This easy homemade seven-layer salad is the perfect side dish! With seven beautiful layers and the perfect creamy dressing. this salad is great for potlucks, family gatherings, BBQs, picnics, and more!

a scoop of salad being taken out of the dish with a wooden spoon

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I’ve been eating this seven layered salad ever since I can remember, not only has it been a staple on our Easter table for the past 20 years, but it’s also something I find at nearly every party, potluck, picnic, and cookout. I guess there is just something about this quick and easy salad recipe that everyone loves.

Maybe because it can be thrown together so fast, or because you can easily make it with whatever you have on hand. Or perhaps it’s the fact it can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for days!

It’s probably a combination of everything listed above that has made this salad such a classic recipe, and it’s no wonder to me that it has stood the test of time. Seven layer or 7-layer salad, became popular down south in the 1950s where it was commonly called seven layered pea salad. And today you can find it nearly everywhere, even in restaurants! It’s especially known today as a classic midwestern salad, which would explain why I grew up eating it so often.

If you’ve never had a seven-layer salad before, this easy salad is made in a variety of different ways, with all sorts of different vegetables and everyone has their one take on the classic seven-layer salad dressing!

The common ground for this salad is that they all have 7 distinct layers. (some people count the dressing as a layer some don’t.) They all start with chopped lettuce and are topped with a creamy dressing, usually made with mayo

Everyone seems to have their own seven layer salad recipe, and I’m no exception to that. Below you’ll find my quick and delicious recipe for seven-layer salad. Plus my thoughts on what makes the best homemade dressing!

an overhead picture of seven layer salad

Miracle Whip vs. Mayonnaise

There has always been a long debate surrounding seven-layer salad and what makes the best mayonnaise dressing. Real mayo or miracle whip? Like I said before my family has been making this salad for at least the past 20 years, and needless to say we’ve tried and made our fair share of dressings. And I can honestly say, it really doesn’t matter.

More often than not I use Miracle Whip to make the dressing for the salad, probably because that was what I was raised on. And after all Miracle Whip is just a brand of salad dressing, it says so right on the jar.

But I’ve also made this salad with real mayo, cheap mayo, and good quality mayo, I’ve also made it with homemade mayo. And I can honestly say the only time anyone has ever complained about the dressing was the one time we tried making it with any kind of mayo. So while I might prefer my Miracle Whip dressing, others swear by their real mayo dressing, and at the end of the day it’s completely up to you!

a close up on a scoop of salad on a wooden spoon

Homemade Seven Layer Salad

Salad Ingredients

iceberg lettuce, you can also use Romaine lettuce
frozen peas
celery, sliced
red onion, diced
sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
bacon
hard-boiled eggs, sliced

Dressing Ingredients

sour cream, you can also use Greek yogurt
salad dressing or mayonnaise, I like to use Miracle Whip
cane sugar
sea salt and black pepper to taste

How to Make Seven Layer Salad

In a skillet fry the bacon until cooked through and crisp. Transfer the crispy bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and allow it to cool, before crumbling it into small pieces.

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, and mayo, add the sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust as needed, sometimes you need more sugar, sometimes more salt or pepper, and sometimes all three! You will likely need more sugar if you are using real mayo versus salad dressing.

Roughly chop the iceberg lettuce into bite-sized pieces, and place it on the bottom of the bowl or dish of your choice. You can use a trifle dish, a trifle bowl, a clear glass bowl, a pretty glass bowl, or even a 9×13-inch cake pan for this recipe(which is what I like to use). Just be sure to use a clear bowl or dish, and be sure it is large enough to hold all your ingredients!

Assemble the salad using the following layers.

First Layer – chopped iceberg lettuce.

Second Layer -sprinkle the frozen peas over the top of the lettuce.

Third Layer – Add the sliced celery.

Fourth layer -Add the diced red onions.

Salad dressing – Using a spatula, carefully spread the dressing, as evenly as possible over the first four layers of the salad.

Fifth layer – sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the dressing.

Sixth Layer -layer the sliced hard-boiled eggs over the cheese.

Seventh Layer – and finally top the salad with crumbled bacon pieces.

Cover the finished salad tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Usually, this salad is prepared the day before it is served which is why you don’t have to worry about thawing the peas. If you are planning on serving it right away though, you’ll want to thaw your peas or use fresh ones!

Seven-Layer Salad can be made up to 2 days in advance, and will keep in the fridge for 5-7 days!

I love to use smoky bacon for this recipe, applewood smoked is my favorite!

Feel free to add any other veggies or any of your favorite salad toppings to this recipe. Some popular additions are sweet green peas, bell peppers, green pepper, green onions, Roma tomatoes, and cherry tomatoes.