Creamy Pea Salad Recipe

This creamy pea salad recipe is easy to make (using frozen peas - or even canned or fresh!) and it's full of flavour. It's a delicious side dish for all seasons and sure to be your new favourite salad.

Just when I think I’m getting into my healthy parenting stride, the kids go and surprise me.

Yesterday my son announced that he’s gone off red pepper. Until the day before, it was his favourite vegetable, but suddenly it’s received with a look of disgust. My daughter is now refusing her beloved cucumber.

I’ve also discovered that they don’t want to eat raw carrots anymore, because they take too long to chew. I despair. These kids are more changeable than the weather.

I think it’s all my fault though. Knowing that they were their veggies of choice, I made sure to always have a steady supply in the fridge, ready for snacks, packed lunches, raw veggies and hummus trays at dinner. Sure, I included other fruit and veg, but I always had my trusty standbys. And now they’re bored of them. Oops.

In a bid to keep a wider rotation of vegetables, lately I’ve been exploring hearty salads. 

This creamy pea salad is my recreation of one that I often had growing up. It’s a nice mild way to introduce a variety of herbs, and I’ve lightened the mayo dressing by using half Greek yogurt. It only takes a few minutes to throw it all together, plus the frozen peas will keep it cool in picnics or packed lunches and slowly thaw until it’s time to down pencils and eat.

Creamy Pea Salad

Pea salad is popular dish from the southern United States. Typically it also includes crispy bacon or even ham. My version is obviously vegetarian but you could also easily make it vegan. It's also often called English pea salad.

This salad uses frozen peas (you could also use fresh) which makes it a really handy dish to make, with just a few simple ingredients.

It's a perfect side dish at a barbecue, or for any meal year-round. Think sweet peas, creamy dressing, fresh vibrant herbs, sharp red onion and cubes of flavourful cheese... it's absolutely delicious and so easy to make!

This salad is perfect to take on picnics, as the peas keep it cool and slowly thaw until you’re ready to eat it.

What's in pea salad?

Fresh or frozen peas
Mayonnaise (or dairy free mayo)
Greek yogurt
Apple cider vinegar
Red onion
Cheese cubes (optional)
Fresh herbs (I used dill, parsley and mint)

How to make Pea Salad

This pea salad is so easy to make!

• Mix the mayo, yogurt and vinegar together in a large bowl.
• Add the chopped herbs, frozen peas, cheese and onion and give it a really good mix.
• Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
• Enjoy!

Cook's Tips:

• Chill the salad for at least 2 hours to really let the flavours mingle.
• Give the salad a good stir before serving.
• If necessary stir another tablespoon of yogurt through it to loosen.
• Serve on a it's own or on a bed of spinach with more chopped herbs.
  
• If you don't like frozen peas, try canned or fresh.
• Don't like peas at all? Try it with corn!
• For non-veggies, a traditional way to serve pea salad is with some chopped crispy bacon.
• Make it vegan: swap to dairy free mayo, yogurt and cheese.
• Make it gluten free: it naturally is gluten free.

Other delicious salad recipes

Try some of my other tasty salad recipes! They're all perfect veg-packed accompaniments to any meal (or indeed a meal in themselves!)
Broccoli salad (with potatoes and herbs)
Brazilian Gaucho Potato Salad (with apple, carrot and and delicious dressing)
Mexican Grilled Chipotle Salad in Tortilla Bowls
Sauteed Butter Bean Salad

What to serve with Pea Salad

This delicious salad would be perfect alongside:
Sweet Potato Frittata
Lentil Carrot Hot Dogs (vegan)
Mini Beet Burgers
15 minute Bean Burgers
Pea Spinach Burgers

Why not finish the meal with a bright green, three layer Vanilla Pea Cake with Lemon Icing? Trust me, it's so tasty. You can't taste the peas, but they leave a lovely sweetness and that fabulous green colour.

Get the Pea Salad Recipe

Thanks for checking out my recipe! I love hearing from my readers. You all allow me to do what I love and write this UK food blog, sharing vegetarian and vegan recipes, vegetable cake recipes and also easy vegan desserts.
Kate x

Creamy Herb Pea Salad

Not only is this salad great for dinner or packed lunches, but it’s perfect for picnics as the peas keep it cool and slowly thaw until you’re ready to eat it. You can also make it the night before. Don’t like peas? Just substitute frozen sweetcorn.

5 from 16 votes

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Course: Salad

Cuisine: American, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Chilling time: 2 hours

Total Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 6

209 kcal

Author: Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 4 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
• ½ tbsp fresh mint chopped
• ½ tbsp fresh dill chopped
• salt and pepper
• 400 g frozen peas (don’t thaw) canned or fresh peas work too!
• 125 g cheddar cheese cut into small cubes
• ¼ red onion finely sliced

To garnish

• Additional chopped herbs

Instructions

• Mix the mayonnaise, yogurt and vinegar together in a large bowl. Stir in the chopped herbs and season with the salt and pepper.
• Add the frozen peas, cheese and onion, then gently mix. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
• Stir before serving, if necessary stir another tablespoon of yogurt through it to loosen, then sprinkle with some more herbs.

Recipe Tips

• Chill the salad for at least 2 hours to really let the flavours mingle.
• Give the salad a good stir before serving.
• If necessary stir another tablespoon of yogurt through it to loosen.
• Make it vegan: swap to dairy free mayo, yogurt and cheese.
• Make it gluten free: this pea salad is naturally is gluten free.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 209kcal Carbohydrates: 10g Protein: 9g Fat: 14g Saturated Fat: 5g Cholesterol: 26mg Sodium: 195mg Potassium: 203mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 4g Vitamin A: 770IU Vitamin C: 27.9mg Calcium: 178mg Iron: 1.2mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts!

The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.