Get the peas out to partially thaw. While you wait, cook the bacon and dice the onion and cheese. This should take about 15 minutes, the right amount of thawing time for the peas.
2 bags frozen peas (10 ounce bags), 1 cup cooked bacon, 1 cup cheddar cheese, ½ cup red onion
Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper in a large salad bowl. Whisk until combined.
¼ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup sour cream, 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 Tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Stir the peas, cheese, and onion into the bowl. Mix until the ingredients are completely coated in the dressing.
Cover and chill for about an hour before serving to let the flavors blend.
Top with bacon right before serving.
Notes
Variations
Use ham instead of bacon in the pea salad. Or leave out the meat, so the salad is vegetarian.
Add fresh herbs extra flavor.
Experiment with different types of cheese, such as feta or blue cheese, for a unique twist on the classic recipe.
To make this with fresh garden peas, steam them and cool them before making the salad.
Hard-boiled eggs make an excellent addition to the salad.
Tips
Only thaw the peas halfway. Peas that get too warm will get mushy when you stir them into the salad. If you've had pea salad before and not enjoyed the texture, it was probably because the peas were thawed too long.
Canned peas do not work well for this recipe.
It is easy to double this recipe for a large gathering.