Description
A classic and colorful 7 Layer Salad featuring crisp iceberg lettuce, fresh vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, shredded cheddar cheese, and crispy bacon, all topped with a creamy, slightly sweet mayonnaise dressing. Perfect for potlucks, picnics, or as a vibrant side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Layers
- 1 small head iceberg lettuce, rinsed, dried, and chopped (about 5 cups)
- 1 cup red onion, chopped (about 1 small)
- 2 cups green pepper, chopped (about 3 medium)
- 1 ½ cups Roma tomatoes, chopped and diced (about 3 medium)
- 6 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped into 8 pieces each
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed (divided, a few tablespoons reserved for topping)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 6 to 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Dressing
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the Salad Base: Layer the chopped iceberg lettuce evenly at the bottom of your serving dish, followed by the chopped red onion, green pepper, diced Roma tomatoes, chopped hard-boiled eggs, and most of the thawed peas, reserving a couple of tablespoons of peas for the topping.
- Make the Dressing: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise with the granulated sugar. Stir well until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture is smooth.
- Apply the Dressing: Spread the prepared mayonnaise dressing evenly over the top of the layered peas, creating a smooth, white layer covering the salad.
- Add Toppings: Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the mayonnaise layer, followed by the crumbled bacon. Finally, garnish with the reserved peas for a pop of color on the very top.
Notes
- Use fresh, crisp iceberg lettuce for the best texture.
- Bacon can be baked or fried until crispy, then crumbled for convenience.
- Hard-boiled eggs should be cooled completely and peeled before chopping.
- The salad can be prepared a few hours ahead and refrigerated to allow flavors to meld.
- Adjust sugar in dressing for sweetness preference or substitute with a sugar alternative if desired.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes (mainly for boiling eggs and cooking bacon)
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: 7 layer salad, layered salad, bacon salad, classic American salad, picnic salad, potluck salad
