SEVEN LAYER SALAD
This Seven Layer Salad is a potluck favorite and has been for many years! It’s been a family favorite and one your family will love too.
Why You Will Love This Seven-Layer Salad
This salad is so refreshing and absolutely wonderful for any gathering. You can easily make it a day in advance and the layers go great together. I often see lots of different-layer salads, but this is the classic one I grew up on! It quickly takes me back to years ago and just about any potluck or gathering.
Do You Toss Before Serving?
No, you do not toss this salad before serving! You use tongs or a large spoon and get every layer. That is the way it is supposed to be served. Some people, when taking this to a large event, will make it in a 9X13. We like a glass bowl, it looks better and shows all the layers!
Swaps and Additions
Many people comment that they add boiled eggs, which I am sure is delicious, but the version we grew up with was made this way. It has seven layers. Now, you can always add other things or switch it up, switch out the cheese for cheddar, add in cauliflower and broccoli, use a different lettuce, etc. Use turkey bacon instead of real bacon and some people even use bacon bits.
Other Delicious Salads:
We recently bought this chopper and it has made life so much easier! As much as we cook, we get tired of chopping up vegetables, nuts, etc and we found this chopper at a really reasonable price on Amazon and decided to give it a try. So far we are loving it, so if you are interested in a chopper at a great price, check out this one. (this is an affiliate link).
Join Us On The Porch Today!
Become a member today:
✔️ Instant access to back issues –FREE
✔️ 4 Seasonal issues with NO ads
✔️ FREE recipe eBook many 5 Star Reviews
All filled with old-fashioned recipes, heartfelt stories, Southern charm and much more!
Seven Layer Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 head iceberg lettuce coarsely chopped
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped green pepper
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 l lb. can small peas, drained or can use frozen peas
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- Layer vegetables in order listed in a 2 quart bowl; spread mayo evenly over top. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients in order listed. Cover and chill for 8 hours.
Notes
© The Southern Lady Cooks photos and text – All rights reserved. No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.
I’ve made the seven layer salad for years. My ingredients are a little different, I add chopped boiled eggs, and use cheddar cheese; the bacon and green onion go on top, along with the boil eggs, but either way, this salad is my go-to in the summer. And it’s even better the next day.
I’ve been making this for years, only I use a whole head of lettuce and no green pepper. Started making this in 1978 and the recipe was given to me by Gert, my then boyfriend’s mother’s housekeeper. Gertrude was an angel on earth.
I have been making this salad for years and I just made it for Easter. I replace the bacon with craisins as i have a vegetarian in our family. I also use a 9×13 dish.
I assume you toss this before serving?
No, you don’t toss a layered salad, you use a very long-handled spoon to make sure that each serving gets all the layers. Thanks!
You have a great layer salad . All your recipes are spot on and I have tried many of
them. The layer salad I make is a larger version that has 1 head lettuce, torn; 1 sliced Bermuda onion; 1 pound bacon, fried & crumbled; 1 head cauliflower in bite size pieces; 1/4 cup sugar; 2 cups mayonnaise; 1/3 cup parmesan cheese. Let stand in refrigerator overnight, stir gently and serve. Either way, it is a salad that everyone raves about
when taken to dinners and picnics alike.
I have a 70s bowl that had a dip dish that hung along side of it. It’s the perfect size and clear glass,so salad fits perfect and looks beautiful!
How many does the Seven Layer Vegetable Salad serve?
Hi Cheri,
It’s in a 2 quart bowl which is 8 cups. So depending on serving size, it will probably serve 6-8 people.
Some of my folks don’t like peas, so now I substitute broccoli. If it’s just a few of us, they will eat whatever layers I make, as long as the bacon and cheddar cheese are there! I’ve used red bell pepper at Christmas with the broccoli and called it Christmas salad.
I make it how my aunt always made it: Head of lettuce, crisp fried bacon, very thinly sliced red onion, thawed frozen peas, frozen spinach thawed & moisture removed, Swiss cheese torn into bite sized pieces, 1 cup mayo, 1/4 c miracle whip. So good!
Always better the next day
I’ve made this for years but use grated cheddar instead parmesan. It’s a family favorite especially at our Easter gathering.
We use lettuce,frozen English peas,green onions,bacon bits,boiled eggs,shredded sharp cheese and hidden valley ranch dressing any other doesn’t taste the same. Reserve enough bacon bits to sprinkle heavily on the top.
I live in ohio and make this salad a lot its very good .I SOMETIMES ADD IN BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER CUT SMALL.
LOVe this one, I’ve ate it since I was little at my Granny’s, I fix it all the time. We use frozen peas in it instead of canned. They have a better taste and texture. Helps to keep the salad cold while they thaw also. Now I need to go fix some…… 🙂
love this one too and I use the frozen peas as well.
thanks SL for all the great recipes!
I made this for every picnic years ago. I make it in a 9X13 pan…so the dressing gets spread out and you get some with each serving. It’s so pretty in a glass bowl though.Balisha