Like its distant cousin 7 layer dip, 7 layer salad is a traditional dish that has been a staple at potlucks, household gatherings, and yard get-togethers for many years. I believe each household has their very own go-to recipe for it, though a candy, creamy dressing, peas, hard-boiled eggs, and cheese are non-negotiable!

My aim in engaged on this recipe was to not reinvent the wheel. The wheel is invented! It’s rolling down the street! However I did wish to mess around with proportions and the dressing to seek out absolutely the BEST technique to make a traditional 7 layer salad. You gained’t be disillusioned!

Previous-Long-established 7 layer Salad Recipe

A recipe that gained’t allow you to down. I examined this recipe a number of instances to verify it’s good, with a wealthy, creamy dressing that doesn’t separate and the best stability of flavors.

Simple to make (and make forward). This salad has a comparatively quick listing of substances and you may prep elements of it forward of time or assemble the entire salad beforehand and let it sit within the fridge till you’re able to serve. Seven layer salad is among the few lettuce salads you could make forward and never have it develop into wilted or soggy.

A feast for the eyes. Don’t serve it in an everyday salad bowl—it’s the layers that make this salad! I believe the visible enchantment is among the causes 7 layer salad is such a favourite for events.

Ingredient Notes

• Iceberg lettuce: Similar to with a wedge salad, you’ll recognize iceberg lettuce in a 7 layer salad as a result of it has such a crisp, refreshing chunk and stands up effectively to layering. A extra delicate inexperienced will merely get smashed on the backside of the trifle bowl. Chop the lettuce into bite-sized items.
• Cherry tomatoes: Grape tomatoes are high quality, too. I like utilizing small tomatoes as a result of they’re much less pulpy than full-sized tomatoes, in order that they gained’t launch liquid into the salad and make it too juicy.
• Purple onion: For those who’re frightened concerning the onion taste overpowering the salad, use much less or tame the flavour of the chopped onions by soaking them in ice water whereas prepping the remainder of the substances. (You can additionally “fast pickle” them in apple cider vinegar with a sprinkle of salt.) Drain effectively and pat dry earlier than including them to the salad.
• Frozen peas: You don’t must cook dinner or thaw the frozen peas; their small measurement means they’ll thaw shortly proper within the salad. For those who cook dinner them, they might develop into too mushy or lose their shiny inexperienced coloration.
• Laborious boiled eggs: I like to make use of Instantaneous Pot exhausting boiled eggs, however air fryer boiled eggs are improbable too. It’s finest for those who cook dinner the eggs forward of time in order that they have an opportunity to sit back.
• Cheddar cheese: For those who’ve obtained the time, shred your individual cheese for the tastiest outcomes. I like a rough shred higher than the finely shredded cheese for this salad.
• Cooked bacon: I exploit my baked bacon recipe or my air fryer bacon recipe to cook dinner the bacon. You are able to do this forward of time for those who like.
• Mayonnaise: The bottom of the dressing is mayonnaise. Though you could possibly lighten issues up with Greek yogurt, I recognize the richness mayonnaise provides.
• Bitter cream: Use a model with cultured cream as the one ingredient. After we examined this recipe, we tried a retailer model that (surprisingly!) contained components and preservatives. It interacted with the opposite dressing substances, inflicting the dressing to separate and develop into too juicy.
• Sugar: Some 7 layer salads are fairly candy. I add simply sufficient sugar to make the dressing candy with out being cloying.
• Apple cider vinegar: A little bit vinegar provides a tangy kick and balances the richness of the dressing. You can substitute plain white vinegar for those who favor.
• Salt and black pepper: I exploit kosher salt and freshly floor black pepper.

Tips on how to Make 7 Layer Salad

Make the dressing. Whisk the mayonnaise, bitter cream, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl till easy.

Assemble. Layer the chopped lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peas, boiled eggs, dressing, and cheese in a trifle dish, on this actual order! The order is necessary to maintain the salad from changing into soggy.

Chill. Cowl the salad tightly with plastic wrap or foil, and refrigerate for not less than 2 hours.

Serve. Add the bacon, then serve.

Recipe Suggestions & Variations

• Dry the lettuce. After you rinse the top of lettuce, you’ll want to drain it effectively, and pat it dry to take away as a lot of the water as attainable. If there may be a whole lot of water nonetheless clinging to the lettuce, your salad could develop into soggy.
• Add different veggies. You’ll be able to swap in celery, cucumber, radishes, or bell peppers, or add them as further layers. Inexperienced onions are substitute for the pink onions for those who’d like a milder taste.
• Use ham as a substitute of bacon. Finely cubed ham could make the salad really feel much more substantial (and it’s an effective way to make use of up leftover crockpot ham!).
• Make it vegetarian. Omit the bacon or serve it on the aspect for garnish for those who’re feeding a crowd with particular meals preferences.

Serving Concepts

I at all times affiliate 7 layer salad with cookouts, picnics, or potlucks. It’s such a big (and widespread!) salad so it feeds a crowd, and you may make it forward.

Refrigerate: Retailer any leftover 7 layer salad wrapped within the serving dish in an hermetic container within the fridge for two to three days. Though it defeats the aim of layering, I like to recommend tossing all the things collectively earlier than serving leftover salad to freshen it up and distribute the dressing evenly.

Make forward: If you wish to prep the salad forward of time earlier than a celebration, you’ll be able to layer the entire thing as much as 2 hours forward of time or layer it ONLY as much as the boiled eggs as much as a day forward of time. Then simply earlier than serving, add the dressing, cheese, and bacon.

• In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, bitter cream, vinegar, salt, and black pepper till easy. Put aside.

  1 cup mayonnaise, ½ cup bitter cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon floor black pepper

• In a big clear glass bowl with straight sides or trifle dish (see be aware), layer substances within the following order: lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peas, boiled eggs, dressing, and cheese.

  6 cups iceberg lettuce, chopped, 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved, ½ cup diced pink onion, 2 cups frozen peas, 6 exhausting boiled eggs, peeled and chopped, 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

• Cowl and refrigerate for not less than 2 hours.

• Add bacon to the highest of the salad instantly earlier than serving.

  6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled or chopped

• Bitter cream: We extremely advocate in search of a bitter cream that has “cultured cream” as the one ingredient. We additionally examined this with a store-brand bitter cream with an extended ingredient listing (which interacted with different dressing substances) and the dressing was a lot thinner and didn’t keep on the highest of the salad, affecting the style and look.
• What sort of dish to make use of: You’ll wish to use a transparent glass dish that showcases the colourful layers of the salad. A big shallow bowl with straight sides or a trifle bowl work effectively. A very good different is a 9 x 13 inch glass dish (baking dish). The salad is considerably simpler to serve from a 9 x 13 dish, so every serving contains all of the layers. You’ll be able to roughly lower the salad into squares with a spatula if you serve it in a 9 x 13 pan.
• Change up the veggies: Celery, cucumber, sliced radishes, bell pepper are all tasty. For those who favor a lighter onion taste, use inexperienced onions as a substitute of pink onion.
• Yield: It is a giant salad that can serve between 8 to 12 individuals, relying on what it’s served with. It may probably be a principal course salad because it accommodates eggs, bacon, and cheese.

Energy: 378kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 13g, Fats: 30g, Saturated Fats: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 11g, Monounsaturated Fats: 8g, Trans Fats: 0.05g, Ldl cholesterol: 150mg, Sodium: 509mg, Potassium: 490mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 1743IU, Vitamin C: 23mg, Calcium: 189mg, Iron: 2mg

Vitamin data is mechanically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.

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