Make a Wedge Salad

You've probably seen wedge salad on steakhouse menus where it can be a filling side or light main dish. For a similar salad, make a loaded wedge salad. Place a wedge or quarter of iceberg lettuce on a plate and top it with diced tomatoes, crumbled bacon, and a blue cheese dressing. Or for a heartier dish, serve the wedge with a spiced buttermilk dressing, cheddar cheese and bacon. If you'd rather keep the salad light and healthy, make a nutritious Greek wedge salad that's topped with lemon tahini dressing.

Ingredients

Loaded Wedge Salad

• 2 small tomatoes, diced
• Kosher salt and ground pepper
• 1 small red onion, minced
• White wine vinegar, for soaking the onion
• 1/2 cup (115 g) sliced bacon, cut into 1/2 inch (12 mm) pieces
• 1/2 cup (45 g) fresh bread crumbs
• 2 ounces (57 g) mild blue cheese
• 1/2 cup (116 g) mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup (115 g) sour cream
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon fresh juice
• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• Minced chives, for garnish

Makes 4 servings

Cheddar Bacon Wedge Salad

• 4 slices (100 g) thick-cut bacon
• 1 cup (232 g) mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk
• 1/2 cup (115 g) sour cream
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• 1/2 cup (50 g) grated sharp Cheddar or Cheddar-Jack

Makes 4 servings

Healthy Greek Wedge Salad

• 2 heads of romaine
• 1 ½ cups (223 g) halved or quartered cherry tomatoes
• ⅔ cup (100 g) chopped seeded cucumber
• ⅔ cup (150 g) chopped celery (about 2 ribs)
• ¼ cup (33 g) pitted and halved Kalamata olives
• 1 shallot, very thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Pinch of salt
• ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup (37 g) crumbled feta cheese for garnish
• ¼ cup (5 g) finely chopped fresh mint or basil for garnish

Makes 4 servings

Steps

Making Loaded Wedge Salad

1. Salt and drain the tomatoes. Wash 2 small tomatoes and dice them into small pieces. Put them in a fine mesh strainer and sprinkle them with several pinches of kosher salt. Toss the tomatoes so they're coated and let them sit and drain while you make the rest of the salad.
   • The salt will bring out the excess moisture in the tomatoes so you don't end up with a soggy salad.
2. Mince the onion and marinate it in vinegar. Peel 1 small red onion and mince it into very fine pieces. Put the onion in a small bowl and pour enough white wine vinegar to cover the onion. Set the onion aside to marinate while you make the rest of the salad.
3. Fry the bacon. Slice several pieces of bacon into 1/2 inch (12 mm) pieces. You'll need about 1/2 cup (115 g) of sliced bacon. Put it into a skillet and fry the bacon over medium-high heat. Stir and fry the bacon for about 5 minutes. It should become crispy. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.
   • Leave the fat in the skillet once you've finished frying the bacon.
4. Toast the breadcrumbs. Turn the heat on the skillet down to medium heat and add 1/2 cup (45 g) of fresh bread crumbs to the fat in the pan. Stir and cook the breadcrumbs for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the breadcrumbs to a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle the crumbs with salt and pepper.
   • The breadcrumbs will become golden brown and crispy once they've finished toasting.
5. Combine the blue cheese dressing. Put 2 ounces (57 g) of mild blue cheese into a mixing bowl and mash it a little with a whisk or potato masher. Whisk in the remaining blue cheese dressing ingredients until the dressing is mostly smooth (there may be some blue cheese lumps). You'll need to whisk in:
   • 1/2 cup (116 g) mayonnaise
   • 1/2 cup (115 g) sour cream
   • 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk
   • 1 tablespoon fresh juice
   • Fresh ground pepper to taste
6. Cut the iceberg lettuce into wedges. Wash 1 head of iceberg lettuce and thoroughly dry it. Peel away and discard the outer leaves. Use a large knife to carefully cut the iceberg lettuce in half. Slice each half in half so you get 4 wedges. Place each wedge on a serving plate.
7. Assemble the loaded wedge salads. Drizzle each wedge with some of the blue cheese dressing. Sprinkle some of the drained, diced tomatoes over the salads and drain the minced onions. Scatter some of the marinated onions over each salad and top each with some of the bacon and toasted breadcrumbs.
   • For an extra garnish, mince a few chives or green onions and sprinkle them on each salad.

Making Cheddar Bacon Wedge Salad

1. Fry the bacon. Place 4 slices (100 g) of thick-cut bacon into a medium skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. Fry the bacon until it's a little crispy. Depending on how thick your bacon is, this can take 5 to 10 minutes. Place the fried bacon on paper towels to drain while you make the rest of the salad.
   • Consider flipping the bacon occasionally so it fries evenly on both sides.
2. Combine the spiced buttermilk dressing. Measure 1 cup (232 g) of mayonnaise, 1/2 cup (120 ml) of buttermilk, and 1/2 cup (115 g) of sour cream into a mixing bowl. Whisk the mixture together with the rest of the dressing ingredients until it's completely smooth. Whisk in:
   • 1 pressed garlic clove
   • 1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
   • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
   • 1/4 teaspoon salt
   • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
   • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3. Cut the iceberg lettuce into wedges. Wash 1 head of iceberg lettuce and thoroughly dry it. Use a large knife to carefully cut the iceberg lettuce in half. Slice each half in half so you get 4 wedges. Place each wedge on a serving plate.
4. Assemble the cheddar bacon wedge salads. Drizzle several spoonfuls of the spiced buttermilk dressing over each wedge of lettuce. The dressing should drip down the sides of the wedge. Chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle it over each wedge. Sprinkle 1/2 cup (50 g) of grated sharp Cheddar or Cheddar-Jack over the salads and serve them immediately.
   • For a shortcut, you could use purchased dressing. Try ranch dressing with these cheddar bacon wedge salads.

Making Healthy Greek Wedge Salad

1. Wash and cut the romaine lettuce into wedges. Wash 2 heads of romaine lettuce and thoroughly dry them. Use a large knife to carefully cut each head of lettuce in half. Place one half of lettuce on each plate. Set aside the lettuce while you prepare the rest of the salad.
   • If you have large heads of lettuce, you may want to cut each half in half so you end up with true wedges.
2. Toss the vegetables in lemon juice and salt. Cut 1 1/2 cups (223 g) of cherry tomatoes in half or quarter pieces. Put them in a mixing bowl along with ⅔ cup (100 g) of chopped cucumber with the seeds removed and ⅔ cup (150 g) of chopped celery (from about 2 ribs). Add ¼ cup (33 g) of pitted and halved Kalamata olives and 1 very thinly sliced shallot. Stir all of the vegetables with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Set the mixture aside.
3. Combine the lemon tahini dressing. Whisk together ¼ cup (60 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil, 2 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of tahini, and 2 to 3 cloves of pressed or minced garlic in a small prep bowl. Keep whisking until the dressing is combined and smooth.
   • Taste the dressing and add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt (or more) and pepper to taste.
4. Assemble the Greek wedge salads. Scoop a few large spoonfuls of the seasoned vegetable mixture over each wedge or half of romaine lettuce on the serving plates. Drizzle the lemon tahini dressing over each salad so the dressing coats the lettuce. Garnish the salads with ¼ cup (37 g) of crumbled feta cheese and ¼ cup (5 g) of finely chopped fresh mint or basil.
   • Offer your guests steak knives which can help cut the lettuce wedges.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Digital scale
• Knife and cutting board
• Serving bowl or plates
• Prep bowls
• Medium skillet
• Paper towels
• Whisk
• Spoon
• Steak knives

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make French Dressing
• Make an Israeli Salad
• Make Mediterranean Pasta Salad
• Make Low Calorie Cole Slaw
• Make Salads More Flavorful
• Make Tabouli
• Make a Healthy Salad that Tastes Good
• Clean Greens
• Make Beetroot Salad
• Make Taco Salad

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