Paula Deen 7-Layer Salad stacks romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, and radishes under a tangy sour cream dressing in one trifle dish. It feeds 10, needs just 15 minutes of hands-on work, and chills overnight. This is the salad that shows up at every Southern potluck, church supper, and cookout for a reason.
The dressing is what holds this salad together, and it has to seal the edges. If you leave gaps around the rim, air gets to the vegetables and they go limp overnight. Spread the sour cream and mayo mixture all the way to the sides of the dish. That seal keeps everything crisp during the 8-hour chill.
Make it the night before and let it chill the full 8 hours. Pull it out 15 minutes before serving so the dressing loosens up. Crumble the bacon fresh if you can. Pre-cooked bacon from the package works fine, but the texture is better when you fry it yourself.
Paula Deen 7-Layer Salad
Course: SaladCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy10
servings15
minutes390
kcalA cold layered salad built in a trifle dish with crisp vegetables, a creamy sour cream and mayonnaise dressing sealed over the top, and finished with cheddar and crumbled bacon. No cooking required. Assemble, chill overnight, and serve.
Ingredients
6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
4 cups seeded and chopped tomatoes
4 cups seeded and chopped cucumbers
1 (16-oz) package thawed frozen baby peas
½ cup sliced green onions
2 cups sliced radishes
2 cups Sour cream or light sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise or light mayonnaise
¼ cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt
¼ cup sugar, optional
1½ cups shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
Directions
- Layer the base: In a large trifle dish, layer lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber.
- Add peas and radishes: In a medium bowl, combine peas and green onion and layer on top of cucumber. Layer radishes over pea mixture.
- Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and, if using, sugar, stirring until smooth. Spread evenly over radish layer, sealing edges. Top with cheese and bacon.
- Chill and serve: Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
FAQs
Can you use iceberg lettuce instead of romaine?
You can, but romaine holds up better overnight. Iceberg gets waterlogged after the long chill and turns mushy by the time you serve it. Stick with romaine for the crunch.
How long does the salad keep in the fridge?
It’s best within the first 24 hours after assembly. After that the vegetables start releasing water and the layers get soggy. Make it the day before you need it, not two days out.
Can you add the cheese and bacon before the overnight chill?
Hold the cheese and bacon until right before serving if you want them to stay crisp. The moisture from the dressing softens cheese and makes bacon rubbery when they sit on top all night.
Why does the dressing look runny after chilling?
The vegetables release juice overnight, which thins the dressing layer. Make sure to drain the thawed peas well and seed the tomatoes and cucumbers before layering. Extra water from those three is usually the problem.
Do you have to use a trifle dish, or will any bowl work?
A trifle dish or clear glass bowl is the way to go because the layers are the whole point. A regular bowl hides them. Use something at least 3 quarts so the layers have room to stack without spilling over.
