Overnight Salad (Seven Layer Salad) {Go on!}

These seven layers salad is the perfect night salad! It’s a quick, family-friendly, easy to make side dish! Layers of crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, sweet peas and eggs are smothered in a light creamy dressing and topped with cheese and bacon.

We make this most often for potlucks, picnics, and of course alongside our holiday ham and scalloped potatoes!

What’s in a layered salad

Almost any fresh vegetable can fit into a seven-layer salad, but this is our favorite. Remember how colorful the layers are in this recipe and add some more to make your own salad!

My toppings list (plus dressing).

1. salad
2. tomatoes
3. Peas
4. eggs
5. Onions (red or green)
6. Cheese
7. bacon

While this is a seven-layer salad… there’s no reason why it can’t be a 10-layer salad if you want! Why not add shredded zucchini, red cabbage, or carrots for a little extra color? Chopped celery, water chestnuts, and diced red, yellow, or orange bell peppers add a little extra crunch, too!

Layer all of these delicious ingredients in one nice little thing for a fancy display, or try a 9×13 glass bowl for convenience!

dressing

This recipe uses a classic mayonnaise-based dressing (although I also love a good ranch 7-layer salad)! I don’t suggest using reduced-fat or light ingredients as they can get watery in this recipe.

How to make a layered salad overnight

This layered salad is as easy as 1, 2, 3 and is best prepared the night before This makes dinner a breeze!

1. Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Layer ingredients in a salad bowl over a bed of lettuce (save the cheese and bacon just before serving).
3. Spread the dressing over the salad up to the edges of the inside of the bowl.

Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours. Top with cheese and bacon and serve!

How far in advance can you make it

The best time to make overnight layered salad is the night before, or at least four hours. Much sooner than that and the dressing might make the salad a little soggy.

Be sure to layer carefully, ladle the dressing on top, seal with plastic wrap or in a container with a tight-fitting lid, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Garnish the top with bacon bits and get ready to watch them disappear!

leftovers?

Unfortunately, freezing a layered lettuce (or any other salad recipe) isn’t a good idea. Frozen veggies will go mushy, and sour cream and mayonnaise will also break and separate once thawed.

Leftovers keep for up to a week. The dressing can get a little watery as the veggies lose some of their moisture, but the flavor is still amazing!

Simple and tasty salads