This creamy Southern pea salad bursts with flavors of the South, blending tender fresh or frozen peas with sharp cheddar cheese, smooth mayonnaise, and tangy sour cream. Its’ quick and simple preparation, with a unique combination of ingredients, creates a delightful summer salad that captures the essence of a Southern potluck. Refrigerating overnight brings all the flavors together.
Have you been tasked with bringing a salad to a potluck or cookout and need a fresh idea. Wait until you try this spruced up classic pea salad. It might sound boring, but it’s nothing but. Sharp cheddar cheese cubes, paprika and Worcestershire give it a flavor boost that everyone will be raving about at your next family gathering.
A pea salad is a Southern favorite, (almost as popular as creamy macaroni salad or 7 layer salad) that you can find at any cookout or potluck. It’s inexpensive and easy to make, but it can be a little bland.
Not this pea salad! It’s fresh and light but also so creamy with a very flavorful dressing. Hot paprika and a little bit of hot sauce add an extra spicy kick.
This classic side dish could not be easier to put together and is the perfect side dish for sharing. Everything comes together in one bowl, and if you have a mixing bowl with a lid, you don’t even need to dirty another container. This recipe is so fast you don’t even need to thaw the peas, they’ll thaw as they sit in the refrigerator.
While fresh English peas are a treasure when you can find them at the farmer’s market, most of the time I have to make this with frozen peas. This means you can make an old fashioned pea salad all year round and have a fresh salad in the middle of winter!
Southern Pea Salad Ingredients
- Green Peas – Fresh peas work for this recipe if you can find them, but frozen peas are perfect also. Look for English or Sweet peas in the freezer section. I would not recommend using canned peas as they will be mushy.
- Roasted red peppers – Jarred roasted red peppers can be found in the grocery store near the olives and pickles. Make sure you drain them first.
- Mayonnaise – Mayonnaise is tangy and creamy and is the perfect base for the dressing. I like Hellman’s mayonnaise, but Duke’s is another popular brand around here.
How To Make Pea Salad
Step 1: Prepare the salad ingredients.
Step 2: Mix the dressing.
Step 3: Toss the salad.
Step 4: Chill and serve the salad.
Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving for the best flavor.
Pea salad may not sound exciting at first glance, but this version has enough flavor and texture to earn its spot on the table. The creamy dressing, sharp cheddar, and little hits of spice turn a simple bowl of peas into a side dish people actually talk about. Make it ahead, let it chill, and don’t be surprised if you’re asked to bring it again next time.
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Classic Southern Pea Salad with Cheddar and Creamy Dressing
Ingredients
- 3 cups peas about 1 lb, fresh or frozen
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese cut into small cubes
- 1 onion small, about ½ cup diced
- ½ cup roasted red peppers 4 ounces, drained and diced
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon hot paprika
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
Instructions
- Finely chop the onion and cut the cheese into cubes about the same size as the peas. Chop and drain the roasted peppers.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt, pepper and hot sauce.
- Add the onions and roasted peppers to the sour cream mixture and stir until combined.
- Fold in the cheese and peas until evenly coated.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least an hour.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- You can use fresh or frozen peas.
- Do NOT use canned peas.
- If using frozen peas, you don’t need to thaw them.
- Try to refrigerate for at least an hour, overnight is even better.
Nutrition
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Margaret says
Absolutely delicious!!
Barbara Curry says
I’m so glad you liked it!