Layered Picnic Salad

Brighten up your next outdoor gathering with this show-stopping Layered Picnic Salad, a colorful and flavorful crowd-pleaser perfect for barbecues, potlucks, and al fresco dining. Packed with fresh, crisp romaine lettuce, sweet cherry tomatoes, crunchy cucumber, and vibrant red bell pepper, this salad offers a delightful medley of textures in every bite. A layer of frozen peas adds a touch of sweetness, while crispy bacon crumbles and shredded cheddar cheese provide savory richness. The creamy homemade dressing—made with mayonnaise, sour cream, a hint of white vinegar, and a dash of sugar—seals in the vibrant layers, making it as visually stunning as it is delicious. Served in a clear glass bowl to showcase its colorful strata, this make-ahead salad is easy to prepare, requires no cooking, and gets better as it chills, allowing the flavors to meld together beautifully. Garnished with fresh parsley, it’s a refreshing, irresistible dish that will undoubtedly be the centerpiece of your picnic table!

Nutriscore Rating: 69/100

Prep Time:25 mins

Cook Time:0 mins

Total Time:25 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 6 cups Romaine lettuce
• 2 cups Cherry tomatoes
• 1 large Cucumber
• 1 medium Red bell pepper
• 1 medium Red onion
• 1 cup Frozen peas
• 6 slices Cooked bacon
• 1.5 cups Shredded cheddar cheese
• 0.75 cup Mayonnaise
• 0.5 cup Sour cream
• 1 tablespoon White vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons Fresh parsley
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt
• 0.25 teaspoon Ground black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Wash and dry all vegetables thoroughly.

Step 2

Chop romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

Step 3

Halve the cherry tomatoes. Peel the cucumber, remove seeds if desired, and dice into small chunks.

Step 4

Dice the red bell pepper and thinly slice the red onion into half-moons. Set aside.

Step 5

Cook the bacon until crispy, then crumble it into small pieces once cooled.

Step 6

In a large clear glass or trifle bowl, begin layering the ingredients: Start with the chopped lettuce as the base, followed by peas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion.

Step 7

Sprinkle the crumbled bacon evenly over the top, followed by a layer of shredded cheddar cheese.

Step 8

In a small mixing bowl, prepare the dressing by whisking together mayonnaise, sour cream, white vinegar, granulated sugar, salt, and black pepper until smooth.

Step 9

Spread the dressing evenly over the top layer of the salad, ensuring it reaches the edges to seal in freshness.

Step 10

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight to allow the flavors to meld.

Step 11

Before serving, garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve chilled.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1859.8g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2801.9

Total Fat 226.3g	0%
Saturated Fat 69.6g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.2g
Cholesterol 463.1mg	0%
Sodium 3671.6mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 129.3g	0%
Dietary Fiber 21.6g	0%
Total Sugars 46.9g
Protein 82.2g	0%

Vitamin D 7.7IU	0%
Calcium 1635.8mg	0%
Iron 8.0mg	0%
Potassium 2853.6mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 70.7%

Protein: 11.4%

Carbs: 17.9%