This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
This delicious traditional 7 layer salad recipe is a cold pea salad made with cauliflower, bacon, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese. This original, old-fashioned 7 layer salad is served with mayonnaise dressing, for a crisp, crunchy, and soft salad that is great for summer picnics, potlucks, and gatherings!
Yummy Seven Layer Salad Recipe!
- 3 Simple Steps – Prep the veggies, make the dressing, add the layers. That’s it!
- Delicious Texture Party – Crisp, crunchy red onions and fresh veggies go well with soft cauliflower and creamy mayo dressing.
- Your New Favorite Salad for picnics and get-togethers along with Italian pasta salad and Asian cabbage salad!
7 Layer Salad With Cauliflower
Welcome to the delightfully tasty 7 Layer Salad! This seven layer salad recipe boasts 7 beautiful layers including peas, cauliflower, tomatoes, and red onions topped with mouthwatering homemade dressing, cheddar cheese, bacon, and green onions that make for a gorgeous centerpiece at any holiday gathering. It makes the perfect companion to classic dishes like Pineapple Casserole.
What is an Old-Fashioned 7 Layer Salad?
A traditional seven layer salad recipe includes bacon, mayo with sugar, lettuce, cheese, and peas, with the remaining vegetable ingredients being easily swapped according to preference.
7 Layer Salad – Southern Ingredients
So, what’s in a 7-layer salad, anyway? You’ll find that the seven layer salad consists of 7 layers, including: 5 layers of veggies, 1 layer of dressing, and 1 layer of toppings.
- 1: Lettuce
- 2: Grape tomatoes
- 3: Red onion
- 4: Cauliflower or your fave chopped vegetables or hard-boiled eggs
- 5: Peas
- 6: Mayonnaise dressing for seven layer salad
- 7: Toppings – cheddar cheese, bacon, and green onions and/or dill
For another impressive salad, try this delicious Christmas Salad.
How to Make a 7 Layer Salad
To make the original seven layer salad recipe, you’ll first do a good bit of washing and chopping, then layering and topping. Easy, right? Let’s begin.
- Set out a glass salad bowl. Wash and chop vegetables.
- For the dressing: using a cute tiny whisk, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, parmesan cheese, sugar, salt and pepper to a small bowl.
- For the 7 layers: create layers of lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, cauliflower, peas, the mayonnaise salad dressing, and the toppings. Enjoy old fashioned 7 layer salad!
Q&A
- Can you make 7 layer salad the night before? Yes, but add the dressing and toppings right before serving. This salad is best served within 1 day of assembling.
- How Long Does 7 Layer Pea Salad Last in the Fridge? The 7 Layer Salad lasts about 2-3 days in the fridge. However, serving the first day or two is best.
- Can I change any of the ingredients in this salad recipe? Yes, swap the fresh veggies with your faves, like broccoli, olives, and more. Swap the toppings with different cheeses and herbs.
Recommended Tools
Do you love it?
This recipe was so fun to make! I hope you have as much fun as Erik and I did. Take a pic of your creation and tag us @beamingbaker and #beamingbaker on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest! ‘Til next time… Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️
Original Salad Recipes
I love making homemade salad dressing like Asian salad dressing for these incredible salad recipes!
Seven Layer Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, optional
- 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Salad
- 1 head lettuce, – rinsed, dried, and shredded or chopped
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup red onion, about 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cups cauliflower, or chopped vegetables of choice – artichoke hearts, celery, etc. Or boiled eggs
- 10 oz package frozen peas, thawed
Topping
- 8-10 oz shredded cheddar cheese
- ¾ cup bacon, cooked and chopped
- Fresh dill and green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Set aside a glass bowl such as this glass salad bowl.
- Add Dressing ingredients to a medium bowl: mayonnaise, sour cream, parmesan cheese, sugar, salt and pepper. Whisk until well mixed. Keep covered in refrigerator until needed.
- Layer each Salad ingredient in a single, even layer in the bowl: lettuce, grape tomatoes, red onion, vegetables of choice, and peas.
- Spread Dressing evenly over the salad. Sprinkle Toppings on top: cheddar cheese, bacon, fresh dill and green onions. Cover and store in the refrigerator until chilled. Enjoy!
- ★ Last Step: If you made this recipe, leave a comment and review. It truly helps our small business keep running and it helps readers like you!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this and it is delicious! I did substitute a couple items because I didn’t have them (red peppers for tomatoes and broccoli for cauliflower). The dressing is really good! I used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream(which I didn’t have) and added some freshly squeezed lemon. My husband said he really liked the dressing. We think it’s better than ranch dressing. I’m sure I’ll be making this again. An added plus is that it’s also low carb. Thank you!
That’s so great to hear, DeeAnn! Glad to know all the ingredient subs worked out, and I’m so happy you both enjoyed the salad dressing! And yay for low carb salads! 😊
I have long wondered, because the recipes never state, how to serve this salad. Do you mix the whole thing? Do people dig in one at a time?
Hi Poma! I usually dig straight down to make sure I serve a little bit of each layer. Hope this helps! 🙂
Really enjoyed this recipe
So glad you liked the salad, Jaime!
I just made this last week and it turned out perfect. The layers are so bright and flavorful. I can’t wait to make again
That’s awesome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it. 😊
I loved this salad. There is so much going on in terms of both flavor and texture. Will definitely be making again!
Yes! It’s a great way to bring in a lot of wonderful flavors and textures to any meal.
I brought this salad to an early Friendsgiving party the other day, and everybody loved it.
Aww how sweet of you! Glad to hear it was a hit. 🙂
This 7 layer salad looks so presentable for a group dinner! Made it for some friends and they all loved it.
Woohoo! Glad it was able to impress your friends, Ali! 🙂
Every bite does indeed look amazing! All of the flavors are incredible. And I love these vibrant colors.
Yay! The colors might be my favorite part, too.