Meet your new favorite side dish to bring to a potluck or BBQ: Snap Pea Salad. This bright, crunchy salad is inspired by a veggie tray but skips the dip—just toss everything together and serve. Once you try it, it’s hard to stop after the first bite.
This salad pairs perfectly with a simple homemade ranch dressing. A three-ingredient ranch is quick to make and tastes far better than bottled dressing.
Ingredients
This recipe is a great way to enjoy fresh vegetables in a crowd-pleasing format. I often use store-bought bacon bits for convenience—warming them in a skillet and draining them on paper towels brings back their crispness and deepens their flavor.
Buying pre-cut vegetables in small bags saves time and keeps portions just right for this salad. If you prefer not to have leftovers, choose the smaller bags.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top or scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for exact ingredient amounts and the full instructions.
Method
For the best texture, slice all vegetables thinly. A mandoline works if you have one, but a sharp knife is fine—cut the snap peas on a sharp angle, and shave broccoli and cauliflower as thinly as possible.
Quarter or halve the tomatoes so they’re bite-sized; smaller tomato pieces distribute more evenly through the salad. Season with salt and pepper, then add the ranch and toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning so the vegetables have bright, balanced flavor.
Fold in half of the crispy onions and bacon bits so some are distributed inside the salad, leaving the rest to top it later. Chill the salad for at least an hour if you have time—chilling helps the flavors meld—but it can also be served immediately.
When ready to serve, arrange a handful of reserved snap peas on the bottom of your serving platter for color and texture, then mound the mixed salad on top. Sprinkle the remaining crispy onions and bacon over the salad just before serving for extra crunch.
Notes & Tips
Slice everything as thinly as possible and keep the cuts uniform—consistent thickness makes the salad pleasant to eat. For snap peas, slice on a sharp diagonal for a delicate, scallion-like look.
Cut broccoli and cauliflower lengthwise (as if the stems are standing in the garden) to create attractive shavings rather than tiny shredded bits.
Reserve a handful of crispy onions and bacon to add after chilling so they stay crunchy. Stirring some in before chilling adds flavor, but saving extras for topping keeps texture contrast.
Substitutions
Snap peas are my go-to, but snow peas, peas in the pod, or whole green beans would all work nicely. Consider colorful varieties of cauliflower, broccoflower, or romanesco for visual interest.
Any small tomato—grape, cherry, or chopped garden tomatoes—works well. If you prefer a different dressing, this salad is excellent with balsamic vinaigrette, or even a mix of ranch and balsamic for a tangy-smooth combo.
To make this vegetarian, omit the bacon or serve it on the side so guests can add it if they wish.
More Simple Salad Recipes
Italian Chopped Salad
Classic Caesar Salad
Taco Salad with Doritos
Tomato Feta Salad
Cheeseburger Salad
Nordic Egg Salad
Ranch Potato Salad
Greek Chicken Salad
Chick-fil-A Superfood Kale Salad Copycat
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📖 Recipe
Snap Pea Salad
15 minutes
5 minutes
20 minutes
Bright, crunchy, and easy to make, this Snap Pea Salad is a flavorful side that works for picnics, potlucks, and weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Snap Peas, finely sliced
- 2 cups Broccoli Florets, finely sliced
- 2 cups Cauliflower Florets, finely sliced
- 2 cups Grape Tomatoes, quartered
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
- 1 cup Ranch Dressing
- 1–1 ½ cups Crispy Onions
- ¾ cup Bacon Bits, warmed in a skillet
Instructions
- Place all finely sliced vegetables and quartered tomatoes in a large bowl.
- Season with a few pinches of salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
- Add the ranch dressing and stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Fold in about half of the crispy onions and bacon bits.
- Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour, or up to overnight, to let flavors meld.
- Top with the remaining crispy onions and bacon before serving. Serve chilled or immediately.
Notes
Slice vegetables thin and uniformly. Cut snap peas on a diagonal and cut broccoli and cauliflower lengthwise for attractive shavings. Reserve some crispy onions and bacon for topping so they remain crunchy. Substitute snow peas, green beans, or colorful cauliflower varieties as desired. For a vegetarian option, omit the bacon.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 194
Total Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 5mg
Sodium: 434mg
Carbohydrates: 14g
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 4g
Protein: 5g
This is an estimated nutrition profile and may vary based on specific ingredients used.