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Bright, crunchy, and colorful, this easy Seven Layer Salad recipe is a fun blast from the past for any party. Make it as-is, just like you remember it, or switch up those layers in a million different delicious ways.
Recipe ingredients:
Ingredient notes:
- Lettuce: Iceberg, crispy head lettuce, or Romaine.
- Hard Boiled Eggs: Not in my Seven layer salad! But many people say that’s how they make it.
Step-by-step instructions:
Before you begin, you should decide on what bowl to use for your layered salad. A clear glass bowl shows off all the hard work you put into chopping the vegetables. And a clear glass bowl with straight sides makes it easy to assemble.
- First layer: In the bottom of the bowl, spread the shredded lettuce
- Second layer: A thin layer of chopped red onion
- Third layer: Chopped celery
- Fourth layer: Peas
- Fifth layer: Spread the mayo over everything and sprinkle with a little sugar
- Sixth layer: Shredded cheddar cheese
- Seventh layer: Crispy chopped bacon
Cover the salad up with plastic wrap and chill for a at least a couple hours.
Recipe tips and variations:
- Mayonnaise dressing: Plain, good quality mayo like Hellman’s or Best Foods is perfect. A little sugar makes it just slightly sweet, but even that’s optional if you’re watching your sugar intake.
- Miracle Whip: Substitute Miracle Whip for the mayo if you are a Miracle Whip fan. The only difference between them is that the salad dressing Miracle Whip already has added sugar, paprika, and garlic powder.
- Sour cream: Some cooks love mixing half mayo, half sour cream for a tangier dressing.
- Parmesan cheese: A few tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese taste great added to the mayo.
- Add meat: You could layer in some turkey or ham instead of the bacon.
- Extra veggies: Change out your layers for different vegetables like bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, scallions
- Change the cheese: Pick the cheese you love like smoked provolone, blue cheese, or feta cheese
- More toppings: Not traditional, but avocado, olives, and crunchy fried onions are so good!
More delicious salads:
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Seven Layer Salad
Bright, crunchy, and colorful, this easy Seven Layer Salad recipe is a fun blast from the past for any party. Make it as-is, just like you remember it, or switch up those layers in a million different delicious ways.
Ingredients
- 1 head lettuce shredded
- 1/2 cup red onion diced
- 2-3 celery ribs sliced (about 1 cup)
- 12 ounces frozen peas thawed
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 pound bacon fried and crumbled
Instructions
- Spread the lettuce evenly in the bottom of a glass bowl. Top with red onion, celery, and peas.
- Spread mayonnaise on top of celery and sprinkle with sugar. Top with cheddar cheese and bacon. Cover and chill.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Lettuce: Iceberg, crispy head lettuce, or Romaine.
- Hard Boiled Eggs: Not in my Seven layer salad! But many people say that's how they make it.
- Mayonnaise dressing: Plain, good quality mayo like Hellman’s or Best Foods is perfect. A little sugar makes it just slightly sweet, but even that’s optional if you’re watching your sugar intake.
- Miracle Whip: Substitute Miracle Whip for the mayo if you are a Miracle Whip fan. The only difference between them is that the salad dressing Miracle Whip already has added sugar, paprika, and garlic powder.
- Sour cream: Some cooks love mixing half mayo, half sour cream for a tangier dressing.
- Parmesan cheese: A few tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese taste great added to the mayo.
- Add meat: You could layer in some turkey or ham instead of the bacon.
- Extra veggies: Change out your layers for different vegetables like bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, scallions
- Change the cheese: Pick the cheese you love like smoked provolone, blue cheese, or feta cheese
- More toppings: Not traditional, but avocado, olives, and crunchy fried onions are so good!
Nutrition
Calories: 285kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 11gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 504mgPotassium: 219mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 780IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 85mgIron: 1mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
I’m making this favorite for Easter dinner because it’s a make-ahead dish. I will be leaving out the eggs(😕) because if an egg allergy I’m the family. Will be using Hellman’s Vegan mayo for the same reason
Hi Linda, I hope you love it! Happy Easter! – Meggan
This is so good! I gave it a 5 because I love your writing style and the extra comments you added about what you can sub even though they may not be your preferences. Lol! Everyone have their likes and dislikes. I do add boiled eggs, but I omit the celery. I’ve also mixed Ranch Dressing mix with Miracle Whip before, which gives it a really good “bite”. Thank you for sharing. 😁
Thank you so much, Judy! We all do! Thank you so much for sharing yours! Ranch dressing mix is near and dear to my heart and would be amazing in this, YUM! Take care! – Meggan
I would use romaine and some fresh spinach to include more green. Iceberg lettuce doesn’t quite do it for me. But this is the same recipe my Mom used to make. It’s a tried and true for me in all. Thank you Culinary Hill, Meggan.
You’re so welcome, M.L.! Love the addition of some darker greens, yum! – Meggan
I do put boiled eggs in my seven layer salad. I also put bacon, tomato and cucumber. Sometimes it ends up being more than 7 layers. I sometimes put cauliflower and broccoli as well. Cheese goes on the top. I do not put any mayo but leave the salad for dressing of choice. Much better. It is delicious and very good the next day.
Hi Rebecca, your additions sound really great. I make it the way my mom and grandma always made it, but I love your ideas. I do think the mayonnaise dressing can be off-putting for some (my children, for example) and so dressing on the side would fix that problem. Thank you so much for your comment! -Meggan
What size bowl for a double recipe?
Hi Jackie, I usually make this as written in a 4-quart bowl, so you’ll definitely need something larger, or split between two dishes. Take care! – Meggan
can you make a day before
Hi Mary, yes! Make sure the vegetables are dried before layering. Make as directed and cover with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate. Take care! – Meggan