Description
This Southern Pea Salad is a creamy and flavorful side dish perfect for gatherings and potlucks. Featuring sweet peas, smoky ham and bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, and a tangy dressing with mayo and sour cream, this salad combines savory and fresh flavors with a hint of spice. Easy to prepare and best served chilled, it’s a delightful complement to any Southern-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 2 (16oz) packages frozen sweet peas, thawed
- 3/4 cup cubed ham
- ½ cup bacon crumbles
- 4-5 green onions, chopped
- 1 ¼ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Dressing Ingredients
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 8 oz sour cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Dash cayenne pepper, optional
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, add the thawed sweet peas, cubed ham, bacon crumbles, chopped green onions, and shredded cheddar cheese. Gently mix these ingredients to evenly distribute them.
- Prepare Dressing: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and optional cayenne pepper until smooth and well combined.
- Coat Salad: Spoon the prepared dressing over the salad mixture in the large bowl. Toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Chill: Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. This allows the flavors to meld and the salad to chill properly for the best taste and texture.
Notes
- Make sure peas are fully thawed to prevent excess water in the salad.
- For a vegetarian version, omit ham and bacon and consider adding smoked paprika for flavor.
- You can prepare the salad a day ahead to enhance the flavors.
- The cayenne pepper is optional and can be adjusted according to your desired spice level.
- If preferred, substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream to reduce fat content.
