This Easy Pea Salad recipe only calls for 5 ingredients and is ready in about 15 minutes! Made with frozen peas, mayo, ranch dressing, red onion, and diced ham, it’s the perfect side for nearly any occasion.
As a kid, I wasn’t a big fan of green peas. In fact, I pretty much hated them. I had a great aunt that would sometimes keep me, and I remember her trying to force feed me peas. And, it seems like we had peas every single time I was there.
Fortunately, as I’ve gotten older, my disdain for the veggie has shifted from hatred to quite a bit of fondness. Apparently, the 10,000 taste buds we have are replaced every few weeks and as we age the number of taste buds on our tongues decreases. So things that we disliked as kids, taste different as adults.
Now, I’m still not a big fan of canned peas, but I’ll eat them. The ones I love the most are fresh or frozen peas that are just barely cooked or even raw. I think that’s why I love pea salad so much.
What is pea salad?
Pea Salad is a perfect side dish found at potlucks or holiday gatherings. It is generally a short list of ingredients that you toss together, store in the fridge, and serve chilled. While I’m sure it can be found on dinner tables all around the world, I, for some reason, think of this as a Southern side dish. It’s probably because in the South we are notorious for calling something a “salad” that does not actually feature a leafy green at all. I guess it just makes us feel a little better to say it that way. Either way, I’ll take it! Pea salad is one of my favorite side dishes!
In this particular recipe for easy pea salad, frozen peas are combined with a creamy mayo-based dressing and finely diced smoked ham and red onion. This simple combination is my absolute favorite! However, I have seen many other variations feature different ingredients, like chopped celery, diced bell peppers, crumbles of bacon, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and sour cream. Let me know in the comments section if you try this pea salad with one of these other ingredients! I’d love to hear how it turns out!
How to Store Pea Salad
Pea Salad is best stored in the fridge in an airtight container. You can also store leftovers in the fridge for up to three days.
However, this is not the kind of dish you can freeze.
Ingredient FAQs
Packet of Ranch Mix – To add some extra flavor, I add a packet of ranch mix to my dressing – a trick I learned from a restaurant a few years back. I find the flavor perfect, but you can always use less of the ranch mix if you like.
Diced Ham – I love to use some of my own baked ham or ham leftovers, but you can make it even easier by using the finely diced ham that comes in a little pack in the cold cuts/sliced meats section of the grocery store.
Peas – While I love using frozen peas to make this classic side dish super easy (and tasty), you can use fresh peas as well. Simply blanch them in some boiling water, rinse in cold water to stop the cooking, and drain them before adding them to the salad. You’ll need about 1 pound of fresh peas, just as with the frozen ones.
Mayo – This will come as no surprise to anyone who has visited even a few of my recipes… I highly recommend Duke’s mayo for really any recipe, but especially this one. It’s just the right mayo flavor to make this side dish shine.
Red Onion – I like the sharp flavor and color of the red onion, but you could opt for a white, yellow, or sweet onion if you prefer. If you’re not a fan of the sharp flavor of red onion, you can soak the diced red onion in cool water before adding the dressing in order to cut a bit of that tang! By soaking for 5 minutes, you will avoid the flavor of your red onion being too overpowering. Then, drain and add it to your dressing.
Recipe Card
Easy Pea Salad
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen peas (or fresh*)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 (0.4 to 1.0 -ounce) packet buttermilk ranch dressing mix
- 1 cup finely diced ham
- 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
Instructions
- Allow peas to thaw and rinse under cold water in colander. Drain well and spread out on a rimmed sheet pan lined with paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and ranch dressing mix. Add the peas, ham, and onion and fold together to coat. Refrigerate until serving.
Notes
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
Sherry Scott
Used dried onion which I moistened and microwaved for 30 seconds, then added 1/4 cup sour cream, and topped with smoked paprika.
Diane
I’m trying this tonight but I’m going to add raisins along with the other ingredients.
Hope you’ll enjoy it!
Glenna Henderson
I make mine exactly the same. I am suprised you aren’t adding cubed cheddar., and boiled eggs, I’m sure yours is great–but I bet mine is better. LOL
Ha! I have another recipe that calls for the cheese. 🙂
Rhonda Headley
Excellent for church pot luck
Lisa-Jo
I’ve never added the ranch seasoning to pea salad, but I might have to try it. I do love ranch dressing. I typically add 1/4″ cubes of diced colby-jack cheese, and chopped boiled eggs. I’ve never added any kind of meat to mine, either, but ham or bacon either one sounds good.
My mom used peas, cheddar, green onions and mayo. She called “green & gold salad”.
The ranch gives it some great flavor! Enjoy!
Teresa Steffes
This pea salad was really good! Even my non pea eaters liked it.
Thank you. I’m looking forward to trying some of your other recipes.
So glad y’all enjoyed it!
Steve Smith
What to have for tonight’s dinner was still up in the air until this recipe showed up in my inbox just an hour ago. I love pea salad and I had everything in my fridge and freezer, so it’s now in my fridge waiting for me. Thanks for posting this.
Hope you’ll enjoy it!
Rhonda Headley
Excellent for church pot luck
Yep! Absolutely perfect! Thanks, Rhonda!
Sha
Oh no! Bacon, cheddar cheese, red onion and mayo with a bit of sugar is what I know and love!
Richard Young
I tried this last night. I didn’t have any ham, but the recipe was still delicious. Initially I did not add the whole packet of ranch dressing mix, but after shilling in the refrig overnight, It need a little punch, so I added the rest of the ranch mix. Next time I am going use the pea salad as a base and add finely diced parmesan or provolone, finely diced celery, and more of what strikes my imagination. This recipe is a definite keeper.
Thanks, Richard! Glad you liked it!
susan vacca
just the best to get out of a rut with other salads
Thanks, Susan!
Susan
I’m making it for sun. Dinner, anyway just looking for different ideas, thanks
Mary
Easy to prepare! Piquant flavor makes it perfect for summer suppers!
Thanks, Mary!
Wendi
Please tell me I can make this for Thanksgiving not just summer. This is totally what my mom use to make.
Absolutely! You do you! 🙂
Sherry Scott
Add 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese cubed at 1/2 inch.
Sherry Scott
Oops! I meant, 1/2 cup 1/4 inch cubed sharp cheddar!
This sounds like a great addition too!
Shey
I think we grew up in the same neighborhood by the looks of the recipes! I love this, but my mom always added chopped boiled eggs.
Shey
Forgot the rating!!
I LOVE this recipe with eggs as well!
Mary Catherine
I just made this pea salad for the second time. It came together even faster this time since I put the peas out to thaw and drain while I went for a hike. It makes enough to serve for at least two meals for the four of us and gets better and better with time. Thanks for another favorite recipe, Stacey!
So glad to hear you’ve enjoyed this one!
Ann
Made this for a church luncheon. Everyone enjoyed it. Came home with a clean dish.
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it!
joyce wilbanks
This salad is one of my favorite salads, but I never thought about using the ranch dressing package with the mayo . I will be using your recipe from now on, however not boing to crazy about ham I cut up small chunk’s of cheddar cheese. Thanks for posting this recipe. I will be making this right away.
That’s a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Rita
This recipe is really making my mouth water. Thanks, making out my grocery list!
Hope you enjoy it!
Virginia
Readers…..you must try this recipe. It is a delightful salad!
Thank you!
Sondra Hallinan
This Easy Pea Salad sounds wonderful. I like quick & easy!! Have a blessed day.😊
Quick and easy is my favorite too!
Billie
I’m really looking forward to making this, so simple and I love a good pea salad!
So easy!