Best Pea Salad
This pea salad is everything but ordinary, loaded with smoky ham (or bacon), sweet leeks, fresh basil, and a splash of white balsamic vinegar for a bright and light salad in 20 minutes.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen peas
- 6 ounces smoked ham diced
- 1 medium leek (dark green and root ends removed), finely chopped
- 1 medium shallot finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons good-quality white balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large garlic clove minced
- Small handful fresh basil leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, add olive oil, frozen peas (not thawed), ham, leeks, shallot, and garlic.
- Turn heat to medium-high and sauté for 5-9 minutes until the peas are just hot and bright green. Do not overcook, or the peas will turn yellow and become mushy. Season with salt and pepper.
- Use a slotted spoon to spoon salad into a separate bowl, leaving behind any residual juices.
- Add white balsamic and toss for 1-2 minutes until well-combined. Some of the vinegar may sit in the bottom of the bowl, so re-toss right before serving!
- Garnish with fresh basil if serving warm (do not mix in or the basil will wilt!) – or chill and toss with fresh basil right before serving.
Video
Notes
- Serve pea salad warm, room temperature, or chilled!
- Look for frozen regular peas, not “petite” peas.
- I recommend using a smoked ham steak that’s easy to dice! Don’t want ham? Use bacon or pancetta instead.
- To trim the leek, cut all of the dark green part off and use for something else (like a soup!). Also cut off the root end. Slice in half lengthwise and then slice those pieces in half lengthwise again. Now finely chop! You’ll need about 1 ½ cups of finely chopped leeks.
- If you can’t find white balsamic vinegar, use champagne vinegar (both can be find out Whole Foods). Stay away from white wine vinegar if at all possible; it’s more acidic and less flavorful.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 563mg | Potassium: 494mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1265IU | Vitamin C: 63mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 3mg