California 7 Layer Salad Recipe - California Grown (2024)

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This 7 Layer Salad recipe skips the frozen peas and eggs (but keeps the bacon!) for more fresh veggies available year-round from California. The recipe comes courtesy of the Vessey family, fourth generation lettuce, leafy greens and vegetable farmers in Southern California’s Imperial Valley.

This layered overnight salad is endlessly customizable, making it a fabulous option for meal prep and a crowd pleaser too!

About our 7 Layer Salad Dressing:

Now you could use store bought mayo for your 7 Layer Salad, and that would be OK. Fine even. But why do that when this homemade mayonnaise by our friend Teri Turner ofnocrumbsleftis next-level easy and WAY more delicious? Stir in a bit of fresh garlic if you’re into that kind of thing, or just go with it as-is. Your salad – and your sandwiches, and everything else – will be better for it.The homemade mayo also blends easily into the salad ingredients, making the tossing process a little easier too.

Let’s talk layers:

We’re outlining the layers in our California 7 Layer Salad recipe, but you can make them your own! Swap ingredients as you choose, or add a couple of layers – there’s no rule that says you have to stick to seven. You’ll just want to keep the proportions pretty much the same. Here they are, layered bottom to top:

  • head of cabbage, shredded
  • small head of lettuce, shredded (or swap in diced broccoli/cauliflower)
  • medium red onion, chopped
  • bell peppers, chopped
  • homemade mayonnaise
  • bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • aged California cheddar or hard cheese
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Making this recipe for 7 Layer Salad your own (or vegetarian!):

California 7 Layer Salad Recipe - California Grown (3)

This recipe is endlessly customizable, just stick to the proportions: about 2 heads of chopped or shredded leafy greens or brassicas, 2-3 flavorful veggies: think sweet or spicy peppers, tomatoes, onions/green onions or shallots, 1-2 mix-ins: olives, bacon, cheese, eggs, pickles – and mayo or a creamy dressing to bring it all together.

Simply layer it all, pop it in the fridge for at least 4 hours – overnight is best – and toss it all together!

Serving this California Seven Layer Salad recipe:

You don’t need a fancy glass trifle bowl or even a salad bowl to make 7 Layer Salad, although both work well! You can layer the ingredients into a baking dish or even a large pot, and toss the following day. This recipe also works for as Mason Jar salads for meal prep! This recipe is perfect for barbeques or as a side for grilled proteins – it’s essentially a kicked up overnight coleslaw, and adds great flavor as a layer on sandwiches.

California 7 Layer Salad Recipe - California Grown (4)

Serving suggestions for this layered overnight salad:

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Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with BBQ SaucefromA Girl Defloured

This Pulled Chicken Sandwich meal comes together in minutes but tastes like it simmered for hours, thanks to the Instant Pot.

California 7 Layer Salad Recipe - California Grown (7)

Lula Kebabfrom G-Free Foodie

Lula Kebabis a blend of ground beef and lamb (or all lamb in some cases), onion, seasonings and fresh herbs. It is cooked on skewers and served alongside pilaf and salad, and also used to stuff peppers + vegetables and fillmeat dolma.

California 7 Layer Salad Recipe - California Grown (8)

California 7 Layer Salad

Vessey family

This 7 Layer Salad recipe skips the frozen peas and eggs (but keeps the bacon!) for more fresh veggies available year-round from California.

This layered overnight salad is endlessly customizable, making it a fabulous option for meal prep and a crowd pleaser too!

4 from 18 votes

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Chill time 4 hours hrs

Course Lunch, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 10 servings

Calories 462 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 head cabbage shredded
  • 1 head lettuce shredded (or swap in diced broccoli/cauliflower)
  • 1 medium red onion chopped
  • 2 orange, red or yellow bell peppers chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups homemade mayonnaise
  • 1 lb bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 3/4 cup aged California cheddar or hard cheese shredded or shaved

Instructions

  • In a large bowl or dish, layer the ingredients from bottom to top, starting with the cabbage and ending with the cheese.

  • Cover and refrigerate the layered salad for at least four hours, or overnight. (This step can be done 16-18 hours in advance with good results.)

  • Remove the salad from the fridge, toss and serve! Garnish with a bit more peppers, cheese or bacon if desired.

Notes

We used red/purple cabbage and iceberg lettuce, but you can make it your own!

Nutrition

Calories: 462kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 8gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 18gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 543mgPotassium: 443mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1991IUVitamin C: 81mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 1mg

Keyword always in season, bbq, salad

Tried this recipe?Mention @cagrownofficial or tag #CAGROWN!

Love this California 7 Layer Salad recipe? Try these too:

California 7 Layer Salad Recipe - California Grown (9)

Delicious Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad

This crazy deliciousKale And Brussels Sprouts Saladis easy to make…and even easier to eat. It’s fancy enough for a holiday table, but quick enough for a weeknight meal. Plus, you can make it in advance – perfect for meal prep too!

California 7 Layer Salad Recipe - California Grown (10)

Cobb Salad Recipe with Red Wine Vinaigrette

This variation of the classic Cobb salad recipe is made with juicy grilled chicken, tangy blue cheese from California, crisp bacon, and ripe tomatoes.

Our friends at Discover California Wines suggest pairing this salad with California Pinot Noir or Sauvignon Blanc.

California 7 Layer Salad Recipe - California Grown (11)

Simple Pasta Dinner with Walnuts, Raisins and Kale

Thissimple pasta dinner recipe– a California riff onPasta Foriana– is pantry and budget friendly. It’s a meatless option that doesn’t miss on flavor and is truly delicious.

Learn more about the Vessey family + how leafy greens are grown!

Nestled in the heart of the Imperial Valley liesVessey & Company, growing 40 different types of fruits and vegetables – including leafy greens – using conventional and organic farming practices.

California 7 Layer Salad Recipe - California Grown (12)
California 7 Layer Salad Recipe - California Grown (2024)

FAQs

Where did the seven-layer salad come from? ›

Seven-layer salad, possibly rooted in the American South, has become a staple of home-cooked Midwestern cuisine. Exact ingredients vary by household, but lettuce, cheese, bacon, peas, boiled eggs, and a sauce made of mayonnaise or sour cream are among the most referenced.

What is a Paula Deen seven-layer salad? ›

Seven-Layer Salad
  1. 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce.
  2. 4 cups seeded chopped tomatoes.
  3. 4 cups seeded chopped cucumber.
  4. 1 (16-ounce) package frozen baby peas, thawed and drained well.
  5. ½ cup sliced green onion.
  6. 2 cups sliced radishes.
  7. 2 cups reduced-fat sour cream.
  8. 1 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise.

What is 7 layer salad made of? ›

A fabulous 7-layer salad consisting of Romaine lettuce, peas, red onion, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, cheddar cheese and green onions. The dressing is killer!

Where is the birthplace of salad? ›

The first recordings of people enjoying salad date back to Ancient Roman times. The salads of that time were not much different than the modern-day garden salads of today. They consisted of fresh, edible herbs, lettuce, and raw vegetables, and the dressing of the time was a simple mixture of oil and salt.

What is the Jennifer Aniston salad? ›

She spent the day sharing pieces of her life, including a few of her favorite meals. For lunch, she had what is now known as the Jennifer Aniston salad: bulgur wheat, cucumber, herbs, chickpeas, feta, red onion, and pistachios.

What salad did Jennifer Aniston eat? ›

She did in fact, eat a cobb salad instead everyday consisting of chopped lettuce, chicken breast, turkey bacon, boiled egg, and so on with her co-star Lisa Kudrow.

Where did Israeli salad originate? ›

It was adopted by Jewish immigrants to the Levant in the late 19th century, who found the locally grown Kirby cucumbers and tomatoes in popular local salad. It was popularized in the kibbutzim, where the Jewish farmers had local fresh produce at hand. The name Israeli Salad is used mainly outside of Israel.

Where did the Jennifer Aniston salad come from? ›

Jennifer Aniston's Salad refers to the one she ate while at the set of FRIENDS. She says that it's a cobb salad made at the commissary that they “basically butchered.” She added more ingredients to make it tastier, basically. It's actually a salad with lots of ingredients and the flavour is incredible.

What is the name of the salad that was invented at Hotel Caesar's in Tijuana? ›

The original Caesar salad, from Hotel Caesar on Avenida Revolucion in Tijuana, where it was invented. Yes, two croutons only. The wood-paneled cart arrives at the table with an air of ceremony, pushed by a server, usually a gentleman in a white shirt, black vest and tie.

Where did the dish salad originate from? ›

Ancient Roots:

The ancient Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans were known to consume mixed greens with a combination of salt, oil and vinegar. These early salads were often made with ingredients like lettuce, celery, radishes, and onions, which were considered beneficial for digestion and overall health.

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