I love pea salad with a burning passion of a thousand suns.
Strong words, I know.
This pea salad is what I, affectionally, call “rainbow pea salad” behind closed doors. I love tossing in additional vegetables to make different colors pop out.
What makes this Pea Salad Great
Normally pea salad is loaded with mayonnaise, which is not the worst thing in the world but it’s definitely not the “lightest”.
I use a blend an equal blend of sour cream, greek yogurt, and mayo (specifically olive oil mayo). If you don’t have one or the other ingredient on hand, I have tried variations of half and half of each. If you remove all mayo please note that it won’t have the same savory flavor and its best to add a little lemon, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper to make up for the seasonings that mayo usually has.
I don’t put any “added” sugar for this dressing, instead I rely on sweet relish to provide that sweetness. If you substitute dill relish I suggest adding either a teaspoon of sugar, splenda, or honey.
![pinit](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://messyeating.com/simply-the-best-pea-salad//&media=https://messyeating.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Pea-Salad-2-1024x1024.jpg&description=Simply%20The%20Best%20Pea%20Salad,%20bacon%20and%20a%20"lite"%20dressing%20included)
Simply The Best Pea Salad, bacon and a “lite” dressing included
Description
This classic pea salad is every bit as flavorful, while still being “lite”. Greek Yogurt and Sour Cream come together make a “lighter”, but better-tasting dressing. This recipe uses bell peppers and two types of onions to add crunch, while the cheese adds body, creaminess, and soul.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prep your ingredients by dicing the vegetables and cheese to about pea-size, and chopping (the cooked and drained) bacon. See note
- In a small bowl, whisk mayo, sour cream, greek yogurt, vinegar, relish, salt, pepper, and parsley.
- Toss it together.
Notes
- I love to cook my bacon on a cookie sheet, in the oven at about 400, for 20 minutes – mind you, bacon thickness can vary, so cook for about 15 minutes and then check every 3-5 minutes for preferred doneness.
- When it’s done drain the grease into a Tupperware. In a pinch bacon grease can substitute for most oils and fats, but adds great flavor.
- If using dill relish instead of sweet, but the salad seems to be “missing something” you might want to add a teaspoon of sweetener: sugar, Splenda, or honey will work.