How to Make Classic Seven-Layer Salad
I’m not sure who introduced me to the seven-layer salad with its subtle sweetness and contrast to the savory grilled or holiday meats and the other dishes that follow at usual gatherings where it’s served. Perhaps a grandmother or fellow church lady made it, introducing it to my repertoire of home-cooked Midwestern cuisine staple recipes.
The truth about making this salad...
Whoever it was, I should thank them for the idea. However, I must admit that for years, and nearly forever, I made this salad recipe omitting the boiled eggs. It just never occurred to me that they should be part of it. After all, leaving them out makes the salad even more affordable, given the current high cost of eggs. But then it would need to be called a six-layer salad, wouldn’t it?
It wasn’t until relatively recently that boiled eggs became part of our layering routine for this salad. So, now seems the perfect time to say that they are an ingredient that elevates this salad with peas and bacon to rock-star status. However, I may still forgo the eggs this Easter because I’m concerned that including them might clash with the deviled eggs, which are a must.
Plus, I’m still kind of still reeling from the price of eggs, even though they’ve recently dropped in price, and I just know I’ll regret the after-effects of serving so many boiled eggs to my family, if you know what I mean.
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Please let me know in the comments below if you have questions or if you tweak the recipe. I’d love to hear from you!
How to Make Seven-Layer Salad
Although seven-layer salad is pretty common in Midwestern kitchens, I’ve found no standard recipe. Each family or local community often understands the classic version differently, with some families opting for a green onion-heavy approach. In contrast, others substitute shallots or red onions. Some include cauliflower, celery, green peppers, or chopped cherry tomatoes.
But the dressing is the glue that holds everything together, and it is the best part of this seven-layer salad recipe—the necessary sauce makes this salad stand out from all the rest.
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💭 Before you get started...
I hope you’ll love this recipe for Classic Seven-Layer Salad as much as we do!
This salad is perfect for serving with grilled meats and holiday dishes, making it an excellent choice for family gatherings. Don’t be afraid to save any leftovers in the fridge, if any, to be pulled out again well into the food comas that linger into the next day.
For more of my thoughts about the dressing and storage of a seven-layer salad, you can read the extended version of this post sent by email to all eNews subscribers. While there, you can download the 3-ring binder formatted recipe when you become a paid subscriber. Either way, you can enjoy the extended post there or in my Substack archives.
But if you’re more of a “Just the Facts, Ma’am” type of person, please scroll down to the digital recipe card for the Classic Seven-Layer Salad recipe below.
Thanks for stopping by. Have a delicious time eating this Midwestern salad favorite!
Enjoy!
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below to print, email, or save it.
Looking for more salads? Here are a few more recipes you might like…
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Classic Seven-Layer Salad
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EQUIPMENT
- 1 Clear, round, straight-sided dish or bowl or a 9x13" dish or pan
- 1 Cutting Board
- Utensils (Cooks Knife, Measuring Cups and Spoons, Whisk, Large Spoon)
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2- pound Bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- 6 large Hard-Boiled Eggs, chopped
- 1 medium head of Iceberg Lettuce, chopped (about 6 cups for 12 servings)
- 1 bag Frozen Baby Peas, thawed (about 1-1/2 cups or 12 ounces—for 12 servings)
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons Green Onions, sliced thin
- 2 cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Dressing
- 1-1/2 cups Greek Yogurt
- ¾ cup gluten-free Mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar plus more to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Begin by prepping and measuring out the ingredients. This salad comes together quickly when all the ingredients are ready to layer. Cook the bacon until brown and crisp, and drain on paper towels. Hard-boil the eggs, peel, and chop them. Wash, spin, and chop the lettuce. Thaw the peas. Slice the green onions thinly and grate the cheddar cheese. Setting everything aside until you're ready to assemble the salad.1/2- pound Bacon,, 6 large Hard-Boiled Eggs,, 1 medium head of Iceberg Lettuce,, 1 bag Frozen Baby Peas,, 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons Green Onions,, 2 cups Cheddar Cheese,
- Prepare the dressing. Combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk them until smooth.1-1/2 cups Greek Yogurt, 3/4 cup gluten-free Mayonnaise, 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
Assemble the salad
- Spread an even layer of the lettuce in a clear, round, straight-sided dish [1].
- Top the lettuce with the chopped hard-boiled eggs, then the peas and 1/2 cup of the green onions [2].
- Using a large spoon, drizzle the dressing over the top into an even layer. Spread it slightly toward the edges to level it out if needed.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese in an even layer over the dressing.
- Add the final bacon layer.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours or up to 8 hours ahead [3]. Garnish with the remaining two tablespoons of sliced onions for a pop of color on top. Enjoy!
YOUR OWN NOTES
KITCHEN NOTES
Footnotes:
[1] Don't feel you need to have a fancy or expensive dish. This salad is a showstopper all on its own, so even a large, clear glass mixing bowl makes for a stunning presentation. You can also do as I typically do, making this salad in a more travel-friendly 9 x 13" dish, especially if I make it for a potluck.
[2] For extra visual appeal, if you use a tall-sided glass bowl, such as a trifle bowl, you can concentrate the ingredient layers around the outer sides of the bowl, filling more of the center with lettuce if needed to hold everything in place.
Making the Salad in Advance/Storage
This seven-layer salad is one of my favorites for taking to family gatherings, luncheons, and potlucks. It's also an easy choice because it's budget-friendly, definitely a crowd-pleaser, and you can vary the ingredients according to your tastes and what you have in the fridge.
The salad is cool and crisp, and it's a delicious side that complements everything from grilled meats to glazed ham at Easter dinner.
Storage:
[3] While a seven-layer salad is best served within eight hours or less, you can make it to serve up to a day in advance with a few adaptations. Follow the instructions above, assembling only through the fourth step.
Store the dressing in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid. Shred the cheddar cheese, keep it in a zipper bag, and save the bacon in another zipper snack bag until ready to assemble.
Complete the salad assembly a few hours before serving as described in the recipe card instructions, starting with step five.Nutrition
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(Nutritional values are an approximation. Actual nutritional values may vary due to preparation techniques, variations related to suppliers, regional and seasonal differences, or rounding.)
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