7 Layer Salad
7 Layer Salad – an easy, fully-loaded and scrumptious make-ahead salad with layers of romaine lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, cauliflower florets, hard-boiled eggs, peas and bacon tossed with creamy tangy mayo. A spectacular summer picnic food and for potlucks!
Summer picnics and potlucks won’t be complete without a good bowl of salad like my easy Pasta Salad or Cajun Chicken Avocado Salad! Seasonal fresh produce makes summer something to look forward to, of course, aside from grilled meats and ice cold drinks.
What I love about this pretty 7 Layer Salad is that it is loaded with so much stuff and you can pretty much customize it base on your preference or on what you readily have in your fridge.
Now, that’s my kind of salad!
Although there are many variations of this salad, the traditional 7 layer salad was said to have originated in the Southern part of the U.S. with layers of peas as the star of the show. Along with peas, the said original 7 layer salad primarily includes eggs and bacon and coated with mayonnaise and sometimes yogurt.
It is often associated with barbecues, potlucks and picnics, which holds true up to this day.
With 4th of July around the corner, I’d like to share this filling and crowd-pleasing 7 Layer Salad to go along with your barbecues and ice cold cocktails.
It’s easier than it looks and you can make it ahead and store in the fridge to allow the flavors to set in. It’s a great recipe to add to your menu, especially when feeding a huge crowd.
Want more than just that? That’s totally fine. You can go for 8 or 9 layer salad and toss in your favorites like cucumber, cheese, some berries. You name it! Put it in a trifle dish like you see here to visibly see the beautiful layers and colors. You wouldn’t be surprised if it’ll be gone in seconds. 😉
Enjoy!
7 Layer Salad
Ingredients
- 6-7 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
- 2 cups grape tomatoes , half
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- 2-3 cups cauliflower florets, in small pieces , in small pieces
- 4-5 hard boiled eggs
- 12 ounce packaged frozen peas , thawed
- ½- 1 pound packaged bacon , cooked and chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2-3 tablespoons sugar
- salt
Instructions
- In a large trifle dish or large bowl layer ingredients according to preference or layer as follows; layer romaine lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cauliflower, boiled eggs, green peas, and bacon.
- In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, sugar and salt, stirring until smooth.
- Spread the dressing evenly over peas, sealing edges. Top the dressing with the following: bacon, hard-boiled eggs or bacon and cheddar cheese, if desired.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to be served. Let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information:
How early before the gathering can this be made?
Excellent work and I love all your recipes.