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Easy pea, radish and bacon salad with green peas, sliced radishes, crispy bacon and fresh greens in a serving bowl.

Easy Pea, Radish and Bacon Salad with Lemon-Dijon Dressing

This easy pea, radish and bacon salad combines sweet green peas, crisp radishes, smoky bacon and fresh greens with a bright lemon-Dijon dressing. Fresh, colourful and full of crunch, it’s an easy side dish for barbecues, potlucks, holidays and family dinners.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American, North American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 242 kcal

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Small bowl or glass measuring cup for the dressing
  • Whisk
  • Cutting board
  • Sharp knife
  • Skillet for cooking the bacon
  • Tongs or wooden spoon
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Paper towels for draining the bacon and drying the peas

Ingredients
  

For the Pea Salad

  • 4 cups frozen green peas thawed and well drained
  • 6 slices bacon cooked crisp and chopped
  • 6-8 radishes thinly sliced
  • 2 cups baby spinach or baby arugula, roughly chopped
  • 2 green onions thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Lemon-Dijon Dressing

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 garlic clove finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Cook the bacon. Add the bacon to a skillet and cook over medium heat until crisp. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then chop it into small pieces. I like the bacon quite crisp for this salad because it gives a nice contrast to the sweet peas.
  • Prepare the peas. Thaw the frozen peas completely and drain them really well. There’s no need to cook them. If they seem wet, give them a quick pat with paper towel so the pea salad dressing doesn’t become watery.
  • Make the lemon-Dijon dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt and black pepper until well combined.
  • Assemble the pea and radish salad. Add the thawed peas, sliced radishes, spinach or arugula, green onions, parsley and most of the crispy bacon to a large serving bowl.
  • Add the dressing. Pour most of the lemon-Dijon dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is lightly coated. I usually hold back a little dressing at first—you can always add more, but you don’t want the peas swimming in it.
  • Finish and serve. Sprinkle the remaining bacon over the top and add a little freshly ground black pepper. Serve the pea, radish and bacon salad right away, or refrigerate it for about 15–20 minutes before serving.
    • For the best pea, radish and bacon salad, thaw the frozen peas but don’t cook them. Keeping the peas firm and slightly crisp gives this easy pea salad its fresh texture and prevents it from becoming soft or watery once the lemon-Dijon dressing is added.

Notes

  • Use frozen peas for the best texture. Thaw them completely, but do not cook them. This keeps the easy pea salad fresh, sweet and slightly crisp instead of soft.
  • Drain the peas really well. Extra moisture can thin out the lemon-Dijon dressing, so pat the peas dry if needed before adding them to the salad.
  • Slice the radishes thinly. Thin radish slices give this pea and radish salad a crisp, peppery bite without overpowering the other ingredients.
  • Cook the bacon until crisp. Crispy bacon gives the best texture and adds a smoky, salty flavour to this pea salad with bacon.
  • Add the bacon close to serving time. If you are making the salad ahead, keep the bacon separate and stir it in just before serving so it stays crisp.
  • Do not overdress the salad. Start with most of the dressing, toss gently, then add more only if needed. The peas should be lightly coated, not heavy or soggy.
  • Taste before adding extra salt. Bacon already adds plenty of saltiness, so taste the finished green pea salad before seasoning again.
  • Chill briefly for more flavour. Letting the salad sit in the refrigerator for about 15–20 minutes gives the dressing time to blend with the peas and radishes.
  • Best served fresh. This easy pea, radish and bacon salad has the best texture when the peas are firm, the radishes are crisp and the bacon still has some crunch.
  • Great for entertaining. This colourful pea salad side dish works especially well for summer barbecues, potlucks, picnics and family dinners.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingsCalories: 242kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 9gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 365mgPotassium: 369mgFiber: 6gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1838IUVitamin C: 45mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 2mg
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