The perfect side dish, this Creamy Green Pea Salad is an easy recipe the whole family will enjoy. Loaded with chunks of ham and cheese, then tossed in a creamy dressing, you can’t go wrong.
There is something special to me about a creamy pea salad. It is hearty and can be a light meal on its own, during this time of year we make this Green Pea Salad very often.
An easy recipe that I get asked for again and again. It’s no wonder why, this salad is loaded with goodies and packs a ton of flavor.
Perfect for your next potluck, summer barbecues or even baby showers, everyone devours this classic pea salad. Even Lily loves this, she may eat mostly the ham, but this Mama is happy either way!
This recipe is a lot like an old fashioned pea salad that my Grandma used to make. She added crispy bacon often in place of the ham, and it is fantastic either way (bacon bits work, too!).
During the summer months, you will almost always find a container of this chilling in the fridge, it is that good. I always have some on hand.
I like to have a small bowl as a snack here and there throughout my day.
Nothing beats an easy salad, once you try our Green Pea Salad you will be hooked as well. Seriously, the best pea salad.
Some of our other favorite salad recipes we have on our site include: Easy Five Bean Salad, Cold Green Bean Salad, and Corn and Tomato Salad.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- It makes a lot to feed a crowd with simple ingredients and is also perfect for leftover ham.
- A great make-ahead side dish or appetizer option since it needs to chill in the fridge.
- With hearty ingredients, this makes a great light lunch.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- Mayonnaise
- Sour cream
- Dried ranch seasoning
- Fresh dill
- Granulated sugar
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Frozen peas, thawed
- Cooked ham
- Sharp Cheddar cheese
- Red onion
HOW TO MAKE GREEN PEA SALAD:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, ranch seasoning, dill, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Add the thawed sweet peas, ham, cheese, and red onion, and stir so everything is coated in the creamy dressing.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. Give it a good stir before serving, some of the dressing will pool at the bottom of the bowl.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
CAN YOU FREEZE PEA SALAD?
This recipe has a mayonnaise-based dressing with it. It is known that mayonnaise does not freeze well, it tends to separate.
So, I suggest not freezing this English pea salad.
However, if you have another pea salad that was not made with mayonnaise, then you could freeze that.
WHAT KIND OF PEAS ARE THE BEST TO USE?
This delicious pea salad uses frozen peas. But, you can use fresh peas.
I suggest blanching them and then shocking them in an ice water bath before using them.
I do not suggest using jarred or canned peas.
CAN I ADD ANYTHING?
Absolutely, I mentioned salty bacon above, here are some more ideas:
- Green onions
- Green bell peppers or any color you like
- Radish
ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
Yes, you can sub out some of the ingredients here are my suggestions:
- Mayonnaise can be replaced with light mayo or miracle whip
- In place of sour cream, use plain Greek yogurt
- Other fresh herbs to use are parsley, tarragon, mint, or basil
HOW TO STORE:
Store leftover pea salad in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Best served and eaten cold.
This simple side dish should not sit out for more than 2 hours at room temperature, the best way to store is to keep it in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
Since this is a mayonnaise-based sauce recipe, I do not suggest freezing.
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- This makes a large batch, but you can easily double it to feed more or halve the recipe as needed.
- Tons of custom options, see my tips above on that.
- Great for a make-ahead appetizer or side dish.
- This freezes poorly, see my tips above on how to store.
Need ideas for a delicious side dish for your summer gatherings? Try this Creamy Green Pea Salad with Ham, a hearty side dish for any spread.
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
If you’ve tried this GREEN PEA SALAD, let me know how it turned out in the comments! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
Creamy Green Pea Salad with Ham
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tablespoons dried ranch seasoning
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the salad:
- 3 – 12 ounce packages frozen peas thawed
- 2 cups small-diced cooked ham
- 8 ounces block cheddar cheese small-diced
- 1/4 cup small-diced red onion
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, ranch seasoning, dill, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Add the thawed sweet peas, ham, cheese, and red onion, and stir so everything is coated in the creamy dressing.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. Give it a good stir before serving, some of the dressing will pool at the bottom of the bowl.
Notes
- This makes a large batch, but you can easily double it to feed more or halve the recipe as needed.
- Tons of custom options, see my tips above on that.
- Great for a make-ahead appetizer or side dish.
- This freezes poorly, see my tips above on how to store.
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