Salads Archives - A Beautiful Mess

7 Layer Salad

Elsie Larson — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 18:06:00 +0000

Seven Layer Salad is a delicious layered pea salad. This classic recipe has been around for generations. It’s delicious, fresh and best of all cold—perfect for summer! This salad is colorful, crunchy and creamy. It’s the perfect recipe for any warm weather gathering. The 7 Layer Salad is my favorite summer side dish.

More Summer recipes: Tomato Burrata, The Best Fruit Salad, Chicken Salad, Deviled Eggs, Healthy Grain Bowls, Tom Collins, Mojito, Agua Fresca

Ingredients in 7 Layer Salad

Iceberg Lettuce – This is the base layer of the salad and adds a nice crunchy texture.
Frozen Peas – You can add your peas to the salad when they are half thawed.
Hard Boiled Eggs – I love hard boiled eggs as an addition to this salad—they add so much!
Cheddar Cheese – Shredded sharp cheddar cheese is so delicious in this salad. Alternatively, you can add cubed cheese, but make sure you chop it small.
Red Onions – To me, no salad is complete without some onion.
Crispy Bacon – This makes the salad a grand slam. Feel free to substitute for turkey bacon or vegan bacon if you like.
Homemade Dressing – You will whip up a quick dressing made of mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper.

There is some debate about which seven ingredients create the seven layers, so customize it to your personal tastes! Other optional layers are halved cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, green onions, celery, romaine lettuce, cucumbers or red bell peppers. I also think chopped up chicken is a very good idea. When it comes to choosing your layers, follow your heart!

How to assemble 7 Layer Salad

The 7 Layer Salad must be served in a glass bowl so you can see all the layers. It’s a very visually pleasing salad. I chose this glass bowl because it shows the layers really well. A trifle bowl is a great option as well. The salad is meant to be served without mixing the layers, so people can scoop straight down and get a scoop of all the layers.

Prep your ingredients by mixing up the dressing (instructions below), cooking the bacon and eggs and chopping all the ingredients.

To assemble your salad, begin by adding one layer at a time to your glass bowl. I went in this order: lettuce, onion, peas, hard boiled eggs, dressing, shredded cheese and bacon.

7 Layer Salad Dressing

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper until well combined. The dressing should be smooth and creamy. If you want to add a bit of texture to your dressing, you can add half a cup of parmesan cheese.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dressing while you prepare the rest of the salad. Chilling the dressing helps the flavors meld together.

How far ahead can I make this salad?

The ideal time to make this salad is 1-2 hours before serving, but you can do as much as the night before. Seal it until you are ready to serve.

Tips for Making

Choose a glass bowl, so you can see the seven layers.
Customize the dressing according to your taste. If you prefer a tangier flavor, increase the amount of apple cider vinegar. You can also add a dash of hot sauce for some heat.
If you’re serving the salad at a party or potluck, consider providing a small label or note next to the bowl, listing the layers. This way, guests can see and appreciate each ingredient that goes into the salad.
Grab your picnic blanket, this is a perfect recipe for a meal outdoors!
Miracle Whip can be subbed for mayo if you are a fan. I personally will stay loyal to the mayo version.
Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two days. However, the salad is best enjoyed on the day it’s made.

Serving Suggestions/Goes Great With

Other recipes you may like:

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the history of a 7 Layer Salad?

20+ Salad Recipes

Elsie Larson — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 13:08:00 +0000

These easy salad recipes are perfect for getting more vegetables into your day, summer cookouts or dinner parties. You can use these salad recipes in a number of different ways, including as a main course or side dish.

Related: If you are looking for more light and easy recipes, check out these 28+ Air Fryer Recipes.

7 Layer Salad

This classic picnic recipe has been around for generations. It’s delicious, fresh and best of all cold—perfect for summer! The seven layers are iceberg lettuce, frozen peas, hard boiled eggs, cheddar cheese, red onions, crispy bacon, and homemade dressing.

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Tomato Burrata

Learn to make a Burrata and tomato salad using fresh burrata, heirloom tomatoes, basil, balsamic glaze, olive oil and pesto. This recipe is so fresh and delicious!

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Strawberry Caprese Salad

This is a twist on the traditional Caprese salad. It’s made with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, strawberries, and balsamic vinaigrette.

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Baked Mini Falafel Salad

Finding salads to make at home that are both filling and flavorful can sometimes be a challenge. This salad will become your new favorite with falafel, lettuce, red onion, cherry tomatoes, olive, and feta cheese.

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Warm Cabbage & Noodle Salad

This salad is spicy, salty, super flavorful veggies alongside warm noodles. It includes cabbage, carrots, ramen noodles, ginger, limes, soy sauce, and chopped peanuts.

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Creamy Kale Harvest Salad

This salad is creamy and packed with flavor. Ingredients include Granny Smith apples, pecans, dried cranberries, avocados, and kale.

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Warm Brussels Sprout Salad

This salad is a little bit lighter, so if you end up eating this often you don’t have to feel guilty. It has Brussels sprouts, craisins, mayo, clove, lime, and cayenne.

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Kale, Miso, and Soft Egg Salad

Some days you just need a good salad that is filling, flavor packed, and hearty. This salad is kale, almonds, and boiled eggs.

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Creamy Tahini Chopped Salad

Creamy Tahini Chopped Salad makes two big salads or could be divided into four if served with an entrée. It’s made from lettuce, cabbage, bell pepper, onions, and cooked edamame.

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Sushi Salad Recipe

This delicious sushi salad has lettuce, crab, avocado, lemon, sriracha, wasabi sauce, mayonnaise, sesame seeds, and seaweed sheets.

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Creamy Kale, Brussels and Cranberry Salad

This salad has crunchy kale, Brussels sprouts, sliced almonds, and bright burst of flavor from fresh cranberries.

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Spring Salad Niçoise

If you are ever at a restaurant and see salad niçoise on the menu, I highly recommend you give it a try. There are probably one million variations on this classic salad, but most of them involve hard boiled eggs, potatoes, and olives. Plus, the salad is often served in a segmented fashion that I think is both pretty and fun to eat.

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Toasted Ravioli Salad

A lot of salads are boring and bland and just not very exciting to eat. Not this salad! This salad has salad greens, toasted ravioli, cucumber, bell pepper, balsamic dressing, and a hard boiled egg.

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Spicy Tempeh Taco Salad

This vegetarian-friendly salad has tempeh, white onion, garlic, cilantro, lettuce, salsa, mayo, and sriracha. You can eat this on tortillas or in a bowl.

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Kale Cobb Salad with Facon Vinaigrette

This cobb salad includes spinach, kale, hard boiled eggs, raspberries, black beans, avocados, feta, shallot, and facon. Oh yes, that isn’t a typo in the title. we’re using facon and we’re not sorry!

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Fried Green Tomato Salad

This delicious salad is made with green tomatoes, flour, eggs, bread crumbs, spinach, and fresh mozzarella. Then you top it with pesto dressing.

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Red Quinoa, Kale, and Grapefruit Salad

This salad has kale, red quinoa, grapefruit, avocado, and pumpkin seeds. It’s light and full of good-for-you ingredients but still super flavorful and absolutely beautiful sitting on a table.

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Easy Broccoli Salad

This broccoli salad is crunchy, creamy, and flavorful. All you need is broccoli, cranberries, and almonds.

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Classic Pea Salad with Bacon

A classic mayonnaise based salad to serve at your next family lunch. The ingredients include frozen peas, mayonnaise, sour cream, crispy bacon, red onion, and cheddar cheese.

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Mason Jar Salad

The main pros to the mason jar salad are twofold: first, you can make all your lunches for the whole work week in one sitting and your worries of what to eat everyday for lunch are already solved. These salads include black bean and corn, tomato and mozzarella, quinoa and sweet potato, and Greek chicken.

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Simple Cucumber Salad

This cold, crunchy and super flavorful salad is made with cucumbers, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame seed. It’s a simple, cold salad that is easy to make, and it’s flavorful and downright refreshing.

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More Recipes to Try

Tomato Burrata

Elsie Larson — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 12:08:03 +0000

If you’re looking for a fresh, flavorful salad you need to try our Tomato Burrata. This burrata salad takes less than five minutes to make and is the perfect summer appetizer or side dish. The mixture of ripe tomatoes, fresh burrata and balsamic glaze is truly delicious.

Ingredients in a Tomato Burrata

Heirloom Tomatoes I used three tomatoes. In season tomatoes make this recipe shine.
Burrata Cheese Use two burrata cheese balls.
Basil fresh basil leaves add so much to this dish.
Pesto Use store bought pesto or make your own pesto.
Balsamic Vinegar Glaze for garnish (optional).
Olive Oil for garnish (optional).
Dried Chili Flakes for garnish (optional).
Sea Salt Flakes for garnish (optional).

What is Burrata cheese?

Burrata cheese is a ball shaped cheese made from cow’s milk. It originated from the Puglia region of Southern Italy. When you slice the cheese you find an outer layer the consistency of mozzarella cheese as well as a creamy inner layer. The inner layer contains stracciatella and clotted cream. You are meant to eat both the inner and outer layer of burrata. If you haven’t tried this creamy cheese, look for it in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store. It’s so good!

How to Assemble

Begin by slicing tomatoes and layering them around the plate as a base layer.

Add two balls of burrata cheese to the top of the salad, slicing them open to reveal the creamy center.

Top with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, pesto, chili flakes and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Add basil leaves as garnish.

Tips for Making

Use in-season, heirloom tomatoes. The more colorful, the better. You may also use cherry tomatoes or a variety of sizes.
Customize your toppings. Choose a drizzle of pesto, balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. Alternatively you can add chopped and toasted pine nuts, fresh cherries or peaches, fresh garlic or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
You can add crusty bread to serve this as a crostini un-toasted. Serve the toasts to the side of the dish to prevent them from becoming soggy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is burrata?

Creamy Pasta Salad

Elsie Larson — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 13:00:00 +0000

I am so excited to share this creamy pasta salad recipe with you today! It’s one of the most delicious pasta salads I have made and my children loved it, too. It’s the perfect side dish for a barbecue season and summer gatherings.

Pasta salad is the warm weather version of mac and cheese—the best comfort food! Mix up a big batch and watch it disappear.

More Summer Salads: 7 Layer Salad, Classic Potato Salad, Pea with Bacon Salad, Broccoli Salad, Ambrosia Salad, Chicken Salad, Egg Salad, Macaroni Salad and 40+ Easy Picnic Foods.

Ingredients in Pasta Salad:

Rotini Pasta – While you can use any shape of pasta for this recipe, I find that rotini is perfect for soaking in our delicious creamy sauce.
Tomatoes – Sliced cherry tomatoes add so much to this pasta salad.
Bell Peppers – Chopped red bell peppers are a delicious pasta salad topping.
Peas – Frozen peas are a usual suspect in my pasta dishes because they are delicious and sweet.
Cucumber – Chopped cucumber adds a little crunch.
Carrot – Shredded carrot adds texture and some sweet crunch to this recipe.
Onion – Chopped onion is an essential ingredient to boost the flavor of this dish.

Creamy Pasta Salad Dressing Ingredients:

Mayonnaise – Tangy mayonnaise is the base to make our dressing creamy.
Sour Cream – Another creamy ingredient that adds flavor and depth to the sauce.
Lemon Juice – My favorite summer ingredient! Lemon juice brings out all the flavors and adds some tart.
White Vinegar – A little extra acid for flavor.
Minced Garlic, Dried – You can also sub this for garlic powder. I enjoy the texture of the dried minced garlic. I am one of those people who add a little extra garlic to every recipe.
Parsley, Dried – For a savory finish.
Salt and Pepper – To taste.

How to Make Creamy Pasta Salad:

Begin by boiling a pot of water until the noodles are cooked a little past al dente. I let them soak a few extra minutes before straining. Extra soft noodles will stay soft once they are cold.

Strain the water out and allow the pasta to cool before mixing.

Mix up your sauce. In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, white vinegar, dried minced garlic, dried parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare your chopped vegetables. Feel free to add extra vegetables for a crunchier and more healthy salad.

In a large bowl, mix the cooled noodles, sauce and vegetables together. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tips for Making:

Cook your pasta slightly past al dente for extra softness that helps your salad stay soft when chilled.
Adjust the choice of vegetables to suit your tastes and add extra vegetables for a more crunchy and healthy dish. Choose lots of colorful veggies.
Rotini pasta or macaroni are great choices for this recipe.

Serving Suggestions/Goes Great With:

Other recipes you may like:

FAQ:

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does this last in the refrigerator?

The Best Fruit Salad

Elsie Larson — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 13:00:00 +0000

This is the most delicious fruit salad I have ever had. The honey citrus dressing makes it sweet and slightly tart at the same time.

It’s the perfect fruit salad for a summer brunch, picnic, or BBQ. My kids and I ate the entire bowl in one day!

Fruit Salad Ingredients:

Strawberries
Grapes
Raspberries
Banana
Pineapple
Oranges
Blackberries
Kiwi

Fruit Salad Dressing Ingredients:

Orange juice
Honey
Grated Orange Zest
Grated Lime Zest
Lime Juice
Vanilla Extract

Fruit Salad Dressing:

In a bowl, mix together the orange juice, honey, grated orange zest, grated lime zest, lime juice, and vanilla extract. Whisk the ingredients together until the honey is fully dissolved.

How to Assemble Fruit Salad:

You can make this recipe several hours before serving, but if you have any fruits that brown easily (bananas, apples), don’t cut them until just before serving. Save aside a few of your prettiest fruits (I like the berries and kiwi) to layer on the top after the fruit is mixed.

Chop all your fruits into bite-size pieces. Add them to a large bowl and mix.

Add the dressing to the fruit salad. Be sure there is not any extra dressing sitting at the bottom of the bowl. If there is, drain it out.

Refrigerate before serving. It’s ideal to assemble the salad one to two hours before serving to let the flavors mingle.

Tips for Making:

Use whatever fruit you have on hand. Feel free to make swaps for seasonal fruits and customize it to your preferences.
Do not skip the dressing! The dressing makes this recipe and it’s worth the effort—I promise!
You can make your salad up to four hours before serving, but if you use any fruits that brown easily (like bananas or apples), save them for last.

Serving Suggestions/Goes Great With:

Browse our recipe archives to find more delicious recipes to go with this summer fruit salad!

FAQ:

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen fruit?

Caesar Salad Dressing

Emma Chapman — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 13:00:00 +0000

I’m not always the most adventurous diner. I have my go-tos. The dish I probably order most often is Caesar salad. I love the flavors, and no matter where you are, most caesar salads taste pretty similar.

Caesar salad dressing is actually really easy to make and requires only a handful of ingredients. This does include anchovies, which always makes me feel like a real fancy chef when I pull those from my pantry.

I recently remade this Caesar salad dressing a few weeks ago for another couple we were having dinner with, and I must say—it holds up! I’ve been using this dressing recipe for years and years now and love it.

Related: You should also try these homemade Honey Mustard Dressing, Poppy Seed Dressing, and Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing recipes.

Caesar Dressing Ingredients:

Garlic
Egg yolks
Dijon mustard
Anchovies
Olive oil
Red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper

Directions:

In a food processor, add the garlic, egg yolks, dijon mustard, and anchovies. Pulse to combine.

While the food processor is running, drizzle the olive oil in. This is the best way to make it emulsify (become one).

That being said, if your food processor doesn’t have an option to run while adding a liquid ingredient, then you can add the oil in batches, pureeing in between.

If your food processor is on the larger size, it may have a hard time combining these ingredients. If that’s the case, you can also use an immersion blender to puree everything together in a bowl.

Once you’ve added all the oil, stir in the red pepper flakes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Serving Suggestions:

Caesar salad goes great with all sorts of meals including:

Bacon-wrapped filet – How to Broil Steak
Marry Me Chicken
Deep Dish Pizza

Assemble your salad and add as much dressing and croutons as you like. Sprinkle on a little shaved Parmesan before serving. Enjoy!

Caesar Salad Dressing

Course Salad

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword caesar, caesar dressing

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings

Calories 161kcal

Author Emma Chapman

Equipment

Food processor

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon mustard dijon
5 anchovies
¼ cup olive oil
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

In a food processor, puree together the garlic, egg yolks, mustard, and anchovies.
Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while the processor is on low.
If your food processor doesn't allow this, you can add the oil in batches, pureeing in between.
Stir in the red pepper flakes.
Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Notes

You could also use an immersion blender instead of a food processor to puree the ingredients into a dressing.
Toss salad greens in this Caesar dressing and then add Parmesan cheese and croutons as you like.

Nutrition

Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

Elsie Larson — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 13:00:00 +0000

Lemon Vinaigrette is my favorite simple salad dressing that goes with almost any salad. It’s fresh and vibrant and pairs well with so many things.

This recipe is simple to make. You can whip up your own batch of creamy lemon vinaigrette in just five minutes.

This homemade dressing is far more delicious than any store bought vinaigrette dressing. If you don’t believe me, try it and let me know what you decide!

Love homemade salad dressing? Green Goddess Salad Dressing, Sesame and Miso Dressing, Poppy Seed Dressing, Homemade Ranch, Thousand Island Dressing.

Ingredients in Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing:

Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice
Garlic clove
Dijon mustard
Honey
Thyme (fresh or dried)
White vinegar
Salt and pepper

Directions to Make Salad Dressing:

I used a food processor to mix my ingredients beginning with the liquids and mixing in each ingredient as I combined. Alternatively, you can whisk your ingredients in a bowl.

Tips for Making:

Feel free to make this ahead and store it. This dressing will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.
If you don’t have white vinegar on hand, add a little extra lemon juice instead.
My favorite variation of this recipe is adding chopped cilantro and mint for an ultra flavorful version.

Serving Suggestions/Goes Great With:

My favorite way to eat this dressing is with a simple salad and a protein like chicken or salmon. Try adding our air fryer salmon to a salad.

Try it with a kale salad.
Add it to our salad jars.
Use it to make a pasta salad.

FAQ:

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can you refrigerate this dressing?

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Elsie Larson — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 13:00:00 +0000

There’s a very big difference between “the good ranch” and what you can get in a bottle at the grocery store. This recipe is easy to make and tastes so much better than store bought.

It’s perfect for salads, dipping vegetables, and things like chicken tenders. Ranch dressing is a comfort food that speaks directly to my Midwestern soul.

This recipe is made with fresh herbs, real buttermilk, tangy sour cream, and a little lemon juice. It’s delicious and as good as your favorite restaurant. My personal *gold standard* for ranch dressing is The Cheesecake Factory, haha.

Now that I’ve made that name-drop, I’m certain I’ve gained your trust and you will now make this life changing ranch dressing recipe!

Other salad dressing recipes: green goddess dressing, honey mustard dressing, poppy seed dressing, spicy peanut dressing, lemon vinaigrette dressing, thousand island dressing.

Ingredients:

Buttermilk Unless you are going the vegan route, ranch dressing should always include buttermilk.
Mayonnaise I always include mayo in a salad dressing—it’s a good base to make sure your dressing isn’t too thin.
Sour Cream Sour cream adds a delicious tangy depth.
Fresh Herbs You can substitute dried, but if you have a chance to use fresh chives, parsley and dill you will absolutely not regret it. I swear by the fresh herbs!
Garlic Powder Literally every savory recipe is better with a little garlic, no?
Onion Powder Adds a nice flavor and aroma.
Lemon Juice A little acid to make all the other flavors sing.
Salt and Pepper Use these to to perfect your homemade ranch.

Directions:

I used a food processor to mix all my ingredients. You can also whisk them together by hand in a bowl.

Start with the thicker ingredients—mayonnaise, sour cream and buttermilk. Whisk each ingredient in until smooth.

Tips for Making:

Use fresh herbs when possible.
You can substitute the lemon juice for white vinegar if needed. I have tried it both ways and they are both delicious.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to seven days.
I use these bottles to store my salad dressing.

Serving Suggestions/Goes Great With:

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does this homemade ranch last in the fridge?

Honey Mustard Dressing

Elsie Larson — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 13:00:00 +0000

This honey mustard recipe is delicious when used as a salad dressing or a dipping sauce for veggies, chicken nuggets, or fries.

It’s simple to make with only six ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen! Recently, I have been on a homemade salad dressing kick and I am CONVINCED that homemade dressing is pretty much always more delicious than store bought.

Not only do you cut down on the ingredients list and unnecessary preservatives, but the flavor is just so much more fresh and satisfying. I hope you try this recipe out. If you do, you may never buy honey mustard at the store again!

More salad dressing recipes: Ranch Dressing, Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing, Sesame and Miso Dressing, Spicy Peanut Dressing, Caesar Dressing.

Ingredients in Homemade Honey Mustard:

dijon mustard
honey
mayonnaise
lemon juice
cayenne pepper
apple cider vinegar

Directions:

This recipe is so easy—you just combine the ingredients and you are done! In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients. Alternatively, you can whisk them in a bowl.

Tips for Making:

Skip the cayenne for a sweeter version of honey mustard (without the kick). Personally, I would not skip it!
Feel free to make this ahead and store it. This sauce will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.
If you don’t have dijon mustard on hand, it’s worth it to get some before making this recipe.

Serve Honey Mustard With:

I love to eat honey mustard with fresh vegetables. Here are some additional recipes it pairs well with:

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Air Fryer French Fries
Make Ahead Salads in Jars (quick lunch ideas)

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

If I’m out of apple cider vinegar, what can I sub?

Classic Pea Salad with Bacon

Elsie Larson — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 14:00:00 +0000

This delicious, creamy bacon pea salad recipe is the perfect picnic food. This time of year, I am so anxious for outdoor dinners and sunny weather.

This classic pea salad reminds me of something my grandmother would have served— in the best possible way. It’s a nostalgic recipe that begs to be served with watermelon and hot dogs.

More picnic recipes: Tomato Burrata, Deviled Eggs, 7 Layer Salad, Broccoli Salad, Classic Potato Salad, Ambrosia Salad, Tuna Salad, Macaroni Salad, Pigs in a Blanket, Creamy Pasta Salad.

Ingredients in Bacon Pea Salad:

Frozen Peas
Mayonnaise
Sour Cream
White Vinegar
Crispy Bacon
Red Onion
Cheddar Cheese
Fresh Parsley
Salt
Pepper

How To Make Classic Pea Salad:

Combine the dressing ingredients (sour cream, mayonnaise, salt and pepper and vinegar) in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the peas, bacon, cubed cheese, onion and parsley. Stir to combine, making sure all the salad is coated with dressing. Refrigerate 2 hours before serving.