Seven Layer Salad Recipe (2024)

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A classic, easy 7 layer Salad recipe served in a trifle bowl. So many options for the seven layers, you choose what you love. Perfect for potlucks!

Love weeknight salads for dinner? This easy macaroni salad recipe is packed with pasta, veggies, and tuna! You may also love this Dorito Taco Salad for dinner!

Seven Layer Salad Recipe (1)

Weeknight Salad Recipe

Growing up, my mom always made a 7 Layer Salad in the summer.

At family gatherings there was always an abundance of salads and side dishes, and the layered salad recipe with vegetables and sour cream never called my name.

I mean, things like Pistachio Fluff Salad and Snicker’s Taffy Apple Salad were my go-to choices.

And while I still love those sweet dessert salads, I’ve come full circle in life to where I tend to love and appreciate those foods from my childhood that I turned up my nose at (remember these 7 layer cookie bars?).

Anyway, let’s get started on all the details to making THE BEST Seven Layer Salad recipe!

Important Ingredients

Seven Layer Salad Recipe (2)

EGGS: Make your hard boiled eggs. You’ll need about 6-8 large eggs for this recipe.

PRO TIP: I love using my Instant Pot Hard Boiled Egg recipe for quick and perfect eggs. They peel like a dream. Once cooked, cut eggs into quarters.

BACON: Whether you like your breakfast bacon chewy or crunchy doesn’t matter for today’s salad. You MUST make the crunchy version. Trust me, in a salad, wimpy chewy bacon is never a good option.

To get perfect crisp bacon I opt to fry it up in a skillet while my eggs are cooking! Crumble the bacon once it is cooked to a crisp!

VEGETABLES: Cut and dice your remaining vegetables.

  • Lettuce: Iceberg lettuce is what I usually choose for 7 layer salad. Wash it good with cold water, shake off excess water, blot with paper towels, then give it a rough chop into bite size pieces.
  • Cherry Tomatoes: Slice in half.
  • Red Onion: Cut onion in half, peel, and make thin slices.
  • Red Bell Pepper: Thinly sliced and seeded.
  • Frozen Peas: Thawed. You can also use canned sweet peas that have been drained. I prefer the frozen though as they have a less “mushy” texture.
  • Green Onion: Sliced thin, using the white and the green tops.

DRESSING: Mix the dressing. Using a medium size bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, granulated sugar, cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and onion powder.

ASSEMBLE: Assemble the salad. In a large trifle bowl or clear glass salad bowl (so you can see the layers!), layer 1/2 of the chopped lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onion, hard boiled eggs. Add about 1/3 of the dressing. Top with the remaining lettuce, black olives, peas, and red bell pepper. Add the remaining dressing on top.

Garnish the top of the salad with shredded cheese, bacon crumbles, and green onions slices (optional).

CHILL: Refrigerate. It’s very important for a seven layer salad to chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Serve and enjoy!

Stop up on mayo so you can whip up this easy chocolate mayonnaise cake next!

Seven Layer Salad Recipe (3)

What are the layers in a 7 Layer Salad

  1. Lettuce
  2. Tomato
  3. Onion
  4. Eggs
  5. Olives
  6. Peas
  7. Peppers
  8. OOPS. I have too many layers. Dressing.
  9. Cheese.
  10. Bacon.
  11. Green onion

As you can see there is a LOT of flexibility with layers. Sometimes I omit the olives and peppers. Sometimes I get rid of the onion and peas. Seriously, make it with the layers YOU love.

This salad makes a big trifle bowl full of fresh veggies, and is the perfect crowd feeding recipe!

Serving Suggestions

If you’re bringing this to a potluck, you never know what might show up. But making and serving this layered salad with dinner is definitely a genius decision.

We like this salad with Baked Pork Chops, BBQ Chicken, or Mississippi Pot Roast!

You could even toss in a layer of shredded chicken and make this salad a meal.

Seven Layer Salad Recipe (4)

Recipe FAQs

How do you store 7 layer salad?

Keep covered in refrigerator for up to 2 days.

What kind of dish do I serve a seven layer salad in?

No trifle bowl? No problem. Assemble in a 13×9 instead. You could also assemble in a regular glass bowl (not see through) and mix the salad RIGHT before serving!

Can 7 layer salad be made in advance?

Assemble this salad at least 8 hours in advance! This allows the sugar in the dressing to absorb and the flavors to mingle.

More Salad Recipes

  • Pasta Salad – with Shrimp
  • Chicken Salad Recipe
  • Cucumber Tomato Salad
  • Roasted Corn Salad
  • Egg Salad
  • Potato Salad
  • Pretzel Salad

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Main Dish

Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin

Seven Layer Salad Recipe (9)

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7 Layer Salad

4.93 from 26 votes

By: Aimee

A classic, easy 7 layer Salad recipe served in a trifle bowl. So many options for the seven layers, you choose what you love. Perfect for potlucks!

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

For the salad

  • 8 Large Eggs hard boiled, quartered
  • 1 package bacon, cooked and crumbled 12 oz
  • 8 cups Iceberg lettuce
  • 1 medium red onion sliced thin
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 12 oz frozen peas thawed
  • 1 can sliced black olives, drained 4 oz
  • 1 red pepper seeded and sliced thin (or diced)
  • 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 green onions chopped

For the dressing

  • 1 ½ cups Mayonnaise
  • ½ cup Sour Cream
  • ¼ cup Buttermilk
  • 3 Tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp onion powder

Instructions

  • Make your hard boiled eggs. You’ll need about 6-8 large eggs for this recipe. I love using my Instant Pot Hard Boiled Egg recipe for quick and perfect eggs. Once cooked, cut eggs into quarters.

  • Prepare your bacon. To get perfect crisp bacon I opt to fry it up in a skillet while my eggs are cooking! Crumble the bacon once it is cooked to a crisp!

  • Cut and dice your remaining vegetables.(see ingredients above).

  • Mix the dressing. Using a medium size bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, granulated sugar, cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and onion powder.

  • Assemble the salad. In a large trifle bowl or clear glass salad bowl, layer 1/2 of the chopped lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onion, hard boiled eggs. Add about 1/3 of the dressing. Top with the remaining lettuce, black olives, peas, and red bell pepper. Add the remaining dressing on top.

  • Garnish the top of the salad with shredded cheese, bacon crumbles, and green onions slices (optional).

  • Refrigerate. It’s very important for a seven layer salad to chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. SERVE and ENJOY.

Notes

  • For quick assembly, feel free to use precooked bacon and hard boiled Eggs. You can buy both at most large grocery stores!
  • The dressing is key to this salad. It’s just slightly sweet from the sugar, but the zesty flavor comes from the buttermilk. I buy THIS buttermilk powder to store in my refrigerator for longer periods of time so it’s handy when I need it! You could also make my buttermilk substitute!
  • In a pinch, don’t tell my mom, but you COULD use a thick ranch dressing if needed.
  • See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 390kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g, Cholesterol: 160mg, Sodium: 575mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 8g

Course: Side Dishes

Cuisine: American

Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

Traditional, Southern 7 Layer Salad recipe with zesty dressing. Perfect for potlucks and parties.

Seven Layer Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is 7 layer salad made of? ›

Seven-layer salad, possibly rooted in the American South, has become a staple of home-cooked Midwestern cuisine. Exact ingredients vary by household, but lettuce, cheese, bacon, peas, boiled eggs, and a sauce made of mayonnaise or sour cream are among the most referenced.

What is the history of the 7 layer salad? ›

This classic seven-layer salad is thought to have originated in the 1950's in the South where it was referred to as seven-layer pea salad. Although there have been variations since the 1950's the basic structure of the salad as remained the same.

How many calories are in a 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 four 4 components of salad? ›

Base: usually a layer of salad greens that line the plate or bowl in which the salad will be served. Body: consists of the main ingredients. Garnish: enhances the appearance while also complementing the overall taste; must be edible. Salad dressings: are liquids or semi-liquids used to flavor salads.

Can I make salad the night before? ›

A: Normally, a meal prep salad can last up to five days in the fridge. To make sure it lasts as long as possible, avoid storing juicy vegetables like tomatoes in the same containers as your other vegetables. It's best to buy them fresh and add them to your salad right before you eat it.

What is the oldest salad? ›

The first recordings of people enjoying salad date back to Ancient Roman times. The salads of that time were not much different than the modern-day garden salads of today. They consisted of fresh, edible herbs, lettuce, and raw vegetables, and the dressing of the time was a simple mixture of oil and salt.

What is ambrosia salad made of? ›

The best Ambrosia Salad recipe is made with pineapple, mandarin oranges, yogurt, mini marshmallows, coconut and whipped cream. This easy side dish has a delicious tropical sweetness and is always a crowd favorite!

Is 500 calories a lot for a salad? ›

If you're following a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet and are enjoying the salad as a meal, says Siegel, aim for no more than 500 to 600 calories per serving.

How many carbs are in a 7 grain salad? ›

Sobeys Seven Grain Salad (0.5 cup) contains 24g total carbs, 20g net carbs, 9g fat, 5g protein, and 190 calories.

What is the main ingredient of bound salad? ›

Popular Varieties of Bound Salads

Chicken Salad: This protein-packed salad combines diced or shredded chicken with a creamy dressing, often including mayonnaise, yogurt, or a combination of the two. Additional ingredients like grapes, nuts, and onions can add texture and flavor.

What are 5 components of a satisfying salad? ›

But today, I am going to teach you how to make a salad without using a recipe so you, too, can become a salad artist. Sound like a deal? There are five elements to a perfect salad: greens, sweetness, creaminess, crunchiness, and dressing.

How to make a weekly salad? ›

Salads that stay fresh all week use separate containers for toppings and dressing to keep crunchy foods crunchy. Prep the toppings and dressing so the entire salad will be ready to grab when needed – just mix the containers together before eating. Meal prep salad is a lot like building a salad you'd eat right away.

What does a chef salad consist of? ›

Chef salad (or chef's salad) is an American salad consisting of hard-boiled eggs, one or more varieties of meat (such as ham, turkey, chicken, or roast beef), tomatoes, cucumbers, and cheese, all placed upon a bed of tossed lettuce or other leaf vegetables.

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