We’re kicking it oldschool as of late with a Southern favourite that was once a staple at our gatherings rising up: 7 Layer Salad. Made with lettuce, peas, tomatoes, bacon, a candy mayo-based dressing, cheddar cheese, and hard-boiled eggs all layered in combination, it stars at any potluck or vacation.
Why You’ll Love This Vintage Salad Recipe
- Stunner. Relating to presentation, conventional 7 layer salad is a show-stealer. Each stunning layer stands proud.
- Amusing and Other. Layer salad isn’t tossed; visitors use lengthy tongs to succeed in down during the salad from the highest and clutch a few of each and every layer. It’s surprising and pleasant.
- Cool and Refreshing. A salad you stack in an ideal giant trifle bowl would possibly sound bizarre, however with that cool lettuce and creamy dressing, at a scorching summer time potluck or a ceremonial dinner, it hits the spot.
- Make-Forward Pleasant. 7 layer salad may also be made the evening prior to, so it’s supreme for entertaining.
- Unfashionable (in a Excellent Means). In case you grew up within the Midwest, seeing a “salad” that accommodates extra bacon, eggs, cheese, and mayo than precise vegetables almost definitely gained’t marvel you (proper this strategy to Wholesome Potato Salad, Ramen Salad, and Shrimp Pasta Salad when you please). It’s a nostalgic throwback that hits the spot!
About This 7 Layer Salad Recipe
Seven-layer salad is a well-liked potluck and picnic dish, because of its visually interesting layers, various flavors and textures, and its crowd-pleasing elements (cheese, bacon, and eggs, someone?).
What constitutes each and every of the seven layers varies.
In reality, even “conventional” assets for a layered salad recipe (Kraft, Betty Crocker, Pioneer Girl) don’t totally agree.
The beneath is according to the 7 layer salad my circle of relatives had at potlucks rising up.
In case you’re an established lover of layer salad, I do know you’ll respect the contemporary take I’ve on it right here.
- I swapped the iceberg lettuce for extra flavorful and nutritious romaine.
- I added additional veggies for colour and crunch.
- The generally bland dressing is amped up with Parmesan and garlic.
For individuals who respect their salads at the lighter/more fit facet, you’ll love my model too.
- As an alternative of mayo (or Miracle Whip) and sugar within the dressing, I used Greek yogurt and honey.
- I lower down at the bacon a bit of. The unique requires a complete pound, which (believe me, I by no means idea I’d say this) in point of fact was once an excessive amount of. It disrupted the team spirit of the opposite elements.
- For cheese, this recipe opts for an additional sharp cheddar. You’ll be able to escape with much less however nonetheless have the full-on style impact.
The best way to Make 7 Layer Salad
The Elements
- Romaine. Crisp, cool, and durable, romaine is the best selection for this salad. Its texture can rise up to the hefty load of alternative elements and gained’t transform soggy as temporarily.
- Francis Bacon. Crispy, smoky bacon is a must have element of this salad. Francis Bacon additionally is helping make this salad extra filling. You can also change the bacon for diced ham for the same impact.
- Exhausting Boiled Eggs. A creamy supplement to the crispy bacon. The eggs upload wealthy taste, protein, and wholesome fat.
- Pink Onion. Soaking the pink onion in water first eliminates its harshness, leaving only a trace of chew. You’ll be able to additionally change inexperienced onions, no wish to soak.
- Tomatoes. Juicy cherry tomatoes upload an attractive sweetness to the salad and style improbable with the eggs and bacon.
- Frozen Peas. A very easy approach so as to add extra veggies. Whilst now not everybody loves inexperienced peas in salad, right here they paintings.
- Additional Sharp Cheddar Cheese. The daring, tacky taste of additional sharp cheddar doesn’t get misplaced among the opposite elements.
- Greek Yogurt Dressing. A easy mixture of Greek yogurt, Parmesan, honey (my change for white sugar), apple cider vinegar, salt, and garlic powder. It’s creamy, tacky, tangy, salty, and a bit of candy.
The Instructions
- Get In a position. Prepare dinner the bacon, hard-boil the eggs, and soak the pink onion.
- Make the Dressing. It is going to be thick and creamy.
- Layer the Vegetables. They make the contemporary base.
- Upload Some Colour. Tomatoes and pink onions upload a gorgeous stripe.
- Layer the Peas and Eggs. It’s lookin’ purty!
- Smear the Dressing Over the Best. It is going to be a thick layer.
- Upload the Excellent Stuff. Francis Bacon and shredded cheese.
- Kick back. For no less than 1 hour. Then ENJOY!
Garage Guidelines
- To Retailer. Duvet with plastic wrap and refrigerate leftover salad for as much as 2 days.
Meal Prep Tip
As much as 1 day prematurely, challenging boil the eggs, prepare dinner the bacon, and soak/chop the pink onion. You’ll be able to additionally chop the tomatoes and romaine and shred the cheddar cheese. Refrigerate each and every factor till you’re in a position to complete the recipe.
What to Serve with 7 Layer Salad
Recipe Guidelines and Methods
- Play Round. Use this recipe as a place to begin and be at liberty to change in different greens (or do greater than 7 layers!). For instance, you’ll be able to do a 7 layer salad with cauliflower florets, broccoli, celery, cucumber, corn, pink bell peppers, and even avocado!
- Get that Francis Bacon Crispy. You need it so as to add some great crunch. See Baked Francis Bacon within the Oven and Air Fryer Francis Bacon for simple how one can prepare dinner best possible, crispy bacon.
- Don’t Skip the Eggs and Francis Bacon. Sadly, I wouldn’t counsel making this a vegan or vegetarian 7 layer salad, because the bacon and tough boiled eggs are in point of fact what make the salad style its very best.
- Get Forward. This salad is simple, nevertheless it has numerous parts. Save your self some rigidity and tough boil the eggs the day prior to. (Beneficial way: Instant Pot Exhausting Boiled Eggs.)
For the Salad:
- 8 oz center-cut bacon
- 4 huge eggs
- 2/3 cup chopped pink onion
- 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce from about 2 romaine hearts (12 oz chopped romaine)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 (10-ounce) package deal frozen peas thawed
- 2/3 cup freshly shredded additional sharp cheddar cheese use yellow cheddar for probably the most colour distinction
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Prepare dinner and disintegrate or chop the bacon (see Baked Francis Bacon within the Oven and Air Fryer Francis Bacon for simple strategies). Position the pink onion in a small bowl and canopy with chilly water. Let sit down 5 to ten mins, then drain and pat dry.
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Exhausting boil the eggs: Convey a medium pot of salted water to a boil. With a slotted spoon, gently decrease the eggs into the boiling water. Modify the warmth to care for a steady, stable simmer. Let the eggs simmer at this low, delicate boil for 8 mins for reasonably jammy yolks (or prepare dinner as much as 9 mins for totally set yolks). Within the intervening time, get ready a big ice tub. Use the slotted spoon to rigorously switch the eggs to the ice tub. Gently crack the shells with the again of the spoon, then go back them to the water (this makes them more straightforward to peel). Peel and chop.
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Get ready the dressing: in a medium bowl, stir in combination the Greek yogurt, Parmesan, honey, vinegar, salt, and garlic powder. Style and modify seasoning as desired.
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Position the romaine within the backside of a LARGE, flat, transparent serving bowl—you need so that you could see the layers and unfold them flippantly; a trifle bowl works smartly in case you have one.
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Subsequent, construct the salad layers, spreading each and every flippantly. Get started with the tomatoes and pink onions.
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Upload the peas and eggs.
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Unfold the dressing flippantly excessive. Layer at the cheese, then the bacon. Refrigerate for no less than 1 hour (or in a single day).
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To serve, use lengthy salad tongs or a equivalent lengthy spoon that may can help you succeed in down during the layers. Ensure that each and every serving has a bit of of the whole lot.
- TIP: Relying upon the scale of your serving bowl, you could wish to modify the amounts of each and every layer. Use your judgment and feature a laugh with it.
- TO STORE: Duvet and refrigerate leftover 7 layer salad for as much as 2 days. Any unused dressing could also be saved for 2-3 days within the refrigerator in an hermetic container or mason jar.
Serving: 1(of 10)Energy: 236kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 13gFats: 15gSaturated Fats: 6gPolyunsaturated Fats: 2gMonounsaturated Fats: 6gTrans Fats: 0.04gLdl cholesterol: 94mgPotassium: 404mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gNutrition A: 3947IUNutrition C: 24mgCalcium: 164mgIron: 2mg
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Steadily Requested Questions
I believe the most efficient dish for a 7 layer salad is a trifle bowl (like this one). In case you don’t personal a trifle bowl, any huge, flat-bottomed transparent glass bowl (like this a laugh possibility) will paintings tremendous.
To hurry up the prep time for this salad, you’ll be able to acquire challenging boiled eggs from the grocer.
Individually, I believe ranch dressing by itself could be too skinny for a seven layer salad, which wishes a dressing thick sufficient to face as its personal layer with out dripping into the leaves. In case you’d like a ranch model, use this Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip for the dressing, or stir a tablespoon or two from a packet of ranch seasoning into Greek yogurt or bitter cream and use it because the dressing.
