You're going to love this English Pea Salad! Tender English peas nestled in a creamy dressing with a hint of crispness and sweetness from sweet pickle relish. Shredded cheddar cheese adds a little twang, and the pimento adds a splash of color (this really is a pretty salad).
My version of English Pea Salad has no egg, no sour cream, and no apple cider vinegar. But you could certainly add a chopped hardboiled egg (no rules here other than keeping it simple and tasty). Sour cream and vinegar are not needed thanks to the sweet pickle relish (oh how we love the addition of relish!).
Why This Recipe Works
If it ain't easy, it ain't on my blog!
Canned peas - I like using canned peas for this recipe because (1) I have yet to find frozen peas that don't have a hard shell -- even after they're thawed and cooked, and (2) because fresh peas require blanching. And you know that I'm all about easy recipes, so I wanted this recipe to be easy, delicious, and mouth-watering (and it is!).
No cooking - this cold pea salad is perfect for those hot summer days when you don't really want to heat up the kitchen. Another cold summer salad you may like is my Shoe Peg Corn Salad. It's easy and delicious, just like this English pea salad!
One bowl - just one bowl or casserole dish is all you need. Mixing everything in the same dish makes for less clean up, right!
What Goes In It
Easy-to-find ingredients are what's up with this English Pea Salad!
Canned English Peas - for this recipe, I prefer Del Monte Fresh Cut Sweet Peas
Sweet Pickle Relish - adds a subtle sweetness and a little twang
Celery, Green Bell Pepper, and Green Onions - add fresh flavor and crispy crunch.
Mayonnaise - adds creamy goodness!
Shredded Cheddar Cheese - use regular or sharp cheese.
Smoked paprika - I bet you haven't had this in your pea salad before! This is what I call Southern Flair - that little bit of extra flavor.
Jar of Pimento - this is fairly tasteless but adds some lively color to the salad.
How to Make It
Start with a little prep and then toss everything into one container! I told you, this English Pea Salad is super easy! Here's how to fix it:
Prep by chopping the celery and bell pepper, and snipping the green onions with your scissors. Drain the English peas and pimento.
Mix all the ingredients in your favorite casserole dish or bowl. For optimal flavor, cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
English pea salad will stay fresh for up to 3 days in the fridge. Keep it covered!
No, I don't recommend freezing it. So go ahead and eat it up or share the leftovers.
Expert Tips
Use a high-quality brand of canned English peas. They'll be very tender on the outside and creamy on the inside with a nice flavor. Get the "no salt added" version if you're watching sodium.
Chop the celery and bell pepper about the same size as the peas. I like to keep them uniform in size with the pea - this texture is really nice and pairs well with the shredded cheese.
Additions and Substitutions
Southern pea salad sometimes contains the following additions -- it just depends on who is making the recipe 🙂
Peeled and chopped hard-boiled eggs
Cooked, crispy bacon
Ham (diced into small pieces)
More Fabulous Side Dishes
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Recipe
Southern English Pea Salad
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- measuring cup(s)
- measuring spoons
- Mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 15 ounces canned sweet peas, drained I use one can Del Monte Fresh Cut Sweet peas
- 4 ounces jar diced pimento, drained
- ¼ cup sweet pickle relish
- ½ cup celery (diced pea size) About 1-½ stalks
- ¼ cup green bell pepper (diced pea size) About ½ bell pepper
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 3 green onions, chopped Use scissors to cut green onions
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper to taste taste test before adding salt because the peas and cheese already contain salt
- fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish) optional
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Taste test and add salt or pepper if desired. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.
- For best results, cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving to allow time for the flavors to meld together.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy to my readers. I'm not a nutritionist and I don't guarantee the accuracy of this data. The data may differ according to the brands I used versus the brands you use. To calculate the data yourself using your brands, try using an online nutrition calculator or app.
Sarah says
This is really good.
Anne Clark says
I'm so glad you liked it, Sarah!