Seven Layer Salad
This easy-to-make seven-layer salad is a classic for good reason. Yet this version is a game-changer. We all have that one person we need to keep an eye on when bacon is involved! Because these are made individual-sized, everyone gets equal portions of the delicious layers of veggies, cheddar, and bacon!
Salads, like casseroles, are great dishes to add (and remove) ingredients you and your humans prefer. We’re big on onions in this house, so I added two varieties to this recipe.
When interchanging ingredients, focus on liquidity. Ask yourself if your component will make it too wet or too dry. Chopped olives patted dry would be a great addition to this salad. Red peppers from a jar would be too limp and soggy. Gorgonzola crumbles would benefit this salad, whereas sour cream would not. Have fun making these recipes into your favorites!
Seven Layer Salad
Ingredients
Lettuce Mix
- 1 head lettuce shredded
- 2-3 tbsp mayonnaise
Layering Ingredients
- ½ cup red onion diced
- ½ cup green scallions sliced
- 1 cup celery ribs diced
- 12 ounces frozen peas thawed
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded fine
- ½ pound bacon baked and cut into strips with scissors
Instructions
- Place each mold on a flat plate, bowl scraper or metal sheet pan with no sides. This is important so you can slide the mold onto your serving plate when you're ready to plate the salad.
- Combined the lettuce and a few tablespoons of mayonnaise until just wet. The goal is to help keep the lettuce from falling apart when you unmold the salad. You don't want to make it soggy. Less is better in this instance.1 head lettuce, 2-3 tbsp mayonnaise
- Spread the lettuce evenly in the bottom of the mold filling halfway. Evenly distribute and top with the red onion, scallion, and celery. Finish with a layer of peas.½ cup red onion, ½ cup green scallions, 1 cup celery ribs, 12 ounces frozen peas
- Evenly distribute and spread the mayonnaise over the peas with an offset spatula. Distribute and sprinkle the mayonnaise with the sugar and cover it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and no longer than six in the lower portion of your refrigerator (coldest).1 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- When ready to serve, carefully slide each mold onto a serving plate. Garnish with cheddar cheese and bacon. Serve immediately.1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, ½ pound bacon
Kitchen Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
De Froid Tip: Molds and Cutters
As you gain confidence in your cooking skills, molds and cutters are fun yet practical kitchen gadgets that can be used in various ways. If kept properly, they can last a lifetime.
Stack up salads and sides for individual-sized eye-catching portions. Mold refrigerated and frozen desserts like a pastry chef! Use the fluted edge of a cutter to make homemade crackers or dog biscuits. Your imagination is the limit to creating masterpieces using these drawer-sized gadgets.
Welcome to Foodie de Froid!
If you love real food, take pleasure in eating, and strive for mouth-watering flavor, you have come to the right place. Here the star of the show IS the food, presenting it in a way that makes it shine.
Tasting Experiences
We feature many appetizers and individual-sized recipes as a purposeful way to experience and share food.
Our mouth reacts to flavors in a transitional way. That first taste creates an exciting experience with the food’s intense flavors, textures, and visual appeal. Yet after the first few bites, our mouths and minds adjust, and that experience deadens.
Thus, the tasting experience! We served 14 consecutive courses at my last tasting party. Each was purposely selected to bring new flavors, textures, and presentations, creating surprises and wow moments throughout the night.
The Recipes
The recipes are documented with ingredients we love. Yet my greatest hope is to have you understand why the recipes work and eventually make them into your personal version using your favorite ingredients and presentations.