Sweet Pea Salad

NorthwestGal's Note:

My friend gave me this recipe several years ago, when our families attended a 4th of July picnic together. I have made it many times since then, and it's always a favorite whenever I make it. The recipe makes quite a bit, so it's one of my favorite dishes to take to potlucks, picnics and other gatherings with large crowds. The recipe would fit a lot of party themes, as the ingredients represent various continental cuisines, from the Asian inspired chestnuts to the Brazilian cashews. But it is the smokey Dutch-influenced gouda cheese that adds a wonderful Mediterranean flair to this great picnic salad. Cooking time does not including chilling time (as that can vary greatly).

• Total Time: 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 24

• 4 (16 ounce) bags frozen sweet peas (not thawed)
• 8 ounces sliced water chestnuts , drained
• 1 bunch celery , chopped
• 1 red onion , chopped
• 8 ounces smoked gouda cheese or 8 ounces edam cheese , cubed
• 1 ¼ cups low-fat sour cream
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• salt and pepper , to taste
• 1 cup sliced cashews

Directions:

1. Place peas, chestnuts, celery, onion, and cheese in a large salad bowl.
2. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the sour cream and sugar until well blended. Add the sour cream mixture to the salad, then season with salt and pepper. Toss thoroughly with a large spoon.
3. Place in refrigerator for several hours (or overnight is ideal). Add the cashews just before serving, and toss well to thoroughly blend all ingredients.

Reviews

[Boomette]

I scaled the recipe to use 1 bag (16 ounce) of frozen peas. I didn't serve it with the cashews. That's a really good recipe and it gives a lot. I didn't use salt and pepper. Thanks NorthwestGal :) Made for the Zwizzle Chicks of ZWT

[IngridH]

This was really good! I halved the recipe, and still had far more than I needed to serve the crowd at my BBQ today. The flavor combination was great, although I have to mention that I added some dill to the dressing, since my family likes it that way. This was simple to make, and serves a large group- perfect for a pot luck or picnic. Made for ZWT6.

[lazyme]

I love pea salads and this was great. I cut the recipe back to 4 servings and think I miscalculated the sour cream a little bit - but it was still very good. I used gouda cheese and added just a smidge of edam because I had just a tiny bit left in the refer. Loved all of the crunch. Thanks NorthwestGal for a nice treat. Made by an Unruly Under the Influence for ZWT6.