7 Layer Salad Recipe (2024)

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This traditional Seven Layer Salad is a Southern classic and the perfect addition to any party, potluck, or family gathering. A guaranteed crowd favorite with layers of chopped lettuce, red onion, tomatoes, peas, hard-boiled eggs, cheddar cheese, bacon, and a creamy mayo-based dressing!

7 Layer Salad Recipe (1)

Classic 7 Layer Salad Recipe

This is a salad my mom often made back when I was a wee little babe. I will never forget how mesmerized I was by the pretty layers. Fun, festive, retro, and maybe a little nostalgic, this 7-layer salad recipe is an absolute show-stopper – especially when it’s showcased in a great big trifle bowl. You can even make this too-good-to-be-true salad up to one day in advance, making it the perfect choice for potlucks, picnics, and barbecues!

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Key Ingredients

Find the printable recipe with measurements in therecipe cardbelow.

There are countless variations of seven-layer salad. This version calls for the following ingredients:

  • Iceberg lettuce or Romaine
  • Red onions
  • Grape or Cherry tomatoes
  • Frozen peas (or fresh)
  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • Sharp cheddar cheese
  • Bacon

Optional salad additions – Cucumbers, green onions, bell pepper, celery, or diced ham.

Seven Layer Salad Dressing

Classic 7-layer salad dressing is mayonnaise-based, often combined with one or more ingredients to enhance its flavor and creaminess.

  • Mayonnaise
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • Sugar
  • Vinegar or Lemon juice
  • Salt and Black pepper

Optional dressing additions – Fresh herbs (dill, parsley, chives, or basil), garlic or onion powder, and/or Parmesan cheese.

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How to Make Seven Layer Salad

1. Prepare the homemade dressing: Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), garlic, vinegar, black pepper, and salt in a medium bowl—season with additional salt and black pepper to taste. For best results, prepare and refrigerate the dressing at least 4 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.

2. Layer the salad ingredients: Layer the salad in a large trifle dish or 9×13 glass baking dish, starting with the chopped lettuce on the bottom, followed by the red onion, tomatoes, thawed green peas, hard-boiled eggs, creamy mayonnaise dressing, shredded cheddar cheese, and chopped bacon.

3. Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley or green onions, if desired. Serve immediately.

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Tips for Making 7 Layer Salad Ahead

  • Place the “sturdier,” less absorbent layers on the bottom (like the lettuce, tomatoes, and onions) with the more delicate ingredients on the top (like the hard-boiled eggs).
  • The thick and creamy mayo-based dressing is spread over the top (before the cheese and bacon layers) and acts as a seal to keep the air out and the ingredients fresh.
  • Once assembled, cover the salad tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours in advance.
  • Add the cheese and bacon just before serving. This way, the bacon stays crisp, and the cheese stays fresh.

Do You Mix 7 Layer Salad Before Serving?

No. You do not need to mix seven layer salad before serving. The idea is to use a long, large serving spoon to scoop through all of the layers, ensuring they get a bit of each layer in every bite.

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Leftovers

This 7-layer salad can be enjoyed for up to 2 days after assembly when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. That said, use your better judgment, especially if the ingredients have been mixed with the dressing or the salad sat out for any period of time.

More Delicious Salads

  • Crab Louie Salad
  • Olivier Salad (Russian Potato Salad)
  • Ham Salad Recipe
  • Cobb Salad Recipe
  • Green Goddess Salad

If you try making this 7-layer salad Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know!I always love to hear your thoughts.

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RECIPE CARD

7 Layer Salad Recipe (12)

7 Layer Salad Recipe

5 from 7 votes

AuthorAuthor: 7 Layer Salad Recipe (13)Jessica Randhawa

This traditional Seven Layer Salad is a Southern classic and the perfect addition to any party, potluck, or family gathering. A guaranteed crowd favorite with layers of chopped lettuce, onions, tomatoes, peas, hard-boiled eggs, cheddar cheese, bacon, and a creamy mayo-based dressing!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 626 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup sour cream - or plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 clove garlic - minced
  • 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon salt - plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon Ground black pepper
  • 1 head iceberg lettuce - or Romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 small red onion - diced
  • 1 (10-ounce) package cherry or grape tomatoes - sliced in half lengthwise
  • 2 cups frozen green peas - thawed
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs - chopped
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese - freshly shredded
  • 6 slices bacon - cooked until crisp and then chopped

Instructions

  • Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), garlic, vinegar, black pepper, and salt in a medium bowl. Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

  • Layer the salad in a large trifle dish or 9×13 glass baking dish, starting with the chopped lettuce on the bottom, followed by the red onion, tomatoes, thawed green peas, hard-boiled eggs, creamy mayonnaise dressing, shredded cheddar cheese, and chopped bacon.

  • Serve immediately garnished with fresh parsley or green onions if desired (see notes below if making ahead).

Jessica’s Notes

  • If you plan to make it ahead, wait to add the shredded cheese and the bacon until just before serving. Layer the creamy dressing over the top, creating a “seal,” then cover with plastic wrap—place in the refrigerator up to 24 hours in advance.
  • Tossing the salad before serving is unnecessary.
  • Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 626kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 153mg | Sodium: 667mg | Potassium: 711mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 941IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 274mg | Iron: 3mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword 7 Layer Salad, Seven Layer Salad Dressing, Seven Layer Salad Recipe

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7 Layer Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is 7 layer salad made of? ›

A fabulous 7-layer salad consisting of Romaine lettuce, peas, red onion, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, cheddar cheese and green onions. The dressing is killer!

What is the history of the 7 layer salad? ›

The dish may have originated in the South and was called the "seven-layer pea salad" for its main layers of peas. The traditional seven-layer salad is covered with a coating of mayonnaise (and sometimes sour cream) and includes eggs and bacon. It has been said to have "helped give salads of the 1950s a bad name...

What is the nutritional value of the 7 layer salad? ›

Seven-layer Salad (lettuce Salad Made With A Combination Of Onion, Celery, Green Pepper, Peas, Mayonnaise, Cheese, Eggs, And/or Bacon) (1 cup) contains 7.3g total carbs, 5.7g net carbs, 25.9g fat, 5.6g protein, and 281 calories.

What are the 5 components of salad? ›

There are five elements to a perfect salad: greens, sweetness, creaminess, crunchiness, and dressing. Let's talk about each one.

What are the 4 elements of a salad? ›

The basic parts of a salad are the base, the body, the garnish, and the dressing.

What is interesting to put in a salad? ›

In spring, try adding strawberries or grapefruit. In summer, try grilled or fresh stone fruit tossed through it. Apple, mango, pomegranate, watermelon, rockmelon and dried fruits are salad favourites. These create a delicious contrast of sweet and savoury flavours.

What is the oldest salad dressing? ›

French dressing is the oldest one on our list, but vinegar and oil dressing goes back nearly two-thousand years to ancient Babylonia.

What salad was invented in California? ›

The iconic Cobb Salad was invented in 1937 at the Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood, California, by Bob Cobb. The ingredients for Cobb Salad vary from recipe to recipe but they typically start with some sort of leafy green like Romaine lettuce.

Is salad a protein or carb? ›

Mixed Salad Greens (1 cup, shredded or chopped) contains 1.8g total carbs, 0.7g net carbs, 0.1g fat, 0.8g protein, and 9 calories.

Why is chicken salad so high in calories? ›

Certain ingredients, like the type and amount of mayo used, may significantly increase the calorie and saturated fat content of chicken salad, which may ultimately make it less nutritious than it could be. Just one small 1/2-cup (about 4-ounce) serving of chicken salad often contains 400 calories or more.

What part of a salad usually has the most fat and calories? ›

"Most people don't realize that the dressing is often the biggest contributor of calories, sodium, and fats in a salad," she says. And if you're craving a treat, such as bacon bits, croutons, or cheese, which tend to be higher in calories and sodium than veggies, says Siegel, pick one and sprinkle lightly.

What is the main ingredient of bound salad? ›

Bound salad: ingredients such as meat, poultry, fish, egg, or starch such as potato, pasta, or rice and bound with mayo. Vegetable salad: cooked and/or raw vegetables (coleslaw); can be bound with mayo or mixed with vinegar/oil dressing.

How many calories are in a 7 layer salad? ›

Seven-layer salad, and/or bacon, eggs, cheese, mayonnaise, peas, green pepper, celery, lettuce salad made with a combination of onion contains 270 calories per 119 g serving. This serving contains 25 g of fat, 5.7 g of protein and 6.7 g of carbohydrate.

What is a main course salad composed of? ›

A main course salad should be large enough to serve as a whole meal. It should contain protein ingredients, such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, legumes, or cheese. It should also contain a variety of vegetables, greens, and/or fruits.

What is composed salad made of? ›

It shows off the intense, irresistible vegetables, herbs and fruits of the season — but can also have rich components like cheese, eggs, toasted nuts and smoked fish or meat. With a loaf of (preferably grilled) bread, it is a meal in itself.

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