Make-Ahead Layered Salad {For a Crowd}
When feeding a crowd, we all love to have a few tricks up our sleeve to make preparation easier, right? Make-Ahead Layered Salad is one of my favorite feed-a-crowd tricks! With make-ahead convenience and fabulous flavor, it's perfect for all those summer cookouts and get-togethers.
But do you know what we still have time to squeeze in a lot of that comes along with summer? Cookouts and tons of summer get-togethers, for sure.
Thinking back to my childhood, I have very fond memories of summer cookouts at our house. And it seemed that our house was one of those houses that always unexpectedly picked up an extra friend or two for dinner.
I'm always on the lookout for dishes that make feeding a crowd easier. Like this Make-Ahead Layered Salad. Not only is it super tasty, it's gorgeous, too.
But when we had these unexpected extra guests or hosted a family get-together, my Mom always made it look effortless to feed a crowd. Looking back, I'm in awe of Mom's grace and ease with which she cooked for and fed a crowd.
Because for me? Feeding a crowd is certainly not effortless!
Nope. For me, cooking for and feeding a crowd is hard.
Which is why I'm always on the lookout for dishes that make feeding a crowd easier. Like this Make-Ahead Layered Salad. Not only is it super tasty, it's gorgeous, too.
So what makes this layered salad a perfect "trick" for feeding a feeding a crowd?
Second, it can be prepared ahead of time ... as early as the morning before serving ... and refrigerated until serving. When feeding a crowd, you've just got to love make-ahead convenience, right?
What makes this layered salad a perfect "trick" for feeding a feeding a crowd? It can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until serving.
Finally, it packs great flavor from a wonderful mix of ingredients and an herb-packed Ranch-type dressing.
Not to mention, this layered salad's beautiful, too.
To prepare it, simply layer chopped iceberg lettuce with shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, chopped celery and red onion, and thawed frozen peas in a pretty glass trifle or serving bowl. Then spread on a layer of homemade herb-packed dressing.
Top the dressing layer with a generous sprinkling of shredded cheddar cheese and crispy crumbled bacon.
Then, without tossing everything together, cover and refrigerate the salad until serving time.
And there you've got one tasty salad prepared with make-ahead convenience that's perfect for a cookout or get-together crowd.
Make-Ahead Layered Salad is one of my favorite feed-a-crowd tricks! With make-ahead convenience and fabulous flavor, it's perfect for all those summer cookouts and get-togethers.
Now, maybe Mom didn't actually have her feed-a-crowd act together as much as I perceived ... perhaps it was all a clever facade. But she sure made it look easy!
As for me, I'll still be relying on "tricks" like this Make-Ahead Layered Salad when it's my turn to feed a crowd.
Thank you for stopping by . We'd love to have you back soon!
Yield: about 18-20 servings
Make-Ahead Layered Salad {For a Crowd}
When feeding a crowd, we all love to have a few tricks up our sleeve to make preparation easier, right? Make-Ahead Layered Salad is one of my favorite feed-a-crowd tricks! With make-ahead convenience and fabulous flavor, it's perfect for all those summer cookouts and get-togethers.
prep time: 40 Mcook time: total time: 40 M
ingredients:
Dressing:
- 1 c. mayonnaise
- 1/4 c. whole milk
- 1/4 c. chopped parsley
- 1 T. chopped fresh chives
- 1 ½ tsp. dried dill weed
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/8 tsp. salt
Salad:
- 6 c. chopped iceberg lettuce {about 1 small head ... or Romaine works too, if you'd prefer}
- 2 medium carrots, grated
- 1 c. chopped red onion
- 1 medium cucumber, unpeeled & thinly sliced
- 1 (10 oz.) package frozen peas, thawed
- 1 ½ c. (about 6 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese {I shred my own because I think it has better flavor}
- 8 strips bacon, cooked & crumbled
instructions:
How to cook Make-Ahead Layered Salad {For a Crowd}
- PREPARE THE DRESSING: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, milk, parsley, chives, dill weed, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- PREPARE THE SALAD: In a glass serving bowl, layer the lettuce, carrots, cucumber, onion, and peas. {Do not toss.}
- Pour dressing mixture evenly over the peas. Sprinkle cheese and then bacon on top.
- Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
- At serving time, serve as-is {leaving it layered} OR toss together just before serving, if desired.
You might also like these other tasty salad recipes:
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