When you need a side that’s quick to prep and easy to make ahead, this Bacon and Pea Pasta Salad is perfect. It’s creamy, a little crunchy and packed with simple and familiar flavors. Made with cubed cheddar, crispy bacon, sweet peas, tender pasta and tossed in a mayo based dressing.
It’s the perfect side dish for summer BBQs, team dinner or stashing in the fridge for a quick bite after practice. I like making it the night before so it’s chilled, the flavors have melded together nicely and ready when we are.
The prep for this great recipe is simple, the ingredients are easy to keep on hand and it always gets eaten. That’s a win in my book.
If you are looking for more side dish recipes, try one of these: Cheesy Smashed Potatoes with Sour Cream Dipping Sauce, Mini Bell Pepper Chorizo Nachos or Savory Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Cheese.
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Ingredients
Here are notes about some of the simple ingredients needed to make this creamy pasta salad. All of the ingredients can be found at your local grocery store or an online retailer, like Amazon.
- Frozen peas: You will use thawed, not cooked peas. No need to heat them. You can just let them thaw in the fridge or run under cold water for a few minutes. This keeps their texture and color fresh.
- Pasta: Any small pasta shape will do, but I prefer to use La Molisana Pasta Anellini Siciliani. We love how the peas just kind of sit right inside this shape of pasta. You could use whole wheat, gluten-free or even a fun shape like bowties or mini shells.
- Cheddar cheese: I prefer the flavor of extra-sharp cheddar cheese in this. You could try cubed pepper jack for a little kick, or go with mozzarella or Swiss for a milder twist.
- Eggs: You will need two hard boiled eggs.
- Celery
- Bacon
- Onion: I prefer grated or shredded onion in this. You get the perfect onion flavor without big, overpowering pieces. Finely minced shallots, green onions, or a pinch of onion powder can stand in if needed.
- Pimentos: Use a 2-ounce jar of drained pimentos.
- Mayonnaise
- Salt & black pepper
- Tabasco: This could easily be an optional ingredient if you don’t want just a touch of heat.
Recipe Variations
- Try adding diced ham or shredded rotisserie chicken to make this more of a full meal.
This pasta salad recipe has not been tested with these variations. If you give any of these a try, please let me know how it worked out in the comments below!
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1:
In a medium bowl, combine the peas, cheese, cooked pasta, eggs, celery, cooked bacon, onion, and pimentos. Stir to mix.
Step 2:
In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, salt, Tabasco, and pepper until smooth.
Step 3:
Pour the dressing over the pea mixture and stir well to coat.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours before serving.
Step 4:
Top with extra bacon, if desired.
Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips
Here are some tips and tricks for making this bacon pasta salad:
- Hard boiled eggs. To hard boil eggs, place your eggs in a saucepan, cover with water and then heat over medium-high heat until boiling. Once boiling, cover the saucepan, turn off the heat and set a timer for 12 minutes. When the 12 minutes is up, drain the water off the eggs and place them in a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes before peeling and chopping.
- Cool the pasta completely. Rinsing it under cold water stops the cooking and helps it mix better with the creamy dressing.
- Make it ahead. This salad gets better after a few hours in the fridge. Prepping it the night before gives the flavors time to blend.
FAQ
Yes, fresh peas work just fine. Just give them a quick blanch in boiling water, then rinse with cold water to stop the cooking before adding them to the salad.
You can definitely leave the eggs out if you prefer. The salad will still have great texture and flavor without them.
It has a mild kick from the Tabasco, but it’s not overly spicy. If you’re sensitive to heat, you can reduce or leave out the hot sauce completely.
Storage
Refrigerator
Store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days, giving it a quick stir before serving.
More Recipes To Try
Looking for other recipes to make? Try these:
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Recipe
Bacon and Pea Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen peas thawed
- 1 cup cubed extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup cooked pasta, rinsed and cooled
- 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 pieces bacon, cooked and chopped
- 2 tablespoons shredded onion
- 1 2-ounce jar chopped pimentos, drained
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon tabasco
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
Instructions
- Combine the peas, cheese, pasta, eggs, celery, bacon, onion, and pimentos in a medium sized bowl. Stir to combine.2 cups frozen peas, 1 cup cubed extra-sharp cheddar cheese, ½ cup cooked pasta, rinsed and cooled, 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped, 2 celery stalks, chopped, 2 pieces bacon, cooked and chopped, 2 tablespoons shredded onion, 1 2-ounce jar chopped pimentos, drained
- In a separate small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, salt, tabasco and pepper. Stir with a whisk until fully combined.½ cup mayonnaise, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon tabasco, ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
- Add the mayonnaise mixture to the pea mixture. Stir well. Refrigerate for several hours before serving. Top with extra bacon before serving, if desired.
Nutrition Information
Please note that these nutrition facts are approximations and may not be entirely precise.
Ashlyn Meredith says
This is a good one to make ahead for potlucks or when you want dinner ready ahead of time.