more peas and another layer of shredded lettuce.
At this point, your bowl should be looking pretty colorful!
Finish the Top
For the final layer, add some mayonnaise dressing and diced hard-boiled eggs.
Then sprinkle croutons over the top.
I also like to add a little bit of the remaining ingredients over the top so you can see what is hiding inside all those layers.
And that’s it!
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad until you’re ready to serve.
Do I Have to Make Pea Salad in Layers?
Absolutely not!
This is one of the things I really want to point out about this recipe.
While a layered version makes a beautiful presentation, you don’t need a trifle bowl or any special serving dish to make it.
Most of the time, I just mix everything together in a large bowl and serve it to my family.
Honestly, that’s probably the best way to make it if you’re just looking for an easy side dish for dinner.
The layered version is more about presentation.
The mixed version is about getting dinner on the table without making a fuss.
And both versions taste the same!
Making Pea Salad for a Crowd
The recipe as written makes a manageable batch for a family meal, but it can easily be increased if you’re feeding a crowd.
When I made the layered version in my 96-ounce glass trifle bowl, I doubled or even tripled the ingredients depending on how full I wanted the bowl.
You don’t have to follow an exact number of layers, either.
Just keep adding ingredients until your serving bowl is full.
This is one of those wonderfully forgiving recipes where you can add a little more cheese, bacon, lettuce, or peas depending on what you have.
Can I Use Frozen Peas?
Yes!
You can use either canned peas or frozen peas in this recipe.
If you’re using frozen peas, thaw them completely before adding them to the salad.
If you’re using canned peas, make sure they’re well drained so you don’t end up with excess liquid in your salad.
A Perfect Summer Side Dish
I especially love making this pea salad in the summer.
When it’s hot outside, I don’t always want to cook a complicated meal, or heat up the kitchen.
A cold salad straight from the refrigerator is just the thing.
This one works well aalongside grilled burgers, sandwiches, chicken, barbecue, or just about anything else you might be serving at a summer cookout.
It’s also easy to make ahead, which means you can have it chilling in the refrigerator while you’re getting everything else ready.
Can I Make Pea Salad Ahead of Time?
Yes. In fact, I recommend making it ahead of time.
Cover the salad and refrigerate it for at least an hour before serving. This gives it plenty of time to get cold and allows the flavors to come together.
If you’re making the mixed version, you may want to add the croutons shortly before serving so they retain some of their crunch.
My Favorite Way to Make This Recipe
As pretty as the layered version is, my favorite way to make this recipe is still the simplest.
I mix everything together.
There’s something wonderfully homey about putting a big bowl of pea salad on the dinner table and letting everyone serve themselves.
No perfect layers.
No fancy presentation.
Just a big bowl full of lettuce, peas, cheese, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, and creamy dressing.
And considering I wasn’t even sure my family would like this recipe the first time I made it, I’d say it turned out pretty well!
Sometimes the best recipes really do come from trying to use up that one random can of something sitting in the pantry.
More Easy Summer Side Dishes
If you’re looking for more simple recipes to serve when the weather is warm, you might also enjoy these easy side dishes:
Frequently Asked Questions
This pea salad is made with peas, shredded lettuce, cheddar cheese, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, onion, cherry tomatoes, and croutons, all tossed with a simple mayonnaise dressing made with sugar and salt.
I recommend refrigerating the salad for at least 1 hour before serving. This gives the salad time to become thoroughly chilled and lets the flavors come together.
If you’re looking for a simple pea salad recipe that’s creamy, crunchy, colorful, and easy enough for a weeknight dinner, give this one a try.
And if you don’t think you’re a pea person?
Well…neither did I.
Maybe this will change your mind too!
Try These Next!
Pea Salad
Ingredients
Method
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sugar, and salt until well combined.
- Layer the salad. In a large trifle bowl or deep serving bowl, begin layering the ingredients. For the layered version, start with peas, followed by cheddar cheese, mayonnaise dressing, diced onion, hard-boiled egg, another layer of peas, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, bacon, cheese, peas, and lettuce.
- Add the toppings. Finish the salad with mayonnaise dressing, diced eggs, croutons, and a little of the remaining ingredients sprinkled over the top.
- Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving so the salad is cold and the flavors have a chance to come together.
- Serve. Serve chilled, scooping down through the layers so each serving gets a little of everything.
Notes
- For a 96-ounce trifle bowl: This recipe can be doubled or tripled depending on how full you want your bowl. You can also adjust the layers to fit your serving dish.
- For an everyday version: Skip the layers and simply mix all of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir the mayonnaise, sugar, and salt together first, then toss everything together and chill before serving.
- Peas: Canned peas work well, but thawed frozen peas can also be used.
- Lettuce: Bagged shredded lettuce makes this recipe especially quick and easy.
- Make it your own: The layers don’t have to be in a specific order. Add more or less of any ingredient to suit your taste.
