Simple Chopped 7 Layer Salad
A classic summertime favorite in our home, this Simple Chopped 7 Layer Salad is loaded with crunch and flavor! You’ll enjoy the perfect crunch of romaine and cabbage, the sweet snap of peas, a slight spice from the red onion, some salty and savory from the bacon and parmesan, and it all comes together with a creamy avocado mayo dressing. We’ve simplified this recipe to fit our busy family’s needs so instead of layering this salad we throw all the ingredients into a bowl and and toss them together to make the best quick summer salad recipe.
Simple Chopped 7 Layer Salad
Instead of layering ingredients, we throw chopped romaine lettuce, cabbage, red onion, peas, bacon, parmesan, and a simple avocado mayonnaise dressing into a bowl then toss it all together for an easy salad!
Ingredients
- 1 Large Romaine Lettuce Heart, thinly chopped
- 2 Cups Green Cabbage, thinly chopped
- 1 Cup Peas, fresh or frozen only
- 1/2 Cup Red Onion, finely diced
- 6 Slices Cooked Bacon, chopped
- 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, finely shredded
- 1/3 Cup Avocado Mayonnaise, or preferred brand
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- 3/4 Teaspoon Real Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- Begin by cooking 6 slices of bacon. It is best if bacon has cooled before adding it to the salad. Bacon can also be cold if the bacon was cooked previously and stored in the refrigerator. After bacon has been cooked and cooled, chop it up and set it aside as you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Next, defrost 1 cup of Peas while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Then, thinly chop 1 Romaine lettuce heart and 2 cups of green cabbage, finely dice 1/2 cup of red onion, and finely shred 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese. Combine all the ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl including defrosted peas and chopped bacon.
- Next, in a small bowl stir together 1/3 cup avocado mayonnaise, 1/4 cup olive oil, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and thoroughly toss together. You can add additional salt and pepper to taste. Salting may vary depending on how salty your bacon and parmesan are.
- Simple Chopped 7 Layer Salad can be served immediately or within 4 hours after you have assembled the ingredients. Store salad in the refrigerator until serving.
An easy salad side dish packed with crunch and flavor!
A midwest favorite, traditionally 7 layer salad was made by layering ingredients, ending with a layer of mayonnaise and shredded cheese. We’ve changed things up a bit with our salad but it’s just as delicious! Instead of layering, we toss all the ingredients together – this makes the BEST loaded salad packed with so many complimentary flavors. It’s just so much easier to toss it all in a bowl. And we think you’ll agree!
Key features in our simple chopped 7 layer salad:
- Ingredient highlights- There is so much to love about each of the 7 layers and how they combine together. There’s great crunch, sweetness, savory-ness, and creaminess in every bite!
- Traditional yet elevated- We kept the tradition of 7 layers while making some minor changes for extra crunch and flavor.
- Easy side dish salad- What’s not to love about throwing everything into a bowl and mixing it together?!
- Perfect for gatherings and simple enough for a weeknight side dish- This 7 Layer Salad is a family favorite around here and has even the pickiest vegetable eaters going back for seconds!
- Versatile! Don’t have a certain ingredient? Substitute something you do have! Want to add additional ingredients? Make this an 8 or 9 layer salad! It’s that simple.
Join us for coffee on the porch!
Join us on the porch for our Substack newsletter and get our newest recipes straight to your inbox. This is a biweekly email for women, wives, and mothers who desire to cultivate homemaking skills, nurture healthy families through homegrown and homemade food, and grow in grace & godliness in the places God has us.
Ingredients in our Easy 7 Layer Salad Recipe:
- Romaine Lettuce makes the perfect base for this salad.
- Green Cabbage gives added crunch. Adding Green Cabbage into salads was a trick we learned from our friend Gwen. Thanks Gwen!
- Frozen Peas (defrosted) adds a pop of sweetness. It’s important to use defrosted frozen peas or fresh peas and not canned peas. We want our peas to have a crisp pop but not be mushy.
- Red Onion is the best onion for this salad. It adds purple color and adds great subtle spice flavor.
- Parmesan Cheese – while traditional 7 layer salad has cheddar cheese, we love the richness parmesan adds. Feel free to use whatever cheese you have available.
- Avocado Mayonnaise is our favorite mayonnaise to use that is seed oil free and still has great flavor. Use whatever mayonnaise you prefer.
- Olive Oil thins our dressing. Since we aren’t layering this dressing it needs to be a thinner consistency so that we can toss all the ingredients together. Olive oil is the perfect option here, and it adds healthy fats too!
- Salt & Ground Black Pepper are the only seasonings needed to round out this dish!
Step-by-Step Instructions For How To Make Simple Chopped 7 Layer Salad
Begin by cooking 6 slices of bacon. After bacon has been cooked and cooled, chop it up and set it aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients. In a small bowl place 1 cup of Peas and allow them to defrost while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Next, thinly chop 1 Romaine lettuce heart and 2 cups of green cabbage, finely dice 1/2 cup of red onion, and finely shred 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese. Combine all ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl including defrosted peas and chopped bacon.
In a small bowl, stir together 1/3 cup avocado mayonnaise, 1/4 cup olive oil, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper. Pour dressing over the salad ingredients and thoroughly toss the salad together.
