Cake Pan Layered Salad
Cake Pan Layered Salad has layers of chopped lettuce, peas, onion, cauliflower, bacon, hard-cooked eggs–a 7-layer sald in 9×13 pan.
Spring is in the air, and we’re so happy to share with you this anytime 24-hour salad: Cake Pan Layered Salad. This salad has yummy layers of fresh veggies and cheese, spread out in a 9 x 13-inch clear baking pan, which allows you to see the pretty layers. You can make it the day before!
Cake Pan Layered Salad
It’s super easy to make and enjoy at home or take to a potluck. The lettuce, peas, onion, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, cauliflower, tomatoes, and nuts– topped with a mayonnaise dressing for 7 layer salad? You can’t go wrong with this party-hit side dish.
When spring pops up, I get giddy over the colors of nature, a fresh look at entertaining, and beautiful salads. The produce is so colorful, and I love the look (and taste) of this amazing Cake Pan Layered Salad. You may have already tried my sister’s Layered Bacon Pea Salad recipe – oh, my!
Why we love this recipe
Here’s what we dig about this layered salad:
- Easy make ahead salad.
- Perfect for a potluck.
- Delicious for any holiday.
- Take to an after-church picnic.
- You can halve the recipe for a smaller serving.
- Use a glass 9×13 pan so you can see the layers.
- First salad at a party to be devoured quickly!
- Make it ahead 24 hours!
Load up the salad with these ingredients:
- Bacon: Thick cut bacon is the best
- Iceberg lettuce + spring greens: Delicous to use a mix of greens
- Red onion: Optional to use sweet white onion, but the “purple” onion is prettier
- Green peas: Start with frozen
- Cheddar cheese: Use other favorite flavors of cheese like Mozzrella, Jack, or Swiss
- Cauliflower: Optional to use chopped mushrooms
- Hard-cooked eggs: Want a jammier egg? Try my Perfect Soft Boiled Egg Recipe
- Toasted pecans: Try walnuts, or toasted almonds
- Cherry tomatoes: You can use Roma or a sturdy tomato, cut into large chunks
- Fresh basil
Best “7-layer salad” classic dressing ingredients:
You may love the dressing in Layered Pea Salad, and this one is similar.
- Mayonnaise
- Sour cream
- White vinegar
- White sugar
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
How to layer the cake pan salad
I’m giving you the guideline for how to layer the salad, and make it amazing. But you can also try these options:
- Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Crumble and separate, leaving 1/2 cup for garnish.
- In a large (9×13) glass cake pan, place the chopped lettuce and spring greens, and top with layers of onion, peas, shredded cheese, cauliflower, and bacon.
- Mix together the dressing by whisking in a medium bowl the mayonnaise, sour cream, white vinegar, sugar, shredded Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Spread over the salad.
- Garnish the top of the salad with the chopped eggs, remaining crumbled bacon, chopped pecans, cherry tomatoes, and a sprinkle of chopped basil.
Cover with and refrigerate until chilled. Serve with salad tongs.
How do you serve a 7 layer salad?
Bring it as is and add some salad tongs.
You can even toss it together in an epic salad bowl.
Pairs well with any barbecue food, hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. It’s also perfect for any holiday meal.
How to host a salad party
When life is busy, it’s so good to remember positive things.
And this season is full of so many!
We love bringing people together, and a great idea for spring is to host a Salad Party! Everyone brings a salad. No excuses on not being a good cook, all you have to do is set out the plates, napkins, and forks. And of course some good wine :)
Enjoy!
More layered salad recipes to try:
Easy Chicken Rice Layered Salad
Get the Recipe:
Cake Pan Layered Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
- 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 head Iceberg lettuce, chopped
- 1 small pkg spring greens, (we like butter lettuce)
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 10 oz pkg frozen green peas, thawed
- 10 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup cauliflower, finely chopped (optional to use chopped mushrooms)
- 3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
- ½ cup toasted pecans, chopped
- cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- fresh basil, chopped (garnish)
Dressing:
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar
- 2 Tbsp white sugar
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Equipment
- 9x13 glass baking dish (I use this Pyrex version)
- Large skillet (Everyone should have a cast iron skillet!)
Instructions
- Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Crumble and separate, leaving 1/2 cup for garnish.
- In a large (9x13) glass cake pan, place the chopped lettuce and spring greens, and top with layers of onion, peas, shredded cheese, cauliflower, and bacon.
- Mix together the dressing by whisking in a medium bowl the mayonnaise, sour cream, white vinegar, sugar, shredded Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Spread over the salad.
- Garnish the top of the salad with the chopped eggs, remaining crumbled bacon, chopped pecans, cherry tomatoes, and a sprinkle of chopped basil.
- Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Serve with salad tongs.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
Delicious. My guest raved about it. Didn’t change a thing.
is there a carb count?
Yes!
Can you use a different dressing or is this dressing required?
Yes you can use a different dressing. If you want store-bought, most would work (blue cheese or Thousand Island dressings – yum!)