A colorful, crunchy, creamy salad that’s perfect for potlucks, family dinners, or meal prep. The eggs and cheddar make it satisfying and protein-rich, while the fresh vegetables add plenty of crunch.
🛒 Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumbers, sliced
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped or sliced
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
For the creamy dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Salt, to taste
Optional toppings:
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- 2–3 green onions, sliced
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- Fresh parsley or chives
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Prepare the vegetables
Wash and dry the lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber thoroughly. Chop the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and halve the tomatoes. Slice the cucumber.
2. Prepare the eggs
Place the hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator until completely cool. Peel and slice or chop them.
3. Make the dressing
In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream or Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and a little salt. Mix until smooth and creamy.
4. Start layering
Use a large clear glass salad bowl so the colorful layers are visible.
Add the ingredients in this order:
- Iceberg lettuce – spread evenly across the bottom.
- Cucumber – create an even layer.
- Cherry tomatoes – scatter over the cucumber.
- Thawed peas – spread evenly.
- Hard-boiled eggs – arrange over the vegetables.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – cover the egg layer.
- Creamy dressing – spread gently over the top.
Try to spread the dressing all the way to the edges. This helps seal the salad underneath and keeps the vegetables fresher.
5. Add toppings
Finish with crispy crumbled bacon and sliced green onions. A little fresh parsley or chives makes a nice finishing touch.
6. Chill
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. For the best texture, serve the same day.
7. Serve
Bring the salad to the table in its layered form. Just before serving, gently toss everything together, or use a long spoon to scoop down through all the layers.
💪 High-Protein Option
For an even higher-protein salad, replace ½ cup of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt and add 8 oz cooked diced chicken breast as an additional layer.
The Greek yogurt adds protein while keeping the dressing creamy and tangy.
🥓 Easy Flavor Upgrade
For a classic loaded seven-layer salad, add crispy bacon and chopped green onions between the egg and cheese layers. The salty bacon pairs especially well with the creamy dressing, cheddar, and fresh vegetables.
