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If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing summer side dish that will get rave reviews, look no further than this Bacon Pea Pasta Salad recipe! Light, refreshing, and perfectly creamy – without a drop of mayonnaise – this salad is bursting with sweet green peas, crispy bacon, rich goat cheese, and finished with a silky basil vinaigrette dressing.
“I’m a huge fan of a good pasta salad, but I don’t like those which are loaded with a mayo or any other heavy dressing – it’s just gross. [I] decided to try this and I must admit you’ve created a perfect summer salad to my liking. The combo of pasta, refreshing peas, salty bacon, and pungent goat cheese is so delicious. And, of course, I do like this elevated dressing, too. Well done!”
– KRISTA
Update: This recipe was originally published in May 2019. I’ve made updates to the article below to include more information about making the best green pea pasta salad without mayonnaise at home.
Hi, friends! Happy (almost) Memorial day weekend to all my fellow Americans!
Since the unofficial start of summer and Memorial day is just around the corner, I figured today was the perfect time to share one of my favorite summertime pasta salad recipes – pasta salad with peas. Because, ’tis the season for picnics, potlucks and barbecues! And, you can’t – or should I say shouldn’t – have any type of summer soiree without a proper pasta salad.
Table of Contents
About this green pea pasta salad
This easy pasta salad is flavorful, light, refreshing and made without a drop of mayonnaise! It’s overflowing with tender pasta, bright sweet peas, salty bacon, pungent shallots and decadent, creamy goat cheese. Tossed with a zippy homemade basil vinaigrette, this is a pasta salad you are actually going to want to eat!
This mayo-free pasta salad is simple to make, can be prepped in advance, feeds a crowd, travels well and tastes best at room temperature, which makes it perfect for picnics, potlucks and backyard barbecues!
In case you are someone who lives for a creamy pasta salad, have no fear! This macaroni salad has the perfect amount of creaminess thanks to the rich vinaigrette and flavorful, soft goat cheese!
If you’re looking for more easy and delicious classic summer salads, be sure to check out these fan-favorites next: dill egg salad, avocado corn salad, and broccoli grape salad.
Why you will love this recipe
- Minimal prep! Most pasta salads or summer side dishes require chopping or dicing a bunch of fresh vegetables; however, this pasta salad requires very little hands on preparation and barely any chopping!
- Amazing flavor! This pasta salad is bursting with flavor – it’s fresh, bright, savory, slightly salty, a little sweet, a touch tangy and 100% delicious!
- Creamy without any mayo! Thanks to the addition of creamy goat cheese, this pea pasta salad is creamy without any mayonnaise, sour cream or heavy cream!
- Simple and fast to make! This recipe is incredibly simple and straight-forward to make! In fact, you can prepare this pasta salad – from prep to finish – in 20 minutes or less!
- Easy to find ingredients! You only need 8 easy-t0-find ingredients along with a few pantry staples to create the most fabulous pasta salad!
- Customizable! You can easily customize the ingredient list and add in your favorite vegetables or tasty extras!
- Make ahead! You can make this pasta salad ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for stress-free entertaining!
- Crowd Pleaser! This creamy bacon pea pasta salad is always a crowd pleaser, making it perfect for picnics, potlucks and barbecues (really, any summer entertaining)!
Ingredients in bacon pea pasta salad
- Pasta: You can use any small dry pasta you love to make this recipe! I typically use elbow macaroni or cavatappi; however, medium shells, bowtie (farfalle), rotini, ditalini, fusilli and gemelli all work great!
- Peas: Sweet baby peas or petite peas will provide the best subtly sweet tasting flavor! This recipe uses frozen peas, so make sure you defrost the peas under cool running water and drain them well before using!
- Goat Cheese: Soft goat cheese crumbles serve two purposes in this pasta salad! You will toss half the goat cheese with the warm pasta to create a light creamy “sauce” that coats the pasta. You will use the other half of the goat cheese as a mix-in which provides a touch of mildly tangy flavor and pops of even more creamy texture!
- Bacon: For the best texture, make sure you use crispy bacon in this pasta salad! Freshly cooked bacon tastes the best; however you can use store-bought bacon pieces if you prefer. (I recommend you stay away from those teeny-tiny bacon bits as they tend to get totally lost in the pasta salad.)
- Onion: Finely chopped red onion provides a bit of color as well as a mild sharp flavor!
- No Mayo Pasta Salad Dressing: A combination of extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, honey and dijon mustard create a dressing that is luscious, vibrant and bursting with zippy, fresh flavor!
Recipe variations
- Pea Cheddar Cheese Pasta Salad: Swap out the goat cheese for cubes of cheddar cheese instead. You can use the same no-mayo dressing, or a salad dressing made with mayo, sour cream, dijon, and apple cider vinegar for the classic variation.
- Italian Style Green Pea Pasta Salad: Nix the goat cheese and use mozzarella balls (bocconcini) instead. And consider adding Italian seasoning to the dressing, and fresh basil, sun-dried tomatoes, and diced salami or prosciutto to the salad.
- Greek Pasta Salad with Peas: Switch out the goat cheese for crumbled feta cheese. Then, consider adding cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and/or Kalamata olives to the pasta salad and greek seasoning to the dressing.
- Creamy Mayo Bacon Pea Pasta Salad: Simply swap out the olive oil and use a combination of mayonnaise and sour cream to make the dressing instead.
- Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe: Swap out goat cheese for sharp cheddar cheese and the basil vinaigrette dressing for ranch dressing instead. You can keep or omit the green peas depending upon flavor you’re after.
Expert tips for the best success!
- Cooking water: Do NOT heavily salt the water for the pasta. While pasta needs a lot of salt when cooking, the peas can become overly salty!
- Cooking pasta: Don’t overcook your pasta! Al dente pasta still has a little bite to it which helps ensure the pasta salad doesn’t get soggy and sad.
- Quickly rinse pasta with cool water: To stop your pasta from cooking any further, you need to quickly rinse it with water; however, do not over soak the pasta or allow it to become completely cool. You want the pasta to be a little warm when you add the dressing and half of the goat cheese. Warm pasta will better absorb the vinaigrette and slightly melt the cheese which forms a light “sauce”.
- Taste and adjust: Always taste and adjust things to your liking, this is especially true with the dressing. For a sweeter dressing, add more honey to taste. Do you like things tangy? Add more lemon or add a splash of white wine vinegar. Prefer a more nutty-salty flavor? Add more parmesan cheese. If you want a little heat, add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Don’t serve it straight from the refrigerator: If you chill or store your pea pasta salad in the refrigerator, make sure you let the pasta salad sit on the counter for 20-30 minutes before enjoying! Serving pasta salad recipes with peas shivering cold, straight from the fridge not only subdues the flavors, but the texture is less appealing. Always make sure you serve your pasta closer to room temperature – just don’t let it sit out for more than 2 hours to avoid any food-poisoning scenarios!
Step-by-step photos: making this recipe at home
FAQs: frequently asked questions
You’ve got questions? I’ve got answers! If you have a question you don’t see listed below, please drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can!
What type of pasta should I use for pasta salad?
You can use a wide variety of short pasta shapes, such as macaroni, fusilli,, penne, rotini, gemelli, or bow-tie (farfalle) pasta in this pasta salad recipe with peas and bacon. Any of these noodle shapes will hold the dressing, peas, bacon, and remaining pasta salad ingredients, providing great texture in each bite. Just be sure to cook the pasta 2 minutes shy of al dente.
How should I cook the pasta for the salad?
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions in a large pot of salted boiling water – boiling the pasta until it’s 2 minutes shy from al dente and then immediately and quickly rinsing it with cool water to stop the cooking process. It’s absolutely essential to not overcook the noodles as this will cause your pasta salad to be a mushy mess.
Do I have to rinse the cooked pasta?
Yes – absolutely. You need to quickly rinse the cooked pasta noodles under cool water immediately after boiling. Rinsing serves two purposes – it stops the cooking process and it prevents the pasta from becoming gummy and sticking together.
However, since this no-mayo pasta salad uses a vinaigrette dressing, you want to make sure the pasta is still slightly warm when you add the dressing! Warm pasta will soak up the vinaigrette better. Therefore, it’s imperative you do not overly rinse your pasta – just rinse the cooked pasta quickly (about 30 seconds) with cool water to stop the pasta from cooking further.
Take away: Only rinse your cooked pasta with cool water for 30 seconds or less! Rinsing the pasta any longer will cause it to become waterlogged and prevent it from soaking up the vinaigrette dressing!
Can I use frozen peas in a green pea pasta salad?
This recipe actually calls for frozen peas since they work well and stay vibrantly green in pasta salads. You’ll be thawing them and then adding the peas to the boiling pasta water in the last minute(s) of cooking.
How do I keep no mayo pasta salads moist?
To keep pasta salad moist, toss your warm al dente pasta with either olive oil or an oil-based vinaigrette dressing. Tossing freshly cooked, warm pasta with oil will not only keep your noodles moist and flavorful, but it also prevents them from sticking together!
What are some optional add-ins?
This recipe is straightforward and incredibly flexible! I encourage you to use this recipe as a guide and add your own personal touch! Try tossing in a few ingredients you love to create a pasta salad of your wildest, most delicious imagination!
- Shallots: If you prefer a mellower onion flavor, you can easily swap out the red onion for sweeter shallots!
- Celery: If I’m looking to quickly add a little more bulk to this salad, I always throw in some celery!
- Bell Peppers: Mini bell peppers or red bell peppers are a great way to add a touch of sweet, fresh flavor!
- Broccoli: You can easily make this a super green pasta salad by tossing in some broccoli!
- Cauliflower: Raw cauliflower may sound like an odd addition, but it’s another one of my go-to additions if I’m looking to make this salad more veggie-heavy!
- Hard Boiled Eggs: If I’m serving a crowd I typically throw in a few hard boiled eggs to make this salad even more hearty!
- Greens: Your favorite delicate greens are a delicious addition, especially peppery arugula!
- Avocado: Roughly diced avocado is the perfect way to add even more creamy texture to this salad!
- Nuts: If you love the salty crunch of nuts in your pasta salad, almonds, pine nuts and walnuts are all delicious additions!
- Salami: Try turning this pasta salad into a meat lover’s dream by throwing in some rich, savory salami!
- Chicken: If you have any leftover or rotisserie chicken hanging around your fridge, add it to this salad for easy grab-and-go lunches!
- Pesto: If you want to take a short cut, basil pesto makes a delicious substitution for the homemade vinaigrette!
Can you make pea bacon pasta salad the night before?
The great thing about pasta salad is it gets better with time! This pea pasta salad actually tastes better once the pasta has a chance to absorb some of the dressing! Because of this, I recommend making this no-mayonnaise pasta salad at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours, in advance!
- To make this pasta salad recipes with peas in advance: Toss the warm pasta and peas with the red onion, half the goat cheese and half of the dressing. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, add in all the bacon and more of the dressing to taste (as well as the chives and parmesan if using). Toss the pasta salad well, then and adjust for seasoning before serving. (Tip: Make sure you add the second half of the dressing as close to serving as possible to prevent your pasta from becoming both soggy and dry!)
This no-mayo bacon pasta salad recipe with peas is flavorful, simple to make and will become a family favorite! It’s perfect for picnics, barbecues, lunches, easy dinner or whenever the craving for pasta strikes!
Until next week, friends, cheers!
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More pasta salad recipes!
Green Pea Pasta Salad
Equipment
- 1 Large Pot (for cooking the pasta)
- 1 Colander (for draining the cooked pasta)
- 2 Mixing Bowls (for making the pasta salad and the salad dressing)
Ingredients
- 12 ounces uncooked Cavatappi Pasta or Macaroni Pasta – or other small pasta of choice
- 12 ounces frozen Sweet Peas – thawed (SEE NOTES)
- 6 ounces Goat Cheese – crumbled, divided
- 8-10 Slices Center Cut Bacon – cooked until crisp & crumbled
- 2/3 Cup Red Onion – finely chopped (about 1/2 small red onion)
- To Taste Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper
Dressing: (yield – 1 1/2 cup)
- 1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves – packed and finely chopped
- 6 TBS Freshly-squeezed Lemon Juice
- 6 TBS Parmesan Cheese – finely grated, plus more for garnish
- 2 TBS Honey
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- Optional Garnishes: Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, Snipped Chives, More Fresh Basil Leaves
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta and Peas: Add 12 cups of water to a large pot and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, add 2 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt to the water. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook 2 MINUTES SHY OF AL DENTE according to package directions. (Please see note about salting the water.)During the last 1-2 minutes of cooking, add the peas and continue to cook until pasta is just al dente and peas are bright green.
- While the Pasta is Cooking, Make the Salad Dressing: In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the dressing. Season with 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a scant 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper. Whisk until well combined. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper (SEE NOTES).
- Drain the Pasta and Peas: Once the pasta noodles and peas are cooked, immediately transfer them to a colander and rinse under cold water for 30 seconds to stop the cooking process. Then, gently shake the colander to remove as much water as possible. (SEE NOTES)
- Toss the Pasta with Dressing and Cheese (SEE NOTES): Place the slightly warm cooked pasta and peas into a large mixing bowl. Then, pour HALF of the dressing and scatter HALF of the goat cheese over the pasta. Use two spoons to toss the ingredients continuously until the goat cheese forms a "sauce" and coats the pasta.
- To Serve Immediately: Let the pasta sit on the counter for 15 minutes to cool. Then, add the bacon, onions, and remaining goat cheese to the pasta salad. Drizzle with more dressing to taste and gently toss the ingredients until everything is evenly combined. Sprinkle with parmesan and chives and then taste the bacon pea pasta salad and adjust for seasoning. Enjoy!
- To Serve Later: Add the red onions to the pasta salad and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Store the remaining dressing in an airtight container. Place both into the refrigerator until ready to serve. When ready to serve, add the bacon and remaining goat cheese. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and gently toss to combine. Sprinkle with parmesan and chives, if desired. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Peas: Quickly thaw the peas by placing them in a colander and rinsing them with cool water.
- Salting Pasta Water: Do NOT heavily salt the water for the pasta. While pasta needs a lot of salt when cooking, the peas can become overly salty!
- Cook pasta to AL DENTE: Take care to NOT overcook your pasta. Al dente pasta still has a little bite to it which helps ensure the pasta salad doesn’t get soggy.
- Rinsing Cooked Pasta: While you need to run cool water over the cooked pasta and peas to stop the cooking process, make sure you don’t allow the pasta to become completely cool. Just quickly rinse the pasta and peas – about 30 seconds! The pasta should be a little warm when you add the dressing and half of the goat cheese. Warm pasta absorbs the vinaigrette better. As well, the warm pasta will gently melt the goat cheese and form a light sauce to coat the pasta.
- Dressing: You may not need all the dressing depending upon how “wet” or “dry” you like your pasta. I tend to use about 3/4 of the dressing. I save the remaining dressing and use it on the leftovers as the pasta tends to become dried during refrigeration.
- Seasoning Dressing: Always taste and adjust things to your liking, this is especially true with the dressing. If you like a sweeter dressing, add more honey. If you like more tang, add more lemon or add a splash of white wine vinegar. If you like a more nutty-salty flavor, add more parmesan cheese. If you want a little heat, add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Dressing Storage: The dressing can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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Need to Scale the Recipe? Hover your mouse over the number of servings in the recipe card. You’ll see a sliding scale pop up, you can use that to scale the recipe up or down as needed.
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Got questions? I’ve got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification – please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can!
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Recipe Serves: 8-10
Nutrition
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Lisa
We loved this one! I’m always looking for non-mayo salads for summer. The video just shows how easy this recipe is! It’s absolutely perfect for all our summer parties! Thanks!
Shweta
This salad is screaming summer. Love how colorful it is! I can eat that whole thing myself at breakfast!
jordan
This recipe was a huge hit!! My husband doesn’t care for peas so I noticed a little pile on his plate at the end of the meal haha but I loved it just the way it was!!
Cheyanne
Hi Jordan,
Your review made me laugh, because I can totally relate – my husband isn’t a fan of peas either (more for us, right?)! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe – peas and all!! Thank you so much for coming back and letting me know how everything went over! 🙂
Monique
Delicious. I increased the honey and substituted shredded sharp cheddar for the goat cheese so I may not have gotten the creamy texture that others described but I will definitely make it again.
Cheyanne
Hi Monique,
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed this pasta salad!! Omitting the goat cheese will prevent the salad from becoming creamy, but I love that you used sharp cheddar instead! I’ll have to try that! Thank you for coming back and letting me know how the recipe went over! Cheers! 🙂
Barb
LOVE that this has no mayo. I cannot stand mayonnaise and often have to avoid pasta salads because of it. This one is absolutely delish! Thank you and have a great weekend!
Krista
I’m a huge fan of a good pasta salad, but I don’t like those which are loaded with a mayo or any other heavy dressing – it’s just gross. I normally go with just a good drizzle of olive oil and balsamic. Decided to try this and I must admit you’ve created a perfect summer salad to my liking. The combo of pasta, refreshing peas, salty bacon, and pungent goat cheese is so delicious. And, of course, I do like this elevated dressing, too. Well done!
Pinkie
What a beautiful pasta salad and loving all the flavours and textures. And of course the bacon!! 🙂 Not only are homemade salads much more delicious, they are so much more economical. Those deli salads are very expensive!!
Terri
The pasta salad looks amazing but…I have not acquired a taste for feta or any strong cheese. Can you recommend a substitution?
Cheyanne
Hi Terri,
I have only made this recipe as written. The cheese melts into the pasta to form a very light “sauce”, so with that said, I would probably substitute a bit a strained Greek yogurt to give it that same creamy consistency. Or, you could use mascarpone or cream cheese to get the same creamy consistency without any of the tangy flavor. I hope that help!! Cheers!