This classic wedge salad is refreshing and easy-to-make. It features a cold and crisp wedge of iceberg lettuce topped with homemade creamy blue cheese dressing, crispy bacon, tomatoes, onion and toasted pecans, all drizzled with balsamic vinegar glaze.
What is a Wedge Salad?
A Wedge Salad is a classic American salad that typically consists of a wedge of iceberg lettuce topped with bacon, blue cheese dressing, and other toppings such as cherry tomatoes and red onion. It's a simple and refreshing salad that is perfect for any meal or occasion. The iceberg lettuce wedge is typically cut from a head of lettuce and provides a crunchy and juicy base for the toppings.
Expert Tips
- Choose a fresh and crisp iceberg lettuce head to ensure the best taste and texture for your salad.
- When making the blue cheese dressing, make sure to use good-quality blue cheese for the best flavor.
- For extra crunch, try adding other toppings such as croutons or crispy onions.
- Serve the salad immediately after dressing to prevent the lettuce from becoming soggy.
Ingredients For Wedge Salad
Here are some ingredient notes for making Wedge Salad:
- Iceberg Lettuce: Use a fresh and crisp head of iceberg lettuce, and cut it into wedges just before serving.
- Cherry Tomatoes: You can use any type of small tomatoes or grape tomatoes in place of cherry tomatoes.
- Red Onion: If you prefer a milder onion flavor, soak the diced onion in cold water for 10-15 minutes before adding to the salad.
- Balsamic Vinegar Glaze: You can make your own glaze by reducing balsamic vinegar on the stove or buy a pre-made bottle at the store.
- Bacon: Cook the bacon until crispy and then chop it into small pieces for the salad.
- Pecans: Toast the pecans in a dry skillet or oven until lightly browned and fragrant. Other nuts like walnuts or almonds can also be used in place of pecans.
- Blue Cheese: Use a good quality blue cheese for the best flavor. You can also use gorgonzola cheese as a substitute.
- Buttermilk: If you don't have buttermilk, you can make your own by mixing ¼ cup of milk with 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it thickens.
- Sour Cream: Use full-fat sour cream for a creamier texture and richer flavor.
- Mayonnaise: Use a high-quality mayonnaise for the best taste. You can also use Greek yogurt or sour cream as a substitute.
- Olive Oil: Use extra-virgin olive oil for a fruity and rich flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best taste.
- Chives: Adding fresh chives to the dressing adds a burst of flavor and freshness. You can also use green onions or scallions as a substitute.
How to Cut a Wedge Salad
- Remove outer leaves: Start by removing any wilted or damaged outer leaves of the iceberg lettuce head.
- Cut in half: Cut the head of lettuce in half from top to bottom, through the core.
- Cut into quarters: Cut each half into quarters, making sure to cut through the core of the lettuce.
- Remove core: Cut out the core of each lettuce quarter.
- Serve as wedges: Place each lettuce quarter on a plate or serving dish, with the cut side facing up.
How to Make Wedge Salad
- In a small bowl, mix the cherry tomatoes, red onion, and balsamic vinegar glaze. Season the mixture with salt and black pepper according to your taste. Set the bowl aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, place half of the crumbled cheese and use a whisk to break it down. Add in the buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, olive oil, and lemon juice. Continue to whisk the ingredients together until they are smooth and well-combined.
- To assemble the salad, take a plate or serving board and place one wedge of iceberg lettuce on it. Use a spoon to drizzle the prepared blue cheese dressing over the lettuce wedge. Then, add the dressed tomato halves, onion, diced bacon, chopped pecans, and the remaining crumbled blue cheese on top. Drizzle with some balsamic vinegar glaze.
Additional Wedge Salad Toppings
- Grilled chicken or shrimp
- Crispy prosciutto or pancetta
- Sliced avocado or guacamole
- Roasted red peppers
- Pickled red onions
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Crumbled feta or goat cheese
- Candied pecans or walnuts
- Roasted or grilled corn
Frequently Asked Questions
Iceberg lettuce is the most commonly used lettuce for making Wedge Salad due to its crisp and refreshing taste.
Yes, you can make the dressing ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Some popular toppings for Wedge Salad include diced tomatoes, crispy bacon, red onions, toasted nuts, and croutons.
Yes, you can make a vegetarian or vegan version of Wedge Salad by omitting the bacon and using a non-dairy or vegan-friendly blue cheese dressing.
Storage
❗ We don't recommend to store fully assembled Wedge Salad as the lettuce may become soggy and wilted. Instead, you can store the individual components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to three days.
The lettuce wedge should be wrapped in a damp paper towel to keep it fresh and crisp. The toppings and dressing should be stored separately in their own containers. When ready to serve, assemble the salad just before serving by placing the lettuce wedge on a plate and adding the toppings and dressing on top.
More Delicious Salad Recipes
Roasted Cauliflower Tabbouleh Salad
Summer Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad
Imitation Crab and Cabbage Salad
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Wedge Salad
Ingredients
- 1 large head iceberg lettuce the outer leaves removed, washed, cut into 4 wedges
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 1 small red onion peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar glaze
- Slat and pepper to taste
- 4 slices bacon cooked and diced
- ¼ cup toasted pecans chopped
Blue Cheese Dressing
- 4 ounces blue cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives finely chopped, optional
Instructions
- Remove the outer leaves of the lettuce. Chop the head of lettuce in half and then in half again, making four wedges. Finally, cut the end to remove the stem.
- Combine the tomatoes, onion and balsamic vinegar glaze in a small bowl, and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Take a medium-sized bowl and put half of the cheese in it. Use a whisk to mash the cheese. Add buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, olive oil, and lemon juice. Mash and whisk the ingredients until smooth. Set aside.
- To put together the salad, place one wedge of lettuce on the plate or serving board. Use a spoon to pour the prepared dressing over the lettuce wedge. Top with the dressed tomato halves, onion, bacon, pecans, and remaining blue cheese.
- Drizzle with some balsamic vinegar glaze.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Storage:
- We don't recommend to store fully assembled Wedge Salad as the lettuce may become soggy and wilted. Instead, you can store the individual components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- The lettuce wedge should be wrapped in a damp paper towel to keep it fresh and crisp. The toppings and dressing should be stored separately in their own containers. When ready to serve, assemble the salad just before serving by placing the lettuce wedge on a plate and adding the toppings and dressing on top.
Nutrition
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