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Aug 28, 2021

The Ultimate Layered Salad

This layered salad with iceberg, baby spinach, bacon, and peas (and lots of other veggies) is a reminder of those potlucks and recipe books put together by church groups, babysitting co-ops, charity groups, and women's clubs. Not necessarily high brow, but definitely tasty.

The Ultimate Layered Salad #salad #layeredsalad



This Ultimate Layered Salad has twelve layers if you count the dressing.

This is a comfort food salad. It's hearty and filling with the old fashioned iceberg lettuce, a pound of bacon, hard boiled eggs, cheddar cheese, peas, topped with a mayonnaise and sour cream dressing.

Sometimes you just need a little throw back salad. It's perfect for a picnic, family reunion.....  or a bunco party!!!


Layered salad in a clear glass bowl



How to make a layered salad: 

This salad is super easy to make. One of the nice things about making a layered salad is that you can (and should) make it in advance, and refrigerate it for up to 8 hours. 

On a bed of iceberg lettuce and baby spinach, you layer the eggs, bacon, tomatoes, carrots, onions, bell pepper, celery, cheddar cheese, and peas. They you spread the dressing over the top, sealing the edges, and let it rest in the refrigerator. You toss the salad just before serving. 

You can vary the veggies in the salad, but be sure to keep the iceberg, spinach, eggs, bacon, cheddar, and peas. They definitely make the salad. 

Use a clear glass bowl or trifle dish so that you can see the pretty layers. Be sure to arrange the bulk of the layers around the edges and fill in the middle with more lettuce as needed, especially if your bowl is wider. 

More Salad Recipes:

Wilted Mixed Green Salad

Mixed Greens, Corn, and Peach Salad

Cabbage Salad with Apples and Pecans




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This week, the From Our Dinner Table Group is featuring layered salads, a favorite of potlucks, picnics, and old school community cookbooks. 


Layering Up Salads


We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you're at it, join our Pinterest board, too!



Twelve Layer Salad with iceberg, baby spinach, bacon, and peas (and lots of other veggies)  #salad #layeredsalad


I've updated this post from seven years ago with new photos and a printable recipe. I'm still not very precise with my layers, but I still think it's bright and colorful. I hope you give this a try!


Salad, lettuce, iceberg, spinach, bacon, peas
Salad
American
Yield: 12 servings

The Ultimate Layered Salad Recipe

ingredients

For the Salad
  • 1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped (you may not use all of it)
  • 6 ounces baby spinach
  • Salt and pepper
  • 6 hard boiled eggs, roughly chopped
  • 1 pound (16 ounces) bacon, cooked, drained, and chopped
  • 1 heaping cup cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 6 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
  • 2-3 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
  • 8 ounces frozen peas, partially thawed
For the Dressing
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon sugar

instructions

  1. Layer the salad ingredients, beginning with the iceberg lettuce, and then the spinach, hard boiled eggs, bacon, tomatoes, carrots, red and green onions, bell pepper, celery, cheddar, and top with the peas, adding salt and pepper to taste every few layers. For the layers to stand out, concentrate the layer ingredients around the sides of the bowl, sprinkling the rest over the middle, and adding lettuce to fill it in. 
  2. Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, and sugar and spread it over the top of the peas from edge to edge of the bowl. 
  3. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight. Toss the salad right before serving. 
Created using The Recipes Generator

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Would you like to comment?

  1. Hi Karen, I love recipes with a little story behind them, this is wonderful.

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  2. 12 layers are better than 7 every time. This looks absolutely fantabulous, Karen!

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    1. Thanks Carlee. Yep. I just need to keep adding layers ha ha!

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  3. I've not seen a salad layered like this the day before to be tossed before serving. I like it! The more recipes I can make ahead for events the better.

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  4. I really do need to think about serving a salad like this one at my next party! It's just so pretty!

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  5. More salad, the better! I love the layers, great presentation

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  6. I've never made a layered salad before but this looks incredible. I must try it.

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  7. I love all of those bright colors! This would be a welcomed addition to springtime picnics and potlucks!

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  8. you would imagine that salads could be ok for a poor soul wearing braces... but... it's one of the trickiest things to enjoy, especially if there are crunchy bits like radicchio, iceberg lettuce, or... worst of all... raw carrots... (sigh)

    so I admire this beauty and long for the day I can wolf a huge portion down...

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  9. Mmm! I have not made this salad in a while. I have to make it again real soon!

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  10. Ultimate for sure! I love layered salads. They are so perfect for summer entertaining.

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  11. My mouth is watering! Sounds so yummy :) Can't wait to try it. Thanks for the amazing recipe.

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  12. This is one of my favorite salads of all times! So simple to assemble and you can add any layer you like! Sometimes mine ends up being about 10 layers LOL.

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  13. This is a fantastic one! So many layers! Love it!

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  14. This is one gorgeous salad with all the beautiful layers. All those great flavors! I remember these from neighborhood parties and church pot luck dinners. Your post reminded me of all those fun times. It is fun when food reminds you of years past.

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  15. I love the nostalgia component of this--I might have to add some blue cheese to the dressing! But this is much prettier than any of my salad memories!

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  16. Great and perfect recipe. Thank you so much for sharing this healthy content.

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