Classic Wedge Salad Recipe

By Danielle Nieman

Long live this classic wedge salad recipe! It’s a favorite among many, and it’s easy to throw together. Made with homemade blue cheese dressing, iceberg lettuce, bacon, eggs, and more, it truly is the BEST.

This post is all about how to make a Classic Wedge Salad Recipe.

The classic wedge salad has graced the menus of luxury steakhouses for decades. Why? Because the wedge is timeless and its tower of crispy iceberg lettuce leaves combined with a fine blue cheese dressing (and so much more!) make it the perfect starter or side.

This classic salad, named for its triangular shape, which resembles a “wedge” of cheese, can be served for any occasion. And you CANNOT go wrong by serving “the wedge,” and some of the best chefs in the world have confirmed it is one of their most requested salad dishes.

Because of this truth, it’s time to learn how easy it is to make this delicious salad at home. The ingredients are straightforward, and this recipe will teach you how to make your very own wedge in just 25 minutes or less!

Classic Wedge Salad Recipe

What Is A Wedge Salad Recipe Made Of?

There are no “rules” when it comes to the wedge salad, and often you’ll see a variety of toppings used. Chefs like to add their own twists when it comes to this salad, and that’s perfectly okay. Below are the ingredients used in this BEST wedge salad recipe.

Ingredients Needed For This Easy Wedge Salad (Serves 4):

• 1 Iceberg lettuce head, cut into 4 wedges.

• 1 cup of cooked, crumbled bacon.

• 20 grape tomatoes, sliced in half.

• 4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped.

• 2 green onions, chopped finely. You can substitute for fresh chives if you prefer.

• 8 tablespoons of crumbled, blue cheese. (2 tablespoons per serving.)

• 4 thin slices of red onions. One slice per serving separated and used as a garnish.

Ingredients Needed for Wedge Salad Dressing Recipe:

• 1/4 cup of mayonnaise.

• 1/4 cup of sour cream or greek yogurt.

• 1/4 cup of reduced-fat milk or regular milk.

• 2 tablespoons of Ranch dressing powder.

• 1/4 cup of crumbled blue cheese.

• 1/8 teaspoon of lemon juice.

• 1/8 teaspoon of cracked black pepper.

• Dash of Worcestershire sauce.

What Is The Point Of A Wedge Salad?

Well, when you take a bite of this wedge, you’ll first taste a crunchy piece of cold iceberg lettuce covered with a thick, tangy blue cheese dressing along with crispy bacon, eggs, tomatoes, and more! No salad can compete, and that’s the whole point.

How Do You Cut Iceberg Lettuce For Wedge Salad?

First, clean the head of lettuce thoroughly. To easily remove the iceberg lettuce stem, hit the lettuce stem firmly on the counter. The stem/core will pop right out, just like shown in the picture below. Next, using a plastic lettuce knife, cut the head into four quarters (wedges).

Be sure to rinse each wedge after cutting and dry them with a paper towel. Remove any brown lettuce leaves from the outer part of the wedge piece.

Of course, you don’t have to go out and buy a special knife just to cut iceberg lettuce, but there are some amazing perks! The serrated plastic blade helps prevent all types of lettuce from turning brown (winning!). Also, you can use this same knife to cut clean slices of cake, bread, and brownies.

Purchase a Plastic Lettuce Knife on AMAZON.

How To Make This Wedge Salad Recipe

Now that your lettuce is cut into four quarters, it’s time to start assembling the salad. When I make this salad, I try to prepare the cooked bacon, boiled eggs, homemade dressing, and other ingredients ahead of time. That way, I can have the ingredients laid out and ready to add to my wedge like an assembly line.

Step 1: Make The Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix thoroughly. Homemade blue cheese dressing can keep in the fridge for about a week. This particular recipe makes 16 servings, which equates to one tablespoon. You will use approximately two to three tablespoons per wedge salad serving.

I like to store my homemade dressings in a salad dressing shaker. It has a nice topper to prevent spillage and comes with a whisk for keeping the ingredients mixed over the week it’s stored in the fridge.

Purchase this Salad Dressing Shaker on AMAZON.

Step 2: Cutting the Iceberg And Preparing The Toppings

All of the wedge salad toppings are easy to prepare. Cooking the bacon and boiling the eggs will take the most amount of time, but luckily this can be done the day before if you prefer. Clean and chop the lettuce wedges, onions (or chives), and tomatoes.

Step 3: Add The Toppings

Place one wedge onto a plate and spoon homemade blue cheese dressing on top (2 to 3 tablespoons). Next, add the chopped crispy bacon, eggs, tomatoes, and blue cheese. Lastly, garnish the wedge tower with green onions (or chives), thinly sliced red onions, and cracked black pepper to taste.

FAQ’s:

Are There Additional Wedge Salad Toppings?

Some like to add avocados, cucumbers, croutons, and shredded carrots to their wedge. Remember, if the best chefs in the world are adding twists to their wedge salads, you too can do the same!

What Dressing do I Use When Serving a Classic Wedge Salad?

Suppose you want to serve a wedge salad without blue cheese dressing; that’s no problem. Consider serving this wedge salad recipe with a balsamic, ranch, french, or thousand island dressing. Again, there are no “rules” with the wedge.

A Wedge Salad With No Bacon?

If you serve a wedge salad with no bacon, it becomes a vegetarian wedge salad. AND it’s still delicious!

Is Wedge Salad Unhealthy?

This stupid, simple (unbelievably delicious) salad has very little nutritional value and is high in calories because of the toppings, and copious amounts of dressing added. So, be sure to eat this on a cheat day. ????

According to Sonya Angelone, R.D., a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, iceberg lettuce isn’t the most nutritious leafy green out there but, she says, “if someone only likes iceberg lettuce, it’s better than not eating any lettuce at all.”

What Do You Eat With This Wedge Salad Recipe?

Of course, you can eat the wedge alone, but often you’ll see it served as a starter or paired with steak, chicken, or pork chops. Also, you could serve it with this delicious butternut squash soup.

Final Thoughts On This Classic Wedge Salad Recipe

When in doubt, make this Classic Wedge. It’s crispy, cold, and purely delicious. Because you can add a variety of toppings, you and your guests are guaranteed to be happy and satisfied!

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