Easy Layer Salad (Homemade Dressing) Peas, Tomatoes, Cucumber

This easy layer salad is a classic potluck and entertaining favorite that’s even better now that it’s got all the great layers!

Your guests will be fighting over the last of this make-ahead layered salad side, which includes lettuce, peas, tomatoes, cucumber, chopped eggs, bacon, cheese, and a lovely creamy dressing!

What Makes This Salad So Delectable?

• This classic salad recipe is ideal for summer. Crisp, flavorful bacon and fresh fruit are topped with a creamy, tangy dressing. YUM.
• It’s simple to build and beautiful to look at! When you want a savory and visually appealing side dish, this is the salad to choose. Bring this one when you want to impress a group without putting forth a lot of effort.
• It’s a simple recipe to customize. You can change the quantity of the components listed below or completely replace them with your favorites.
• This is something you might make the night before your event! Yes, the layer salad is a terrific make-ahead alternative. Just make sure you wrap everything in plastic wrap and carefully seal it. Because the tomatoes may make the other ingredients moist if left out for too long, if you’re making this more than 12 hours ahead of time, leave them out and add them shortly before serving. To keep the bacon crispy, I’d recommend leaving it off until just before serving.

Ingredients

(OK, you’re probably thinking, “Cheryl, this salad has nine layers!” “What’s the story?” I consider the dressing, cheddar cheese, and bacon to be one layer because they all go on top and finish everything off.)

Iceberg Lettuce — Because of its crunchy texture and firm structure, iceberg lettuce stands up nicely under all of the components and does not go soggy.

Red Onion — Perfect for salads, red onions hold up well to dressing and have the classic astringent onion flavor with a hint of sweetness.

Tomatoes — I used typical, full-sized tomatoes sliced into cubes for my 7-layer salad. If you like, you can use smaller tomatoes, such as cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half. For a different flavor, red bell peppers could be used for tomatoes.

Green peas provide a layer of luscious texture and sweetness to the dish. You can use frozen peas (thawed and drained), but we prefer fresh peas.

Cucumber – English English cucumbers are sweet, slender, and seedless, and lack the bitterness of their conventional counterparts.

Hard-boiled Eggs — The buttery yolks and soft egg whites add protein and texture to this salad.

Cheese, Cheddar – Cheddar is a significant component of this 7-layer salad, with a sharp and buttery flavor that balances the more mild ingredients.

We couldn’t leave out the crispy, salty bacon because it’s one of the finest aspects of a salad. Bacon actually (and figuratively) completes your 7-layer salad because it comes last!

What Is the Best Way to Serve a 7-Layer Salad?

First and foremost, the bowl you use for your seven-layer salad is crucial! Bowls with flat bottoms and straight, tall edges, such as a trifle bowl, are the easiest to work with.

If you don’t have a trifle bowl, any other bowl that meets the description will suffice. It doesn’t have to be a glass dish, but glass will show off your salad’s layers!

So, how about the serving itself? Is it necessary to combine everything?

Nope! Instead, reach all the way into the salad dish with a deep spoon with a long handle (longer than the height of the bowl’s sides!).

You’ll be able to remove a small portion of each layer while leaving the remainder of the salad intact!

Chef’s Advice

• You may not use the complete amount of each ingredient in this recipe depending on the size of your bowl. As needed, adjust the quantities!
• Want to cook a 7-layer salad that your vegan guests will enjoy? No worries! Leave out the eggs and add plant-based bacon bits or pieces in place of the cheddar cheese. Vegan McCormick Bac’n Pieces! You may also simply replace the dressing with your favorite vegan dressing.
• If you’re not using pre-cooked bacon or bacon slices on top of your 7-layer salad, you have a few options for cooking it! Bacon in the air fryer is quick and easy, but you could instead bake it in the oven!
• Try air fryer or Instant Pot methods for consistently flawless hard-boiled eggs, or use simple stovetop approach!
• It’s not necessary to chill the dressing for your 7-layer salad, but if you have the time, I encourage it! Chilling the dressing for at least 30 minutes allows the flavors to meld, making it tangier than if you mixed it right before assembling your salad.

Easy Layer Salad

This 7-layer salad is a classic potluck and entertaining favorite that’s even better now that it’s got all the best layers!

Your guests will be fighting over the last of this make-ahead layered salad side, which includes lettuce, peas, tomatoes, cucumber, chopped eggs, bacon, cheese, and a lovely creamy dressing!

Ingredients

For the Dressing

• ⅔ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
• 1 ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• 1 clove garlic pressed
• ¾ teaspoon salt

For the Salad

• 1 small head iceberg lettuce rinsed, patted dry, and shredded
• 6 whole hard-boiled eggs cubed
• 1 cup red onion diced
• 1 ½ cup tomatoes cubed
• 12 ounces peas thawed if frozen
• ½ of one English cucumber about 1 cup
• 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
• 1 pound bacon cooked and crumbled

Instructions

1. Combine parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, garlic, and salt in a small mixing bowl until smooth and creamy. Set aside and assemble salad right away, or chill dressing in refrigerator.
2. Layer each ingredient in this order in a dish with tall sides: Layer 1 (the bottom layer): lettuce, Layer 2: red onion, Layer 3: tomatoes, Layer 4: peas, Layer 5: cucumbers, Layer 6: hard-boiled eggs, Layer 7 (the top layer): dressing, cheddar cheese, and bacon

Notes

• You may not need the complete amount of each item in this recipe depending on the size of your bowl. As needed, adjust the quantities!
• Serve with a deep spoon so that you receive something from each layer! This will also ensure that the layer definition is preserved for as long as possible.
• Vegetarianize it: Use vegan bacon chunks and pieces.
• To make it vegan, leave out the bacon, delete the eggs, use vegan cheddar cheese, and use vegan dressing or plant-based mayo and parmesan.
• Cooking advice for bacon: Cooking it in the air fryer is simple and almost hands-free.
• Use my simple method on the stove or in the air fryer to hard boil eggs.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 462kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 41g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 142mg, Sodium: 738mg, Potassium: 310mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 815IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 169mg, Iron: 1mg, Net Carbs: 6g