Crispy Spring Pea Salad with Bacon
A fresh and crunchy salad combining sweet spring peas with crispy bacon and fresh herbs, dressed in a bright lemon and olive oil dressing. Perfect for a light side dish or a quick, flavorful meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- Fresh spring peas, shelled (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- Handful fresh mint, finely chopped
- Handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: toasted almonds or pine nuts for crunch
- Optional: crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Save bacon fat if desired for dressing.
- Prepare the peas: shell fresh peas and rinse under cold water. If using frozen peas, blanch in boiling water for 1 minute, then drain and cool immediately in ice water.
- Thinly slice half a small red onion.
- Finely chop fresh mint and parsley.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Add a teaspoon of reserved bacon fat if using.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine peas, bacon bits, red onion, and herbs. Pour dressing over and toss gently to coat evenly.
- Add optional toasted nuts or crumbled feta if desired. Serve immediately for best crispness and flavor.
Notes
Start cooking bacon in a cold pan over medium heat to render fat slowly and achieve perfect crispness. Blanch frozen peas and cool in ice water to keep them bright and crunchy. Add dressing just before serving to maintain pea and onion crispness. Optional bacon fat in dressing adds extra flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1 cup per serv
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 10
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 8
Keywords: spring pea salad, bacon salad, fresh pea salad, crispy bacon, easy salad, quick side dish, healthy salad, gluten-free salad