Layered Basil Salad
Author: 
Recipe type: Salads
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 12-14 servings
 
A hearty, main-dish salad with a homemade fresh basil dressing. A stunning, showy, layered salad, perfect for your next get-together.
Ingredients
  • 4 cups assorted salad greens, washed and torn
  • 4 medium carrots, julienned
  • 1½ cups cooked pasta shells, (about ¾ cup uncooked), drained and cooled
  • 2 cups frozen peas, thawed
  • 1 medium red onion
  • ¾ pound fully cooked ham, cut in ½ inch cubes
  • ⅓ cup shredded Swiss cheese
  • ⅓ cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup light sour cream
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1½ tsp chopped fresh basil or ½ tsp dried basil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, cooled and cut into 8 wedges
Instructions
  1. In a 3-1/2 quart glass bowl with straight sides, layer the torn salad greens, carrots, pasta shells, peas, onion, ham, and cheeses.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, basil, salt and pepper. Spoon evenly over the salad.
  3. Garnish with egg wedges, if desired and a sprinkle of chopped basil.
  4. Cover with foil and chill for 2 hours.
Notes
You can use any salad greens you prefer. I generally use an equal mixture of romaine lettuce (for crunch), spring mix, and baby spinach.
In any recipe that calls for mayonnaise, I usually use Canola oil mayo, which has half the calories of regular mayonnaise, but tastes better than "light" mayo. I used it in this recipe and it tasted great.
I always use light sour cream instead of regular, because I can't tell a big difference.
Keep this salad covered with foil while chilling, or if you have leftovers. The foil blocks odors better than plastic wrap and will prevent your refrigerator from smelling like onions.
Recipe by Laura's Cozy Kitchen at https://www.laurascozykitchen.com/layered-basil-salad/