Layered salads are the perfect side dish to a casual summer meal. Top the layered salad ingredients with a mayonnaise dressing, which seals in the flavors while the salad chills overnight.
Use a trifle bowl or a glass bowl with a flat bottom to best show off all the layers. Just before serving, toss the salad, for a wonderful blend of flavors and textures.
Experiment with different vegetables, cheeses and other ingredients for a variety of colors and tastes.
Overnight Pasta Salad
- 1 cup tiny shell macaroni
- 2 cups shredded lettuce
- 2 hard cooked eggs, sliced
- 1 cup cooked ham, cut into strips
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- ½ cup shredded swiss cheese
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 dash Tabasco sauce
Cook macaroni. Drain, rinse and drain again; let cool. Place lettuce on bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish or large glass bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with macaroni. Sprinkle egg slices with salt and line the rim of the bowl or casserole dish with them. Layer ham strips, thawed peas and shredded cheese on top. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, green onion, mustard and hot pepper sauce. Spread on top of salad. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. Sprinkle top with paprika. Toss well before serving.
BLT Salad
- 1 pound bacon, fried and crumbled
- 1 head romaine lettuce
- 2 tomatoes, cut up
- 1 head broccoli, cut up
- ½ red onion, sliced
Dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- little bit of sugar
Reserve a small bit of bacon and several rings of red onion and set aside. In a glass bowl, layer remaining bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli and onion. Mix dressing ingredients in a separate bowl and spread dressing on top of salad. Top with reserved bacon and onion. Cover and chill. Toss just before serving.
Italian Layered Vegetable Salad
- 1 large head lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 16-ounce bag broccoli slaw
- 1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained and rinsed
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 1 large yellow or orange pepper, diced
- 1 bag radishes, trimmed and quartered
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup creamy Italian dressing
- ¼ cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
In a glass bowl, layer lettuce, broccoli slaw, garbanzo beans, green onion, peppers and radishes. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise and Italian dressing until well blended. Spread over vegetables. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Toss before serving.
Want to see more summer salad ideas? Check out Three Great Broccoli Salad Recipes and Three Great Pasta Salad Recipes.
