Classic Wedge Salad
This Wedge Salad is fresh, crisp, and oh-so-easy to make at home! If you’re looking for a salad recipe that’s loaded with all the bells and whistles, this classic wedge salad is just that. Crunchy iceberg lettuce is topped with a delicious homemade blue cheese dressing, hard boiled egg, crispy bacon, fresh tomatoes, chives and an extra sprinkle of more blue cheese crumbles. So good!
This Iceberg Wedge Salad recipe is the perfect side dish or light main course. Made with bacon, tomatoes, blue cheese, hard-boiled eggs and drizzled with homemade blue cheese dressing, you will fall in love with this traditional steakhouse recipe. So delicious served with steak and baked potatoes.
Not only is it incredibly tasty, but it’s also probably one of the easiest salads you can make. It’s literally a head of iceberg lettuce cut into 4, drenched in some homemade dressing, and a bunch of toppings thrown on top. And good grief, it’s amazing.
Why you will love this recipe
- Simple and easy to make. There’s just a few things to prep and then this salad comes together in a flash!
- Super tasty. This salad recipe is packed with flavor and texture. It will be a winner we promise!
- Pairs well with many main dishes. There are so many options to serve this wedge salad alongside. It just works so well as a side dish no matter what you’re having for dinner.
Ingredients needed
The ingredients in this crunchy, delicious salad are simple, classic and work together so wonderfully. The salad is crisp, fresh, flavorful and just plain AMAZING. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Iceberg lettuce. A must for making a wedge salad recipe is a head of lettuce. It may not be packed with the nutrients of green leaf lettuce. But, it’s not junk food and it’s cold, crunchy and fun to eat, sliced in a big wedge then drizzled with dressing and tasty toppings!
- Hard boiled eggs. Many wedge salad recipes don’t include hard-boiled eggs, but I love the addition for extra flavor, protein and healthy fats.
- Bacon. It’s amazing how a tiny bit of bacon can transform any salad recipe!
- Tomato. This recipe calls for one large tomato, but feel free to use cherry or grape tomatoes.
- Chives. For color and freshness! Feel free to sub with any herb, such as fresh parsley or scallions.
- Blue cheese crumbles. Blue cheese is what pretty much makes a wedge salad, so we love adding extra crumbles!
Homemade blue cheese dressing
The classic wedge salad dressing is a tangy, creamy and flavorful blue cheese dressing.
And for an absolutely incredible salad, homemade blue cheese dressing is a must. Homemade dressing is just so much better than store-bought. If you haven’t tried making your own dressing yet, please give it a try. It’s so easy and only takes about 5 minutes, plus it’s better for you (no additives!), more economical, and way fresher tasting.
My blue cheese dressing recipe combines sour cream, buttermilk and red wine vinegar for a tangy, rich tasting dressing that pairs perfectly with this fresh, crisp wedge salad. If you’re not a fan of blue cheese, this Healthy Ranch Dressing is a favorite!
How to make this recipe
This wedge salad recipe has a few different components, but overall it’s a breeze to throw together. Here’s the easy method:
- First, make the blue cheese dressing. Learning how to make blue cheese dressing is as simple as mixing together all the ingredients in a small bowl or jar, placing the mixture in the fridge for 20-30 minutes for the flavors to meld, then drizzling over your salad. Seriously, that’s it!
- Prep ingredients. Fry the bacon in strips, then crumble into smaller pieces. Hard boil eggs and then dice. I have tips for boiling eggs here. Wash and chop the tomatoes and chives.
- Cut the iceberg into wedges. Remove any limp outer leaves of the lettuce head and then cut in half, then cut each half into quartered wedges. Thoroughly wash the lettuce before assembling the salad.
- Assemble your salad. Place each wedge cut side up on a plate, drizzle with the homemade blue cheese dressing, top with diced hard boiled egg, bacon crumbles and diced tomato, sprinkle with fresh chives and blue cheese chunks. Add salt & black pepper to taste and serve!
Tips for recipe success
- Washing the iceberg wedges. Once you’ve cut the wedges, run cold water over each one, using your fingers to gently separate the leaves to let the water inside. Alternatively, place the wedges in a bowl of cold water, gently swishing them to loosen any dirt trapped inside. Let them drain on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and pat dry.
- Romaine lettuce. If all you have is romaine lettuce, you can make that work. Cut it lengthwise or a larger head of romaine into quarters and assemble it the same way.
- Make ahead. Because there are several components to this salad, it’s a great recipe to make in advance. You can make the dressing a few days before you plan to serve it. Go ahead and prep the toppings, too, and refrigerate them in separate containers until needed. But cut the lettuce into wedges a few minutes before you plan to assemble everything.
Pairing options
There are so many options when it comes to pairing this iceberg wedge salad! This is great served with everything from meat to soup or sandwiches. Here are some of our favorite ideas:
Frequently asked questions
Just as the name suggests, this salad is made using a wedge of iceberg lettuce. Iceberg lettuce grows into a round “head” shape. This head of lettuce is cut neatly into 4 wedges. Or if the head of lettuce is pretty large, it can be cut into 6 or 8 wedges.
This salad is a very popular option served at steakhouses. I tried my very first wedge salad at BJ’s Restaurant and I know Outback serves one as well. Out of all the millions of salad recipes out there, a classic wedge salad with thick, tangy blue cheese dressing always seems to be a hit for the perfect side or light meal. It has dynamic ingredients that all compliment each other so well!
Cut the head of iceberg lettuce into quarters with a clean, sharp knife, no longer than 15 minutes before you plan to serve the salad. This keeps the edges from turning brown from air exposure. If you have a huge head of lettuce, you may need to cut the lettuce into six, or even eight slices.
Since this salad recipe is served in a wedge, it’s easiest to use a fork and a sharp knife to slice it into bite-sized pieces at the table.
Additional topping options
Feel free to change things up and make this salad your own. Wedge salads are easily customizable, so mix and match to your liking.
- Avocado
- Cucumber
- Radishes
- Bell peppers
- Olives
- Beets
- Croutons
- Nuts or seeds
- Red onion
- Other cheese varieties: parmesan, mozzarella, feta, gorgonzola, goat cheese
- Other dressing varieties: caesar or ranch dressing
- Protein: grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken or steak
More delicious salad recipes to try
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Classic Wedge Salad
Ingredients
- 1 head iceberg lettuce
- 3 large hard boiled eggs, peeled and diced
- 8 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 8 tablespoons blue cheese dressing
- blue cheese crumbles for garnish, optional
- salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cut a head of iceberg lettuce through the core. Cut the halves down the center, there should be four wedges. Remove any outer leaves that are browned or falling off.
- Gently rinse the lettuce wedges under cool water for a few seconds. Carefully shake off the excess water and dry with paper towels.
- For cool and crisp wedges, refrigerate before serving.
- On a serving platter or on individual plates, assemble the salad in this order: wedge of iceberg, blue cheese dressing, egg, bacon, tomatoes, chives, more blue cheese crumbles. Add salt & pepper to taste. Serve immediately and make sure you have both a fork AND and knife when you eat this.
Notes
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