Sweet & Sour Vegetable Salad

Down South, they call this a “seven layer salad” or a “marinated salad," and every church potluck worth its salt has at least two versions on the table.

This one loads up on vegetables: corn, French-style green beans, sliced carrots, English peas, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, red bell pepper, pimentos, onion, and celery. That’s a whole garden in a bowl.

The dressing is hot vinegar spiked with sugar, dill seed, oil, and a few dashes of hot sauce, poured right over the vegetables so it soaks in as everything chills. Two hours in the fridge and you’ve got a cold, crunchy, sweet-tart side dish that only gets better the longer it sits.

Kitchen Tips

• Make this a day ahead. The flavors deepen overnight and the vegetables absorb more of that tangy dressing. It holds well for 2 to 3 days in the fridge.
• Drain your canned vegetables well before combining. Extra liquid dilutes the dressing.
• The hot dressing is key. Pouring it warm helps the sugar dissolve completely and lets the vinegar penetrate the vegetables faster.
• Dial the Tabasco up or down depending on your crowd. Six dashes gives a gentle warmth, not a burn.