½cupshredded cheddar cheesemild, medium, or sharp — your choice
6slicesregular baconcooked and crumbled (or 3–4 slices thick-cut)
½cupred onionfinely diced
1cupmayonnaise
½teaspoonsalt and pepper blendequal parts salt and pepper, or to taste
Instructions
Thaw and drain your peas. Pour your frozen peas into a colander and run warm water over them for a minute or two until they're fully thawed. Let them drain well while you prep the rest of your ingredients — you don't want extra moisture watering down your dressing.
Cook your bacon. You can do this however you like — in a skillet on the stovetop or on a sheet pan in the oven. I love the oven method because it's hands-off and gets them nice and crispy. Once cooled, crumble or tear into bite-sized pieces. If you're using thick-cut bacon, 3 to 4 slices is plenty.
Dice the red onion. You need about half a cup. A small chopper makes this quick and easy (and no tears!). Don't skip the red onion — it adds a nice little bite that balances out the creaminess of the dressing.
Combine everything in a large bowl. Add the drained peas, both cheeses, crumbled bacon, and diced red onion. Spoon in the full cup of mayonnaise and sprinkle in your salt and pepper blend.
Stir it all together until everything is evenly coated. Give it a taste and adjust your seasoning if needed. Keep in mind the bacon and cheese already bring a good bit of saltiness, so you may find you don't need much more.
Serve immediately or chill first. This salad is delicious right away, but it's also great made an hour or two ahead and kept in the fridge. The flavors meld together nicely as it chills.
On the cheese: Feel free to swap in Colby, Monterey Jack, or whatever you have on hand. Any good melting cheese works well here. If you want bigger, more noticeable bites of cheese, cube it instead of shredding — some people love it that way.
On the bacon: Real bacon makes this dish. Bag bacon crumbles work if you're in a pinch, but please skip the fake bacon — it just won't be the same.
On the mayo: Don't be tempted to reduce it too much. That full cup is what gives the salad its creamy, cohesive texture.
Make it your own: This is a very forgiving recipe. You can adjust the cheese, the onion, even add a little shredded carrot or a pinch of garlic powder if you like. The base is simple enough to take in a lot of directions.