This green pea salad recipe from 1970 is still ridiculously good today

Classic green pea salad recipe (1970)

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Green pea salad recipe you didn’t know you needed — until now

Looking for a simple, old-fashioned side dish? This green pea salad recipe from 1970 is a versatile option. It starts with cooked frozen peas, then gets a flavor boost from a minty oil-and-vinegar dressing. The final touch is a creamy element — yogurt, sour cream or mayonnaise — so you can customize it to your taste.

This salad was a hit with both kids and adults when it was first shared, and it still holds up today. It’s light but satisfying, easy to make, and works well as a side for anything from sandwiches to grilled meats. You can also tweak it by adding ham, bacon or cheese. However you serve it, this retro recipe is a good one to have in your collection.

When a friend of ours told us that she had concocted a green pea salad that her three children and her husband thoroughly approved, we begged for the recipe.

Here it is, an interesting combination of cooked frozen green peas and other good things. After you give the vegetables a mint-flavored oil-and-vinegar dressing, you add yogurt, sour cream or mayonnaise — depending on what you wish to use or have on hand.

When we tested the salad on adult guests, they liked the yogurt and sour cream combinations equally. You may want to try all three variations and decide which you favor. – Cecily Brownstone, Associated Press Food Editor

Classic green pea salad recipe (1970)

Classic green pea salad

Yield: 4 cups salad or 6 servings, each 2/3 cup

Ingredients

  • 2 packages (each 10 oz) frozen green peas
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/16 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/3 cup salad oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons crumbled dry mint flakes or 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
  • 3 tablespoons minced onion
  • 1 cup finely-diced celery
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt, commercial sour cream or mayonnaise
  • Lettuce leaves
  • 1 tomato, cut into wedges

Instructions

  1. Turn the peas into a saucepan large enough to hold both packages; add the boiling water and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt; cook according to the method given in the package directions.
  2. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons liquid from the peas and putting it into a medium mixing bowl.
  3. To the 2 tablespoons pea liquid, add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, the pepper, oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mint and onion.
  4. Add the hot peas; cover and chill.
  5. Before serving, mix in celery and yogurt, sour cream or mayonnaise.
  6. Serve on lettuce and garnish with tomatoes.

Notes

You might try mixing in other things like bacon, ham or cheese

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 201Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 763mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gProtein: 4g

Click Americana offers approximate nutrition information as a general reference only, and we make no warranties regarding its accuracy. Please make any necessary calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe, and consult with a qualified healthcare professional if you have dietary concerns.

ALSO SEE
Retro dinner recipe: Lamb chops with peas confetti (1965)

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