Original Recipe and Image by Taste of Lizzy T
I know we’re still getting used to spring, but summer is right around the corner. That means cookouts, picnics, pool days, and plenty of food necessary for all these occasions. Few things are quite as boring as bringing last year’s side dishes to this year’s festivities! That’s why you absolutely have to try this seven-layer salad recipe. It’s high in protein, loaded with deliciousness, and will be a hit at any potluck this summer. Give it a go! You just might find it to be your new favorite summer side dish.
Seven Layer Salad Recipe
Typically, “layered” foods are served inside a glass dish of some kind so all of their beautiful layers are easy to see. That’s also true of this seven layer salad! That’s part of what makes this dish so fun to bring to picnics, cookouts, or potlucks. All of your family and friends will oooh and ahh at this delicious dish!
Let’s be honest, any salad is going to taste good if you put eggs, cheese, and bacon on it. Add in a killer homemade dressing with a punch of flavor and you have a home run of a side dish! Ready to get started? It’s really simple! Depending on what seven layer salad you choose to go with, you can select a wide variety of ingredients. When constructing the salad, you just want to think about the three most import things: color, nutrients, and flavor. You want it to look pretty, be good for you, and taste delicious – all at the same time! This is usually pretty easy to manage if you pay attention to your ingredients.
Here’s one of the best ways to make a seven layer salad.
Seven Layer Salad Ingredients
- 1 head of iceberg lettuce (feel free to go with your lettuce of choice, though iceberg lettuce tends to go best with this layering technique)
- 1 pint of tomatoes (again, choose your preferred kind, but cherry tomatoes add nice color without adding too much moisture)
- 2 cups of peas (feel free to use a bag of frozen peas; just let them thaw before placing them in your salad)
- 10-12 hard-boiled eggs (cooled and de-shelled)
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (you can use sharp or mild, whatever you prefer)
- 1 lb. bacon (you can buy the pre-cooked stuff, or just cook up some of your own to the cook you like)
- Dressing
Homemade Seven Layer Salad Dressing
- 1 ¼ cups mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Combine ingredients in a bowl to taste and allow to rest for a few minutes while constructing the salad. Taste again before using to be sure it’s seasoned to your liking. When in doubt, add more cheese!
If you’re looking for a healthier salad dressing option, however, consider simply mixing some olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Or feel free to use your favorite healthy store-bought salad dressings.
Seven Layer Salad Directions
Let’s not make this any more complicated than it needs to be. Just grab a glass dish, preferably a bowl with a flat bottom that’s big and deep enough to properly fit layers of your salad. Now get ready to construct!
First, lay the foundation with a thick layer of your chosen lettuce.
Next, layer on your tomatoes. If you’ve chosen grape tomatoes, try slicing them in half and then covering all of the lettuce in an even layer.
Add a layer of peas, then a layer of diced hard boiled eggs, and then a layer of shredded cheddar cheese. When it comes to shredded cheese, the fresher, the better.
Next, drizzle on your desired amount of dressing. Alternatively, you could just save the dressing to serve on the side.
Lastly, crumble the cooled, drained bacon bits on the top of your salad.
Serve in individual bowls and enjoy!
Conclusion
Feel free to experiment with other healthy salad ingredients! Try bell peppers, spinach greens, red onion, olives, strawberries, blueberries, nut varieties, sunflower seeds, or whatever else you come up with! Just be careful when using ingredients that spoil faster when they’ve been out too long, such as apples, avocados, or meats.
