We’re kicking it old fashioned at present with a Southern favourite that was 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 collectively, it stars at any potluck or vacation.
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Why You’ll Love This Traditional Salad Recipe
- Stunner. In the case of presentation, conventional 7 layer salad is a show-stealer. Each stunning layer stands out.
- Enjoyable and Completely different. Layer salad shouldn’t be tossed; friends use lengthy tongs to achieve down by way of the salad from the highest and seize a few of each layer. It’s surprising and pleasant.
- Make-Forward Pleasant. 7 layer salad may be made the evening earlier than, so it’s ultimate for entertaining.
- Retro (in a Good Manner). For those who grew up within the Midwest, seeing a “salad” that accommodates extra bacon, eggs, cheese, and mayo than precise greens most likely gained’t shock you (proper this method to Wholesome Potato Salad, Ramen Salad, and Shrimp Pasta Salad in the event 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, however what constitutes every of the seven layers varies. In reality, even “conventional” sources for a layered salad recipe (Kraft, Betty Crocker, Pioneer Girl) don’t completely agree.
Right here’s my tackle this recipe:
- I swapped the iceberg lettuce for extra flavorful and nutritious romaine.
- I added further veggies for coloration and crunch.
- The normally bland dressing is amped up with Parmesan and garlic.
- As a substitute of mayo (or Miracle Whip) and sugar within the dressing, I used Greek yogurt and honey.
- I lower down on the bacon a bit of. The unique requires a full pound, which (belief me, I by no means thought I’d say this) actually was an excessive amount of. It disrupted the concord of the opposite substances.
- For cheese, this recipe opts for an additional sharp cheddar. You will get away with much less however nonetheless have the full-on style impact.
Make 7 Layer Salad
The Substances
- Romaine. Crisp, cool, and durable, romaine is the perfect alternative for this salad. Its texture can stand as much as the hefty load of different substances and gained’t change into soggy as shortly.
- Bacon. Crispy, smoky bacon is a must have element of this salad. Bacon additionally helps make this salad extra filling. You can also swap the bacon for diced ham for the same impact.
- Onerous Boiled Eggs. A creamy complement to the crispy bacon. The eggs add wealthy taste, protein, and wholesome fat.
- Purple Onion. Soaking the pink onion in water first removes its harshness, leaving only a trace of chunk. You too can swap inexperienced onions, no have to soak.
- Tomatoes. Juicy cherry tomatoes add a beautiful sweetness to the salad and style incredible with the eggs and bacon.
- Frozen Peas. A straightforward means so as to add extra veggies. Whereas not everybody loves inexperienced peas in salad, right here they work.
- Further Sharp Cheddar Cheese. The daring, tacky taste of additional sharp cheddar doesn’t get misplaced amongst the opposite substances.
- Greek Yogurt Dressing. A easy mixture of Greek yogurt, Parmesan, honey (my swap for white sugar), apple cider vinegar, salt, and garlic powder. It’s creamy, tacky, tangy, salty, and a bit of candy.
The Instructions
- Get Prepared. Cook dinner the bacon, hard-boil the eggs, and soak the pink onion.
- Make the Dressing. It will likely be thick and creamy.
- Layer the Greens. They make the recent base.
- Add Some Colour. Tomatoes and pink onions add a reasonably stripe.
- Layer the Peas and Eggs. It’s lookin’ purty!
- Smear the Dressing Over the Prime. It will likely be a thick layer.
- Add the Good Stuff. Bacon and shredded cheese.
- Chill. For a minimum of 1 hour. Then ENJOY!
Make It in Advance
As much as 1 day upfront, exhausting boil the eggs (I prefer to make Instantaneous Pot Boiled Eggs), cook dinner the bacon, and soak/chop the pink onion. You too can chop the tomatoes and romaine and shred the cheddar cheese. Refrigerate every ingredient till you’re prepared to complete the recipe.
What to Serve with 7 Layer Salad
Recipe Suggestions and Methods
- Play Round. Use this recipe as a place to begin and be happy to swap in different greens (or do greater than 7 layers!). For instance, you are able to do a 7 layer salad with cauliflower florets, broccoli, celery, cucumber, corn, pink bell peppers, and even avocado!
- Get that Bacon Crispy. You need it so as to add some good crunch. See Baked Bacon within the Oven and Air Fryer Bacon for straightforward strategies to cook dinner good, crispy bacon.
- Don’t Skip the Eggs and Bacon. Sadly, I wouldn’t suggest making this a vegan or vegetarian 7 layer salad, because the bacon and exhausting boiled eggs are actually what make the salad style its finest.
- Make It With Ranch. I believe ranch dressing by itself could be too skinny for a seven layer salad, which wants a dressing thick sufficient to face as its personal layer with out dripping into the leaves. For those who’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.
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For the Salad:
- 8 ounces center-cut bacon
- 4 massive eggs
- 2/3 cup chopped pink onion
- 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce from about 2 romaine hearts (12 ounces chopped romaine)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 (10-ounce) package deal frozen peas thawed
- 2/3 cup freshly shredded further sharp cheddar cheese use yellow cheddar for essentially the most coloration distinction
- Cook dinner and crumble or chop the bacon (see Baked Bacon within the Oven and Air Fryer Bacon for straightforward strategies). Place the pink onion in a small bowl and canopy with chilly water. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
Onerous boil the eggs: Deliver a medium pot of salted water to a boil. With a slotted spoon, gently decrease the eggs into the boiling water. Alter the warmth to keep up a delicate, regular simmer. Let the eggs simmer at this low, mild boil for 8 minutes for barely jammy yolks (or cook dinner as much as 9 minutes for totally set yolks). Within the meantime, put together 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 return them to the water (this makes them simpler to peel). Peel and chop.
Put together the dressing: in a medium bowl, stir collectively the Greek yogurt, Parmesan, honey, vinegar, salt, and garlic powder. Style and alter seasoning as desired.
Place the romaine within the backside of a LARGE, flat, clear serving bowl—you need to have the ability to see the layers and unfold them evenly; a trifle bowl works properly in case you have one.
Subsequent, construct the salad layers, spreading every evenly. Begin with the tomatoes and pink onions.
Add the peas and eggs.
Unfold the dressing evenly excessive. Layer on the cheese, then the bacon. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour (or in a single day).
To serve, use lengthy salad tongs or an identical lengthy spoon that may will let you attain down by way of the layers. Be certain every serving has a bit of of all the things.
- TIP: Relying upon the dimensions of your serving bowl, you could want to regulate the portions of every layer. Use your judgment and have enjoyable with it.
- TO STORE: Cowl 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 fridge 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: 6gVitamin A: 3947IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 164mgIron: 2mg
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