Seven-Layer Salad

Ingredients
Salad
1 medium head iceberg lettuce, chopped, washed, and thoroughly dried
½ small red onion, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1½ cups thawed frozen green peas
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the bacon and eggs. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, turning as needed. Transfer it to a paper towel to drain, then let it cool and crumble it. Hard-boil the eggs, cool them completely, peel, and chop. Cooling the eggs before assembly keeps them from warming the other ingredients.

Step 2: Prepare the vegetables. Wash and chop the iceberg lettuce. Dry it thoroughly with a salad spinner or clean kitchen towels. Finely dice the red onion and celery. Thaw the peas and drain away any water. These small preparation steps help the layers stay distinct and prevent liquid from collecting in the bottom of the bowl.

Step 3: Mix the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, apple cider vinegar, black pepper, and salt until smooth. The sugar lightly balances the vinegar, while the sour cream gives the dressing a gentle tang. Keep the dressing refrigerated while you arrange the salad.

Step 4: Add the lettuce. Place the dry chopped lettuce in the bottom of a large, clear glass serving bowl. Spread it evenly and press it down very lightly. Do not pack it tightly; a loose layer keeps the lettuce crisp and makes the finished salad easier to scoop.

Step 5: Layer the vegetables. Sprinkle the diced red onion and celery evenly over the lettuce. Try to spread them all the way toward the glass so their colors can be seen from the side. Add the peas in an even layer, then gently spread the chopped eggs over them.

Step 6: Add the dressing and cheese. Spoon the dressing over the eggs. Use the back of a spoon or a small spatula to spread it carefully toward the edges without mixing it into the layers below. Scatter the shredded cheddar evenly over the dressing.

Step 7: Chill the salad. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours. Chilling brings the flavors together and keeps the salad cold for serving. Store the cooked, crumbled bacon separately in a covered container so it remains crisp.

Step 8: Finish and serve. Just before serving, sprinkle the bacon over the cheddar. Bring the bowl to the table with a large serving spoon. Push the spoon straight down through the layers, then lift out a generous portion that includes lettuce, vegetables, eggs, dressing, cheese, and bacon.

Tips

Choose a bowl that shows the layers. A large clear glass bowl gives Seven-Layer Salad its familiar potluck appearance. A bowl with fairly straight sides makes the layers especially visible. If you do not have one, use any deep serving bowl; the flavor will be the same.

Keep the lettuce dry. Water trapped in chopped lettuce can thin the dressing and leave liquid at the bottom of the bowl. After washing, spin the lettuce until dry or spread it on clean towels for a few minutes. Dry lettuce also stays crisper while the salad chills.

Drain the peas well. Frozen peas work nicely because they are tender once thawed. Place them in a strainer after thawing and let any remaining moisture drip away. Add them cold rather than warm.

Spread gently. The layers look best when each ingredient is placed evenly rather than stirred into the one below it. When adding the dressing, drop spoonfuls across the surface first. It will then take only a few gentle strokes to cover the eggs.

Add bacon at the end. Bacon provides the crisp contrast in this salad. If it sits on top overnight, moisture from the other ingredients may soften it. Keeping it separate until serving makes a noticeable difference.

Prepare components ahead. You can cook the bacon, boil the eggs, and mix the dressing the day before. Refrigerate the eggs and dressing in covered containers. Assemble the salad when convenient, then add the bacon at the table.