Colorful veggies, a simple homemade dressing, and crispy bacon make this 7 layer salad a potluck favorite. It can be made hours ahead (or overnight!), then brought to the table chilled, crisp, and ready to scoop.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: A creamy, slightly sweet dressing balances with the salty bacon, sharp cheddar, and sweet peas for a nostalgic potluck flavor.
- Prep Note: This dish is designed as a make-ahead salad that chills for hours, so it is ready to serve when guests arrive.
- Time-Saving Tip: Use prewashed chopped lettuce, bagged shredded cheese, precooked or microwave bacon, and store-bought hard-boiled eggs.
- Serving Suggestions: I love to make this salad into a trifle bowl to bring to a holiday gathering, a family potluck, or a summer barbecue.
Fresh Layers & Easy Swaps
- Lettuce: Iceberg lettuce has high water content, so it stays nice and crunchy. Swap for romaine, kale, or shredded brussels sprouts
- Veggies: Cherry or grape tomatoes hold their shape best when layering. Frozen peas add a pop of sweetness, but can be swapped for canned peas for a more classic taste. Green onions add a mild, fresh flavor. For more bite and color, use red onions instead. Soak and drain well for a milder flavor.
- Eggs: I find the air fryer is the easiest way to make hard-boiled eggs. Just let them cool completely before chopping so the whites stay nice and firm.
- Dressing: Made with staple ingredients like mayo and sour cream, this dressing is lightly seasoned and simple to make. Use a bottle of ranch dressing for an easy shortcut.
- Cheddar Cheese: Use medium or sharp cheddar for a bold flavor that stands up to the other ingredients.
- Bacon: Crispy, crumbled bacon adds a salty, smoky flavor. You can either bake your own or use bacon bits.
- Quick Tip: If using bacon bits, cook them in a skillet or the microwave to add a little more crispness.
How to Build a 7 Layer Salad
- Combine all the dressing ingredients and set aside.
- Prep all the salad ingredients and layer in a trifle bowl (full recipe below).
- Refrigerate before serving to let all the flavors meld.
- When ready to serve, top with cheese and bacon, and scoop straight down so each serving gets a bit of every layer.
Storing Leftovers
Cover leftovers tightly with plastic wrap in the original bowl or transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days. If extra liquid collects at the bottom, carefully tilt the dish over the sink and pour off the excess before serving leftovers.
Classic Potluck Salads To Share
Did you make this 7 Layer Salad? Leave a comment and rating below.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 head iceberg lettuce chopped
- 2 cups diced fresh tomatoes or sliced cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups frozen peas thawed
- 8 hard boiled eggs cooled, peeled and chopped
- ½ cup sliced green onions or diced red onion
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese lightly packed
- 8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, and seasoned salt for the dressing. Set aside.
- With a salad spinner, wash and dry the lettuce very well. Place chopped lettuce in the bottom of a large trifle bowl (or 9×13 pan).
- In order, top with tomatoes, peas, boiled eggs, and green onions. Spread the dressing on top right to the edges.
- Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Top with cheese and bacon before serving.
Video
Notes
- Feel free to substitute other vegetables for the layers. Options include bell peppers, corn, sliced celery, mushrooms, or radishes, sundried tomatoes or shredded carrots, cabbage, zucchini, or brussels sprouts!
- To make ahead, assemble all the layers except cheese and bacon, cover, and chill. Just before serving, layer cheese and bacon on top.
1 cup mayonnaise
¾ cup sour cream
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon fresh dill
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
salt & pepper to taste
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Salad, Side Dish
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Anxious to have this on my Christmas menu ❤️
Would you have any flavour suggestions for replacing the bacon? We have a couple of vegetarians (not vegan, so cheese is fine). Thank you
You can leave the bacon out (or put it on the side for those that would like to add it). You could also try adding chopped smoked almonds before serving. As an alternative, many stores sell vegan/vegetarian bacon options but I haven’t tried them and would tend to leave it out instead—the salad has so many other flavors and textures I think it’ll be great without.
I’ve made this for many years and my family loves it. add a little here and there to make it your own.
Would love to see recipes for 1
Thank you for the feedback Rita. If you click the print button, you can reduce the servings on many recipes (although all of them may not work to reduce for 1).
How long will leftovers last in the fridge?
If storing leftover 7-layer salad, leave the dressing on top to keep the lettuce more crisp. You may need to drain any liquid that accumulated in the bottom. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also find this info in the post!
I have been making this for years. spinach leaves, raw broccoli, and raw cauliflower all work great in this.Basically, any vegetable that isn’t soggy works. The peas, cheese, and eggs are always in mine.
Just rename your salad as needed. Mine usually turns out to be eleven layer.
Wonderful!!
Great
Holly,
I made your seven layer salad and it turned out perfect, and tasted yummy I follow you on Pinterest and I just love your recipes.
Thank you
This 7 layer recipe looks delightful however I am allergic to mayo so what other dressing could I add?
Hi Linda, you could use any creamy dressing that you prefer for this recipe. It will change the flavor but would still be delicious!
Delicious….
Love this salad. I added sliced water chestnuts for some crunch. So many possibilities…
Can I possibly put this together tonight? The dinner I’m hosting will be 27 hours from tonight.
Yes, this salad is great prepared overnight.
My family has been making this recipe for years. We had been making it differently so I decided to try Holly’s version. I made it as a side to our family Easter meal. I’ve never made it with hard boiled eggs or made a dressing. We always used just mayonnaise. I will definitely be making this again, this way. It was delicious and the addition of the eggs, sugar and seasoned salt was perfect. I love Holly’s recipes and am so glad to have found these.
So glad you enjoyed it, Pam!
I accidentally layered the bacon and cheese then spread the mayo mixture over it. I could have sworn that is how I used to make it tears ago, and the flavor of the bacon seeped down and made it even more tasty. it is in the fridge. to late for me to remove the bacon and cheese. I hope it comes out ok…
I am sure it will still taste delicious, Donna. Enjoy!