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 I’ve been making, eating, and enjoying 7 Layer Salad for the past 40+ years. This classic Midwestern side dish is a staple at potlucks, barbecues, neighborhood block parties, and family reunions, and it’s just as tasty now as it was back then.
If you’re from Ohio, you probably want to toss the salad before serving. It sounds crazy to me, but that’s how they do it! And to the sub-section of the population that adds hard-boiled eggs to your salad, please carry on. That sounds like a fabulous addition.
With over 500 5-star reviews, you can trust that this version is the very best and the one that will take you on a trip down memory lane – right back to your own childhood where you loved a hearty bowl of 7 Layer Salad, too.
Table of Contents
7 Layer Salad Ingredients:
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes:
- Lettuce:Â Iceberg, crispy head lettuce, or Romaine.
- Red onion: I love the color of this one, but you can substitute white, yellow, or sweet onion if you prefer. Tame harsh raw onions by soaking in ice water for 10 minutes, then draining well.
- Celery: A few ribs for extra crunch.
- Peas: Run frozen peas under cold water until thawed and drain well.
- Mayonnaise: Plain, good quality mayo like Hellman’s or Best Foods is perfect.
- Sugar: A little sugar transforms your mayo into salad dressing, but you can leave it out if you want to.
- Cheddar cheese: Or change the cheese to the one you love like smoked provolone, blue cheese, or feta cheese.
- Bacon: You could layer in some turkey or ham instead of the bacon.
How to make Seven Layer Salad:
Before you begin, you should decide on what bowl to use for your layered salad. A clear glass bowl shows off all the hard work you put into chopping the vegetables. And a clear glass bowl with straight sides makes it easy to assemble.
- First layer: In the bottom of the bowl, spread the shredded lettuce
- Second layer: A thin layer of chopped red onion
- Third layer: Chopped celery
- Fourth layer: Peas
- Fifth layer: Spread the mayo over everything and sprinkle with a little sugar
- Sixth layer: Shredded cheddar cheese
- Seventh layer: Crispy chopped bacon
4. Cover the salad up with plastic wrap and chill for a at least a couple hours.
How to Make 7 Layer Salad Ahead of time:
This salad is a make-ahead marvel! The salad needs to chill for a couple of hours anyway, but you can safely make it a full day ahead if needed. The flavor gets better as it sits! The key to make Seven Layer Salad in advance is to ensure all of the layers are totally dry. Spin that lettuce in a salad spinner or blot with clean kitchen towels. Your peas should go in thawed, not frozen. Celery and onion aren’t water-logged anyway, so you’ll be good to go there. And the mayonnaise layer provides a nice moisture barrier for the cheese and bacon. I’m always surprised at how well the leftovers hold up here, too!
7 Layer Salad Recipe Tips & Variations:
- Hard Boiled Eggs: Not in my Seven layer salad! But many people say that’s how they make it.
- Miracle Whip: Substitute Miracle Whip for the mayo if you are a Miracle Whip fan. The only difference between them is that the salad dressing Miracle Whip already has added sugar, paprika, and garlic powder.
- Sour cream: Some cooks love mixing half mayo, half sour cream for a tangier dressing.
- Parmesan cheese:Â A few tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese taste great added to the mayo.
- Extra veggies: Change out your layers for different vegetables like bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, scallions
- More toppings: Not traditional, but avocado, olives, and crunchy fried onions are so good!
More delicious salads:
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Seven Layer Salad Recipe
IngredientsÂ
- 1 head lettuce shredded
- 1/2 cup red onion diced (see note 1)
- 2-3 celery ribs sliced (about 1 cup)
- 12 ounces frozen peas thawed (see note 2)
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (see note 3)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 pound bacon fried and crumbled
InstructionsÂ
- Spread the lettuce evenly in the bottom of a glass bowl. Top with red onion, celery, and peas.
- Spread mayonnaise on top of celery and sprinkle with sugar. Top with cheddar cheese and bacon. Cover and chill.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Red onion: I love the color of this one, but you can substitute white, yellow, or sweet onion if you prefer. Tame harsh raw onions by soaking in ice water for 10 minutes, then draining well.
- Peas: Run frozen peas under cold water until thawed and drain well.
- Sugar: A little sugar transforms your mayo into salad dressing, but you can leave it out if you want to.
My great-aunt Ethel used to make this very salad for our family parties. Her salad included 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper layered between the onions and celery, and 1/4 cup Parmesan mixed in with the mayo and sugar for the dressing. Other than that, it was exactly the same recipe we’ve loved for decades!
I love this salad. We have been making this for years and everyone loves it. As you said you can change up the ingredients a bit to your liking. We use chopped cauliflower in place of the celery. And I put equal amounts of wine vinegar and sugar into the mayonnaise. Then I mix in about a half a cup of grated parmesan. I am making it now and can’t wait till it is ready.
That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing the variation Carole! 😀
We used to eat this! My Mom would serve with pita pockets. So good with this salad stuffed inside.
Ooooh!! That sounds wonderful! I will add pita pockets to my grocery list next time I make this salad! 🙂
My mom used Swiss cheese and not cheddar. No egg either although I am a fan. 24 hr salad is what she called it, always assembled the day before. I remember complaining about it as a kid but I love it now.
Does it have to be a glass bowl
Definitely not! I just did that so you could see the layers and know how to arrange it. My mom usually made it in a plastic green bowl and you couldn’t see inside. But where I come from, everyone knows what 7 layer salad is so the bowl doesn’t matter. 🙂 Good luck and thanks!
I made this, but replaced the mayo with ranch dressing and it was delish!
That sounds wonderful! Being from Wisconsin, ranch dressing is near and dear to my heart!
This seven layer salad is really good. This is the first time I made one and I can not stop eating it.
Glad that you love it! I know the feeling of not being able to stop, it happens to me every time!
How many cheeses can i use? I had it before with more cheeses
Hi Keith! You should use as much cheese as you want. There is no upper limit on the amount of cheese you can add (or kinds). Any chance you’re from Wisconsin? I like you’re style. 😀
Can you mix it all up right before serving?
Yes, you definitely can! That’s a good way to make sure everyone gets some of everything. Because when I’m at a party, I just scrape ALL the bacon and cheese right off the top…. just kidding. But if I’m honest, I want to.
I forgot the sugar on top of the mayo, so I sprinkled it over the bacon. Sure hope it doesn’t ruin the flavor. What do you think?
I’m taking it to a ladies card night .
Hi Kay, it won’t really ruin the flavor. However, the sugar on the mayo sweetens it a bit. I think you’ll be fine though. If people like mayo, they’ll love it no matter what.
I had no idea layered salads were an American classic, Meggan!
You can buy them from a ‘posh’ supermarket here in the UK, but it isn’t something people usually make at home.
Love all the goodies you’ve chosen (well, that your mom chose!) to put in this. 🙂
Wow, and I had no idea they were so ‘posh!’ 😉