Seven Layer Salad

May 15, 2023 by Beth Pierce 65 Comments

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This classic Seven Layer Salad is a real crowd-pleaser with sun-ripened tomatoes, sweet peas, hard-boiled eggs, crisp bacon, and sharp cheddar cheese. Make the five-ingredient salad dressing in just a couple of minutes and seal all those wonderful flavors together.

A delectable layer salad with peas, eggs, bacon, cheddar, and a four-ingredient creamy mayonnaise dressing. It is perfect for a potluck, game day, family gatherings, and neighborhood socials.

This scrumptious layered salad is always a welcome side dish. I love to serve it with Ham and Swiss Sliders and Easy Lip Smacking Strawberry Lemonade.

We love to serve this tasty salad at potlucks, family gatherings, and parties. People love it, and it is always one of the first dishes gone. It is best prepared at least 4 hours before your event, covered with wrap, and refrigerated but hold off on adding the final ingredients until right before you serve.

This classic Seven Layer Salad is a real crowd-pleaser with sun-ripened tomatoes, sweet peas, hard-boiled eggs, crisp bacon, and sharp cheddar cheese.

Ingredients you need

Iceberg lettuce
Red onions
Tomatoes
Peas
Hard-boiled eggs
Dressing
Sharp cheddar cheese
Crisp bacon

Other optional veggies

Small bites of crisp broccoli or cauliflower
Sliced black olives
Diced red bell pepper
Crisp celery
Sugar snap peas
Sunflower seeds
Edamame
Green onions

How do you make Seven Layer Salad?

Start by mixing your dressing. Whisk together the mayo, sour cream, honey, salt, and pepper. Now in a large clear bowl or trifle bowl, layer the chopped lettuce (reserving about 2 cups), followed by the red onions, tomatoes, and green peas. Now using the sliced eggs, position them on their sides while using any extra eggs and the reserved lettuce to hold them in position and finish filling the bowl. Then spread the dressing over the top and smooth it to seal. Now cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours up to overnight.

Before serving, sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese, crisp bacon, and a few more tomatoes. This salad is very easy to dig into and toss as you go. Once it is about 1/2 consumed, I will finish tossing together what is left in the bowl.

Recipe notes and helpful tips

Seven-layer salad is a large salad. It serves at least 12 people, so plan accordingly. Leftovers are delicious, and the salad holds up fairly well for about 48 hours.
Spread the dressing to seal the salad. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate from 2 hours up to overnight.
Any fresh sun-ripened tomato works in this recipe, including grape tomatoes and cherry tomatoes.
Feel free to swap out any ingredient that you are not fond of or add layers for more texture and taste.
Don’t add the bacon, shredded cheddar, or scallions until it is time to serve.
For added flavor, sprinkle with a couple of tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.
Seven Layer Salad serves very well without tossing it.
For perfectly peeled eggs, bring a large pot of water to boil with a steamer basket. Carefully add the eggs and steam large eggs for 15 minutes. Plunge into ice-cold water.
For added protein, add roasted turkey or smoked ham.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

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