Classic Wedge Salad

A delicious, crisp Wedge Salad topped with bacon crumbles, onion, tomatoes and a creamy homemade blue cheese dressing

Photo courtesy of Lauren Allen

You can serve wedge salads as a side with just about any meal, like Braised short Ribs, Penne alla Vodka, or Chicken Piccata.

Whenever I’m ordering a side salad from a restaurant I always scan the menu for a wedge salad; they’re my favorite! Kind of ironic considering they are probably the cheapest, simplest thing on the menu, but, for some reason they seem “fancy” to me and I love seeing how they’re presented (plus, they’re Delicious!).

This is the perfect salad for impressing guests, with little effort.

How to Cut a Wedge Salad:

Iceberg lettuce is used to make wedge salads because the leaves are compact and layered tightly together. For wedge salads, grab a whole head of iceberg lettuce and cut it in half, from the top down to the stem. Cut each halve again, to make 4 quarters of lettuce.

Rinse each quart of lettuce and gently shake off any excess water. Place them on a paper towel lined plate, or in a large bag with a paper towel to catch excess water, and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. If any outer edges of the lettuce start to brown you can simply cut them off.

Photo courtesy of Lauren Allen

How to Make Wedge Salad:

• Make the Blue Cheese Dressing: Add all of the blue cheese dressing ingredients to a bowl and stir well to combine. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. The dressing can be made up to 1 week in advance.
• Cut lettuce: Cut the iceberg lettuce in half. Cut each of the halves again in half or thirds (depending on how big the head of lettuce is) to create “wedges”.
• Add toppings: Place wedges on individual plates. Spoon dressing over lettuce and garnish with bacon crumbles, chopped tomatoes, onion and blue cheese crumbles on top. Season with fresh crushed black pepper, to taste.

Photo courtesy of Lauren Allen

Additional Wedge Salad Toppings Ideas:

• Avocado
• Cucumber
• Olives
• Beets
• Croutons
• Other cheese varieties: parmesan, mozzarella, feta, gorgonzola, goat cheese.
• Nuts
• Berries
• Creamy Parmesan, Caesar, or Ranch Dressing instead of Blue Cheese Dressing.
• Protein: grilled chicken or steak.

Classic Wedge Salad

Servings: 8 Calories: 237 Cost: 4 Prep 20 Mins Total 20 Mins

Ingredients

For the Salad: 1 head iceberg lettuce 8 slices bacon, cooked, cooled and crumbled 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 1/2 cup red onion, chopped pecans or walnuts toasted (optional)

Easy Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing: 1 cup light sour cream ½ cup mayonnaise 3 Tablespoons buttermilk 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste 4 ounces blue cheese, reserve a few spoonfuls for garnish

Instructions

Add all of the dressing ingredients to a medium bowl and stir well to combine. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or can be made several days in advance.

Cut the bacon into pieces and cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels.

Cut the iceberg lettuce in half. Cut each of the halves again in half or thirds (depending on how big the ice berg lettuce head is), to create “wedges”. Place wedges on individual plates.

To serve, spoon dressing over lettuce and then sprinkle the bacon crumbles, tomatoes, onion and blue cheese crumbles on top. Season with fresh crushed black pepper, to taste.

Notes Additional Wedge Salad Toppings Ideas:

• Avocado
• Cucumber
• Olives
• Beets
• Croutons
• Other cheese varieties: parmesan, mozzarella, feta, gorgonzola, goat cheese.
• Nuts: pine nuts, almonds, etc.
• Berries
• Creamy parmesan or Caesar Dressing instead of Blue Cheese Dressing.
• Protein: grilled chicken or steak.

Nutrition Calories: 237kcal Carbohydrates: 8g Protein: 8g Fat: 19g Saturated Fat: 8g Cholesterol: 38mg Sodium: 563mg Potassium: 342mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 3g Vitamin A: 840IU Vitamin C: 9.2mg Calcium: 142mg Iron: 0.7mg

This article was originally published on tastesbetterfromscratch.com.

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