The recipe prices will vary based on fluctuating grocery costs. Please use what is posted as a guide.
Seven Layer Salad is a delicious, crunchy, bright salad recipe that’s great for potlucks, BBQs, and even holidays like Thanksgiving.
This salad makes eight servings and costs about $10.09 to make. That is about $1.26 per serving!
To help you bring more great salad options to potlucks and BBQs, we have several options we recommend. Check out our Dorito Taco Salad, our Easy 5 Bean Salad, and our Chicken Pasta Salad.
7 Layer Salad is a vintage recipe that will take you straight to your Grandma’s kitchen table! We remember it being at all our family gatherings as kids.
We are sharing our love of this salad with you here today. The layers in this salad are made up of beautifully bright and colorful ingredients that are crunchy and delicious.
The salad is packed full of protein with bacon and eggs. It’s topped with a creamy salad dressing that brings the flavors of the 7 layers of ingredients together.
This salad is easy to assemble and even easier to customize. For example, suppose you do not like green onions; substitute something else for them, like chopped celery. The options of what you can layer in this salad are endless.
Serve this blast from the past at your next family dinner, and let’s get a new generation started on loving this Seven Layer Salad recipe as much as we all do!
Ingredients and Cost
RECIPE COST: $10.09
PRICE PER SERVING: $1.26
- ½ cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip – $0.80
- ½ cup sour cream – $0.72
- 1 Tablespoon sugar – $0.02
- ½ head iceberg lettuce – $0.64
- 4 large eggs – $0.40
- 8 strips bacon – $1.68
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes – $1.97
- ½ cup red onion – $0.48
- 1 cup frozen peas – $0.42
- 2 cups mild cheddar cheese – $2.56
- 4 green onions – $0.40
To find out more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.
Instructions
- First, make the dressing. Then set it aside.
- Next, add the ingredients to a trifle bowl, starting with the lettuce.
- Slice the eggs and add them along the sides of the bowl.
- Then layer the remaining ingredients spreading the dressing over the top layer.
- Finally, sprinkle with additional cheese and peas before covering with plastic wrap. Chill for four hours before serving.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- The amount of lettuce needed depends on the size of the serving bowl you are using.
- You may need to adjust the other ingredients depending on the size of your serving bowl.
- Sometimes I like to give the seven layer salad dressing a flavor kick by adding ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
- There are so many variations to this salad out there, so feel free to use your favorite ingredients. We’ve seen this salad with other ingredients like chopped celery, red kidney beans, fresh herbs like dill, cauliflower, Parmesan cheese, avocado, crunchy fried onions, bleu cheese, etc.
- You can make seven layer salad with Miracle Whip or mayo. It’s really a flavor preference, so use what you like!
Storage Tips
Serve: You can keep the salad out for two hours before it needs to covered and stored in the refrigerator.
Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. You can make the salad 24 hours ahead of time.
Freeze: Generally, salads do not freeze well, and this one is no exception. Therefore, we do not suggest freezing this salad.
Cook’s Tools
- measuring cups
- cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- measuring spoons
- whisk
- Trifle bowl
- mixing bowl
Recipe FAQs
The bottom layer is lettuce. Next are the sliced eggs. From there, you will layer the bacon, cherry tomatoes, red onions, peas, grated cheese, and green onions. Top with the salad dressing and another light layer of grated cheese and peas.
This salad is an American dish that first became popular in the 1950s in the South. The original name of the dish was Seven Layer Pea Salad because of all the peas in the recipe. We are sure glad the name changed over the years to what it is known as today. “Pea” salad does not sound that appetizing!
There are three main things to keep in mind when making a salad. First, are you using fresh ingredients? This is a must! No one likes mushy tomatoes in their salad. Second, do the flavors blend? The dressing in this salad blends all the flavors beautifully. Third, is it appealing? The colorful layers are almost too pretty to eat! This salad takes the cake, so to say, as far as how beautiful its presentation is.
Get Kids Involved
Ages 2-3: Have your little one help put the lettuce in the bowl and then layer in the rest of the ingredients.
Ages 4-5: Your child can help measure and whisk together the ingredients to make the dressing. They can then help spread it on the salad.
Ages 6-8: Let your child layer the salad with your supervision. They will feel creative and artistic as they do this!
Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.
Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!
More $10 recipes:
- Classic Cheese Ball
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- Crockpot Cranberry Meatballs
- Easy Chia Pudding
- Green Bean Casserole
- Easy Mozzarella Sticks
- General Tso Chicken
- Hashbrown Casserole-Funeral Potatoes
- Healthy Waldorf Salad
- Homemade Chunky Applesauce
- Mexican Fruit Salad
- Mom’s Broccoli Casserole
- Nacho Fries
- Sausage Rolls
- Snickers Salad
- Sweet Potato Casserole
Seven Layer Salad
Equipment
- measuring cups
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- Measuring spoons
- whisk
- Trifle bowl
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
DRESSING:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
SALAD:
- ½ head 6-8 cups lettuce, chopped *** see notes
- 4 large eggs hard-boiled and sliced lengthwise
- 8 strips bacon cooked and roughly chopped
- 1 ½ cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup red onion finely chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed
- 2 cups mild cheddar cheese grated
- 4 green onions green parts sliced thinly, for garnish
Instructions
MAKE DRESSING:
- In a medium bowl, whisk all dressing ingredients until well combined, set aside.
PREP SALAD:
- In a large glass serving bowl with straight sides(we use trifle bowls), add lettuce.
- Slice and add the eggs, layering them along the sides.
- Continue with additional ingredients, adding the layers one on top of the other.
- Spread the dressing over the top layer.
- Sprinkle with additional shredded cheese and peas and cover with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight before serving.
- Before serving, add more bacon and green onions to the top, if desired.
Notes
- The amount of lettuce needed depends on the size of the serving bowl you are using.
- You may need to adjust the other ingredients depending on the size of your serving bowl.
Ashley says
This is such a great salad, especially for a crowd. Will definitely make this again soon!
Natalie says
Oh wow, that salad looks delicious. Quite impressive too! I’m having garden party next weekend. I’m making this for my guests. Thanks!