Filled with crunchy peas, mozzarella cheese, red onion, and crumbled bacon, this Creamy Pea Salad with Bacon will take your salad experience to a whole new level! 

dish of pea salad with bacon

It’s a well-known fact around my house that I always prep my weekly lunches on Sundays. If I’m making a salad, pasta, or something more involved than a sandwich, I carefully plan out what ingredients are required and then happily cook away.

And it’s also no secret that I love salads. For lunch, dinner, or somewhere in between, salads are almost a weekly dish for me. And since the hubster doesn’t eat anything more than a regular green salad, I’m left to create whatever my little hearts desires for my lunches.

Because I eat salads quite often, I like to become creative with my recipes. I rarely eat the same thing twice and love to switch up those salads. With so many different ways to jazz up a boring salad, why stick to just the green leaf kind? While I do like those, I love to experiment with new options for my lunches.

So drumroll please…my latest (and possibly greatest) new creation is this creamy pea salad with bacon! Filled with crunchy peas, mozarella cheese, red onion, and crumbled bacon, this dish will take your salad experience to a whole new level!

Now let’s talk about the dressing for this pea and cheese salad. Not only is it healthy, but it’s also creamy (hence the title), light, and delicious! It serves as a great base for this salad, or any other salad that might involve a similar base. 

overhead shot of pea salad with bacon in white serving dish

Creamy Pea Salad Ingredients 

If you love peas, then you will go crazy over this green pea salad with bacon! Trust me, friends!

One bite and I knew this salad would be on my monthly lunch rotations. The bacon and mozzarella cheese complements the yogurt dressing, while giving the peas a bit of a smokey flavor.

This green pea salad with bacon comes together with just a handful of ingredients: 

  • Frozen peas
  • Red onion
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Crumbled bacon pieces
  • Plain Greek yogurt
  • Mayonnaise 
  • Garlic powder

Can I Substitute the Mayo? 

If desired, you can make this pea salad with bacon using all yogurt. Using all yogurt will result in a less creamy dressing, but it should still taste delicious. 

Should I Defrost the Peas? 

Nope! This frozen pea salad can be stirred together while the peas are still cold. 

How to Make Pea Salad with Bacon

The pea and cheese salad literally comes together in minutes (you don’t even have to defrost the peas!), and is easily adaptable based on your tastes. And because this salad is on the healthy side, you can feel good about eating this for lunch or dinner!

Here’s how I make pea salad with bacon: 

  1. Pour the frozen peas into a strainer and rinse with warm water. Set aside. 
  2. Whisk together the creamy pea salad dressing. 
  3. Mix in the crumbled bacon, onion, and cheese. 
  4. Stir in the peas. 

dish of creamy pea salad

How Long Does Pea Salad Last? 

This pea salad with bacon will last up to 5 days in the fridge. Be sure to store it in an airtight container! 

Can I Use Fresh or Canned Peas? 

Fresh peas would work well in this recipe, but I don’t recommend using canned peas. Canned peas are often salted and are incredibly mushy, which wouldn’t work well with the creamy dressing. 

I prefer making this pea salad with frozen peas because I can dump them straight out of the bag — no need to shell or defrost them first! 

Tips for Making Pea Salad with Bacon

  • Instead of using sour cream in the dressing, I used a combination of plain, nonfat Greek yogurt (practically a staple in all of my baking) and mayonnaise. But if you aren’t a mayo fan, feel free to use just yogurt, or a mixture of that and sour cream.
  • Likewise, you’re welcome to add extra mix-ins to this creamy pea salad. Think: chopped tomatoes, olives, bell peppers, and more. 
  • Lastly, please note that frozen peas are a must for this recipe. Canned peas are typically saltier and don’t have the same firm texture. 

Looking for more easy salad recipes? I’ve got you covered!

Filled with crunchy peas, feta cheese, red onion, and crumbled bacon, this Creamy Pea Salad will take your salad experience to a whole new level!

Creamy Pea Salad

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Filled with crunchy peas, mozzarella cheese, red onion, and crumbled bacon, this Creamy Pea Salad will take your salad experience to a whole new level!
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Ingredients
 

  • 16 oz frozen peas
  • ½ red onion, , diced
  • ½ cup mozzarella cheese, , cubed
  • 3 tablespoons crumbled bacon pieces, (I used the store-bought bacon pieces for ease)
  • 3 tablespoons nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper, , to taste

Instructions
 

  • Pour frozen peas into a strainer and rinse with warm water. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, and garlic powder. Stir to combine.
  • Add in red onion, cheese, and bacon pieces. Mix well. Add frozen peas to dressing, season with salt and pepper. Stir to thoroughly combine.
  • Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

  • Salad will keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.
  • Salad is very versatile depending on your tastes. Feel free to swap out mayonnaise with sour cream or Miracle Whip, add in tomatoes, black olives, etc.
Serving: 1g, Calories: 171.44kcal, Carbohydrates: 2.43g, Protein: 6.84g, Fat: 14.97g, Saturated Fat: 4.37g, Cholesterol: 25.09mg, Sodium: 339.58mg, Potassium: 30.71mg, Fiber: 0.23g, Sugar: 1.46g, Vitamin A: 94.64IU, Vitamin C: 1.02mg, Calcium: 87.02mg, Iron: 0.06mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Author: Gayle
Did you make this recipe?Let me know! Mention @pumpkin_n_spice on Instagram or tag #pumpkin_n_spice.