Crisp iceberg lettuce, a pop of juicy tomatoes, savory bacon, and crumbly blue cheese all make up this delicious Wedge Salad. Add some chopped chives for an extra special steakhouse touch, and top it off with a generous drizzle of creamy blue cheese dressing and meet your new favorite salad!
The whole thing can be put together in under 15 minutes and there is very little prep required. It's simple to make yet feels so special and elegant. Great for summertime cookouts, fancy entertaining, or even weeknight dinners. You can't get much more versatile than that.
HOW TO MAKE WEDGE SALAD
A Wedge Salad is only as good as its lettuce, so you want to make sure you are making a good selection at your local grocery store or farmer's market. When it comes to choosing a good head of iceberg lettuce, you'll want to look for something that appears crisp and not at all wilted or floppy to ensure the best possible outcome.
The Wedge Salad is a classic steakhouse salad, with big, delicious, and powerful flavors. Like most delicious things in life, this recipe begins with the bacon.
YOU CAN'T HAVE WEDGE WITHOUT BACON
The first thing you will want to do for this classic Wedge Salad recipe is crisp up some bacon! (Hello house salad vibes!) Thick-cut bacon will work best for this recipe. Cut your bacon into quarter-inch cubes and transfer it to a medium size sauté pan over medium-high heat.
Cook the bacon for about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. As soon as the bacon is brown and crispy to your liking transfer it to a plate lined with a paper towel. Set the plate aside and move on to the lettuce.
HOW TO CUT A WEDGE SALAD
Cutting a head of iceberg lettuce into that signature Wedge Salad shape is easier than you think! The first thing you want to do is remove any loose or wilted leaves from the outer layers of the iceberg lettuce head.
Place the head of lettuce on a work surface and use a large chef's knife to cut directly across the center of the core. Lay each half of the lettuce head flat side down. Next, you'll cut each half into either 2 or 3 wedges. If your head of lettuce is especially large, you will want to cut each half into thirds, if it is on the smaller side, halves will do just fine!
At this point, you'll want to start treating the wedges with a particularly delicate touch in order to keep your lettuce layers together! Check to see if there is any significant piece of stem attached to the bottom of your wedge, and if so, carefully cut it away. This task is best done using a paring knife.
TOPPING IDEAS
There's certainly more than one way to top off a wedge salad, but if we're talking about a classic wedge, you'll definitely need some cherry or grape tomatoes on hand. To prep your tomatoes for the salad, simply cut them in half lengthwise.
Similar to our spinach strawberry salad, you'll also want to have either red onion or chives on hand. I prefer chives for the salad, as it adds a lovely, subtle touch of onion flavor, but if you'd prefer a more intense onion vibe, red onions will do the trick. If using a red onion, be sure to either slice it very thin or give it a nice, small dice.
An easy and yummy option would be to pickle your red onion before using it. A simple way to do this is to mix half a cup of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup of water, 1 Tbs of sugar, and 1 ½ tsp salt in a small bowl until dissolved. Add in your sliced red onion and allow it to sit for at least 1 hour at room temperature.
Another classic topping for a Wedge Salad is of course blue cheese dressing and blue cheese crumbles. However, if you're serving this salad to someone who isn't a fan of blue cheese dressing, top off this salad with ranch and leave out the blue cheese crumbles.
HOW TO ASSEMBLE A WEDGE SALAD
Place a wedge of iceberg lettuce on a plate, and top it with either blue cheese or ranch dressing. The dressing sort of serves as the glue for the toppings!
Sprinkle over your halved tomatoes, bacon, blue cheese, and chives. At this point, I like to add an additional drizzle of dressing on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with a knife and fork and enjoy it as a side dish alongside a cowboy steak or cast iron filet!
HOW TO MAKE BLUE CHEESE DRESSING
There's nothing quite as delicious as a homemade blue cheese dressing! If you're feeling a little extra and you want to next-level your salad, here's what you'll need:
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of Kosher salt
- 5 ounces blue cheese (such as Maytag or Gorgonzola)
To make homemade blue cheese dressing, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and salt in a small mixing bowl. Add about ¾ of the blue cheese to the bowl and use the back of the spoon to mash it into the other dressing ingredients.
Then, add the remaining blue cheese and fold it into the dressing. This ensures there are blue cheese crumbles and great texture and every single bite!
Chill the dressing for about 30 minutes to an hour before serving, and then it will be absolutely perfect for topping off your Wedge Salad!
6 MORE SALAD RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Buffalo Chicken Salad
- Easy Taco Salad
- Watermelon and Arugula Salad
- Cobb Salad
- Fried Green Tomato Salad
- Pear and Walnut Salad
Buffalo Chicken Salad
Easy Taco Salad Recipe
Watermelon Arugula Salad
Cobb Salad Recipe
Fried Green Tomato Salad
Pear and Walnut Salad
The perfect, classic Wedge Salad that is absolutely bursting with flavor. Easy enough for weeknights, fancy enough for date nights!
- 1 head of Iceberg lettuce
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon diced
- ¾-1 cup blue cheese or ranch dressing
- 1 pint sweet cherry or grape tomatoes halved lengthwise
- ⅓ cup blue cheese crumbles
- ¼ cup chopped chives
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To prepare the lettuce, remove any loose or wilted leaves. Cut right across the center of the core and lay each half flat-side down. Cut each half into 2 or 3 sections depending on the size of the lettuce head. If needed, cut away the stem end, and gently transfer the lettuce wedge to a plate or serving platter.
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In a medium-sized saute pan, fry bacon over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside until ready to use.
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Plate each wedge and drizzle with the desired dressing, and distribute tomatoes, bacon, blue cheese crumbles, and chives evenly across the top of each wedge. Serve and enjoy.
Recipe Video
Sources: TheSpruceEats.com | All About Iceberg Lettuce, BonAppetit.com | Quick Pickled Onions
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