This hearty Spinach Pea Salad is equal parts fresh and satisfying. With sweet green peas, smoky bacon, summer sausage, and a creamy dill ranch dressing, it’s bold in flavor and perfect as a light meal or standout side at spring and summer cookouts, picnics, or potlucks.
Love green peas? You might also enjoy my creamy Pea Salad with Bacon and Cheddar.
Before You Start Cooking
- Plan Ahead: The homemade dill ranch dressing needs at least an hour to chill for the flavors to develop. You’ll also need to cook and crumble bacon before assembling the salad.
- Prep-Ahead Friendly: You can prep most of the components of this salad in advance, but wait to toss the salad with dressing until just before serving to keep the spinach crisp.
- Peas: This recipe uses frozen peas for convenience, but you can also use fresh shelled peas.
How to Make This Meaty Spinach Pea Salad
Step 1: Make the Dill Ranch Dressing
I like to mix the creamy dressing for this salad in a mason jar: just add all of the ingredients, secure the lid tightly, and shake until smooth. It’s quick, mess-free, and you can store any leftovers right in the same jar.
If you don’t have a jar handy, a bowl and whisk also work well. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Mayonnaise and Sour Cream: Use a good-quality mayo like Duke’s or Hellmann’s. Full-fat mayo and sour cream make the creamiest dressing, but you can also substitute reduced-fat to lighten it up.
- Buttermilk: Thins the dressing to a pourable consistency and adds tang. Use whole or low-fat depending on how rich you like your dressing.
- Herbs: Chopped fresh dill and parsley. Fresh is best here, but in a pinch, you can substitute dried herbs at 1/3 the quantity of fresh.
- Seasonings: I like to use garlic powder and onion powder to add depth to the dressing without the harsh bite of fresh. You’ll also season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste.
- Lemon Juice: Adds a pop of acidity and freshness. Start with a little and adjust after chilling depending on how tangy your buttermilk is.
- Liquid Smoke (optional): A small dash adds a hint of smokiness that complements the summer sausage in the salad. I like Wright’s Hickory.
Once everything is combined, refrigerate the dressing for at least an hour to give the flavors time to develop. After chilling, give it a taste and adjust with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice, if needed.
If your dressing is too thick to pour (some buttermilk can be quite rich), stir in a little extra buttermilk or a few drops of water to reach the right consistency.
Step 2: Cook the Bacon
The chilling time for the dressing is a great time to cook the bacon. I like baking it in the oven—it’s hands-off, consistent, and frees me up to prep the rest of the salad instead of standing over the stove frying up the package in batches.
To bake bacon, line a rimmed half sheet pan with foil for easy cleanup, and lay a package of regular-cut bacon strips in a single layer. A little overlap at the edges is fine since you’ll be crumbling the bacon, but try to keep the slices mostly flat so they cook evenly.
Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 12 to 20 minutes, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp and golden. Cooking time can vary depending on your oven and the thickness of the bacon, so start checking around the 12-minute mark and go from there.
Once it’s done, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Let it cool until it’s easy to handle, then chop or crumble it into bite-sized pieces.
Want more tips? Check out my full guide How to Cook Bacon in the Oven for step-by-step instructions and tips for different cuts.
Step 3: Prep Your Salad Ingredients
While the bacon cooks and the dressing chills, take a few minutes to prep the rest of your ingredients so everything’s ready to go when it’s time to assemble.
- Wash. Rinse the baby spinach thoroughly and dry it well. Excess moisture will water down the dressing and make the salad soggy. A salad spinner works best, but you can also pat the leaves dry with paper towels.
- Cube. Most summer sausage comes in a casing—go ahead and peel that off before cutting. Dice the sausage into bite-sized cubes, about 1/2- to 3/4-inch wide.
- Slice. Thinly slice your scallions using both the white and green parts for color and flavor. I like to cut them on a bias (diagonally, at a 45-degree angle) for a pretty presentation.
- Cook. Cook frozen peas in unsalted boiling water for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes, just until they’re heated through. If using fresh shelled peas, cook them in lightly salted boiling water for 2 to 5 minutes, until they’re crisp-tender. For both fresh and frozen, immediately transfer the cooked peas to a bowl of ice water to lock in their vibrant green color and crisp-tender texture.
Frozen Vegetables and Food Safety
You’ve probably noticed my recipes call for cooking frozen vegetables, even in cold dishes like salads. Why not just defrost and toss them in? Here’s why.
Freezing preserves food, but it doesn’t kill most bacteria — it only stops them from growing while frozen.
Check the label before eating frozen vegetables without cooking.
As the University of Maine Cooperative Extension explains, only frozen foods marked “ready to eat” are safe to eat straight from the package — and in my experience, most frozen vegetables at the grocery store are not labeled that way.
Although the risk is relatively low, recalls of frozen vegetables have happened. I always heat mine through and cool them before adding them to recipes that won’t be cooked further, like salads.
Step 4: Assemble the Spinach Pea Salad and Serve
When you’re ready to serve, grab a large salad or mixing bowl and combine the prepped baby spinach, drained sweet peas, and sliced scallions. Toss in the crumbled bacon and cubed summer sausage.
Drizzle in the ranch dressing—start with a smaller amount and add more as needed to coat the salad to taste. Give everything a gentle toss to combine.
Important: Wait to dress the salad until just before serving. Once the dressing hits the spinach, the leaves will begin to soften and wilt.
Top the salad with a generous sprinkle of shaved or shredded Parmesan—Parmigiano Reggiano, if possible, for the best flavor—and a few grinds of freshly cracked black pepper. We like to serve it with slices of crusty bread on the side to soak up any extra dill ranch dressing left in the bowl.
Alternate Presentation Idea
For entertaining, try layering the salad ingredients in a tall glass dish, such as a trifle bowl, instead of tossing them together. The layers showcase the colors and textures of the salad beautifully—great for a buffet or potluck spread.
Prep Ahead Tips
While this salad comes together quickly, you can also prep parts ahead to make it even easier for busy days or entertaining.
- Ranch Dressing: Make the dressing up to 5 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Give it a good stir or shake before using.
- Bacon: Cook and crumble the bacon ahead of time—it keeps well for up to 5 days in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container, and let it come to room temperature before adding it to the salad. For a quick refresh, pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to take the chill off.
- Summer Sausage: You can cube the sausage ahead of time, too. Store it in a sealed container so it doesn’t dry out. Most opened summer sausage will keep for up to a couple of weeks in the fridge—check the packaging for brand-specific recommendations.
More Spring and Summer Salads
Craving more? Check out my full collection of Salad Recipes.
Spinach Pea Salad with Bacon and Sausage
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 12 ounces frozen or fresh shelled peas
- 10 ounces fresh baby spinach , washed and dried well
- 3 medium scallions , thinly sliced on a bias
- 12 ounce package bacon (I use hickory or applewood smoked)
- 1 cup summer sausage , peeled and cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes
- 1 cup shaved or coarsely shredded parmesan cheese (preferably Parmigiano Reggiano)
For the Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise (such as Duke’s or Hellmann’s)
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup buttermilk (preferably whole)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke (I use Wright’s Hickory), optional
- 1 to 3 teaspoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice , plus additional to taste
- kosher or fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Instructions
Make the Dressing
- In a large jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all dressing ingredients, starting with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Shake well until smooth and fully combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning and lemon juice, if needed.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.
Cook the Peas
- From Frozen: Add the frozen peas to a large pot of boiling unsalted water for 1 to 1½ minutes, until they're heated through. Fresh Shelled Peas: Cook in a large pot of lightly-salted boiling water for 2 to 5 minutes, until crisp-tender (see Note 1). Cooking times can vary — keep an eye on the peas so they don't overcook and become mushy.
- Immediately transfer the peas (whether starting with fresh or frozen) to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Let them cool for 2 to 3 minutes before draining well.
Cook the Bacon
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer without overlapping.
- Bake for 12–20 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and the fat has rendered. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Let cool, then chop or crumble into bite-sized pieces.
Assemble the Salad
- In a large bowl, combine the spinach, peas, scallions, crumbled bacon, and cubed summer sausage. Just before serving, drizzle as much or as little ranch dressing as you like, and toss gently to coat. Top with shredded or shaved Parmesan and a few grinds of black pepper.
- Serve immediately with crusty bread, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Please note that our recipes have been developed using the US Customary measurement system and have not been tested for high altitude/elevation cooking and baking.
