Wedge Salad Recipe With Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

A wedge salad is a popular steakhouse side dish or appetizer consisting of a wedge of crunchy iceberg lettuce and various salad toppings, such as crumbled bacon, blue cheese crumbles, diced tomatoes, and a creamy salad dressing. Blue cheese dressing is the most common, but depending on the restaurant, there are other dressing options.

A wedge salad is a composed salad, which means the ingredients are arranged on a plate (like cobb salad) rather than tossed in a bowl (like Caesar salad).

An iceberg wedge salad can work with any dressing, but the four below are the most common:

1. 1. Blue cheese dressing: A classic wedge salad comes with blue cheese dressing poured over the top of a wedge of iceberg lettuce. Iceberg is crunchy lettuce with little flavor, so wedge salad relies on a flavorful dressing. Make homemade blue cheese dressing with buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, black pepper, and crumbled blue cheese.
2. 2. Honey mustard dressing: Sweet, spicy, and creamy honey mustard dressing pairs well with the iceberg lettuce and the other toppings, like salty bacon and juicy tomatoes. There are two kinds of honey mustard dressing; one is a vinaigrette with a mixture of honey and mustard, and one has mayonnaise for a creamy element. The creamy one would be more in line with a classic wedge salad, but either version works.
3. 3. Ranch dressing: Another classic creamy dressing, ranch dressing is tangy from buttermilk and fresh from herbs like parsley, dill, and chives. Drizzle ranch dressing on a wedge of iceberg lettuce, then add the classic wedge salad toppings like bacon crumbles, croutons, cherry tomatoes, and crumbled blue cheese.
4. 4. Vinaigrette: The most untraditional of the wedge salad options, the acidity from balsamic or red wine vinegar works with the neutral taste of iceberg lettuce. A vinaigrette adds an element of brightness to an otherwise rich salad. Change up the salad toppings; opt for feta cheese instead of blue cheese and diced cucumbers instead of tomatoes. Learn how to make a classic vinaigrette with Chef Thomas Keller.

Pair any of the three foods below with a crunchy, salty, and creamy wedge salad:

• French onion soup: Soup and salad are typically each served as side dishes, but together, they make a meal. French onion soup is savory but slightly sweet, providing a nice contrast of temperatures and flavors when served with a wedge salad.
• Roasted chicken: Serve a wedge salad with oven-roasted chicken for a special occasion. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with lemon wedges, smashed garlic, fresh thyme and rosemary, and onions to add flavor to the chicken as it roasts, and rub butter underneath the chicken skin, so it seeps into the meat and makes the skin crispy.
• Steak: The most standard accompaniment for a wedge salad, a grilled steak is meaty, smoky, and fatty. It pairs well with a wedge salad because the salad is fresh, crunchy, and creamy but also shares the salty and fatty aspects of a steak from the dressing and bacon. Get pitmaster Aaron Franklin’s tips for grilling a perfect steak.