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The classic wedge salad is a refreshing hearty classic when you make homemade blue cheese dressing.
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Easy Wedge Salad and Homemade Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing
The classic wedge salad is a crisp, refreshing salad that’s as at home at a steakhouse as a backyard summer picnic. Combine this classic iceberg wedge salad with homemade blue cheese dressing and your taste buds will delight.
Every steakhouse and the home cook has its own take on the wedge salad, which is partly what makes it such an American classic. It’s believed that Egyptians were the first to cultivate lettuce, setting our proverbial table for healthy summer dinners.
The first wedge salad appeared in Marion Neil’s cookbook, “Salads, Sandwiches and Chafing Dish Recipes” in 1916! The recipe faded in popularity but has seen a resurgence as an American Steakhouse staple in the 1970s and ’80s.
Crisp, cool, and refreshing iceberg lettuce has always been the focal point of this incredibly easy and crowd-pleasing recipe.
How to Make Easy Wedge Salad and Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
To make this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Iceberg lettuce – Iceberg is the traditional base for this salad. Iceberg lettuce actually gets its name from the railroad transportation methods used to transport it across America. Crisphead lettuce was transported under mounds of ice in the 1920s, which eventually led to the bowling ball head of lettuce being renamed “iceberg lettuce.”
- Green Onions or Chives– Green onions or chives bring a great bite and color to this salad. They’re interchangeable in this recipe, but I find chives to have a subtler, less biting flavor if raw onions bother you.
- Thick Cut Bacon – Thick-cut bacon brings the salt, crunch, and rich meaty flavor to this salad. This is not a place to skimp, the better the bacon the better the salad.
- Cherry Tomatoes – Brite, sweet and a great accompaniment to the dressing and the bacon, cherry tomatoes trump Roma or beefsteak tomatoes for this dish.
- Salt and Pepper to taste – every dish, even salad needs to be seasoned with salt and pepper.
Dressing Ingredients
- Blue Cheese – Blue cheese crumbles bring texture and funky cheese flavor to this dressing. The more blue the cheese, the funky the flavor. If you’re looking for strong, use Maytag Blue, it will bring the flavor.
- Mayonnaise – Mayo provide the creamy base for this dressing, and helps smooth out the funkiness of the cheese.
- Sourcream – This brings a tart, creamy flavor to the dressing that compliments the more neutral flavor of the mayo.
- Sugar – sugar helps balance the intensity of the blue cheese in this dressing.
- Salt and Pepper to taste – every dish, even salad needs to be seasoned with salt and pepper.
- Garlic powder – garlic powder brings the “edge” and earthy flavor of garlic without the harsh “spice” flavor often associated with raw garlic in uncooked preparations like salad dressing.
- Mustard Powder – mustard powder adds a nice spice to the dressing.
- Red Wine vinegar – Red wine vinegar has the necessary acid and bright flavors that you need to round out a rich and creamy dressing like
- Buttermilk or whole milk – a little milk or buttermilk helps thin the dressing a bit.
Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, we will use the following method:
For the Salad
- Step 1- Cut your iceberg lettuce head into quarters. If your particular iceberg head is large, or you’re serve this salad as a side, you can cut it again.
- Step 2 – Cut up the remaining vegetables. Cut your chives or green onions finely for garnish and flavor. Cut your cherry tomatoes in half if they are the traditionally smaller size.
For the Dressing
- Step 3- In a bowl combine the creamy ingredients: blue cheese crumbles, mayonnaise, sour cream, and butter milk.
- Step 4- Add the dry ingredients (salt, pepper, garlic powder) and the red wine vinegar.
- Step 5 – Whisk thoroughly to combine. If you prefer your dressing more smooth, use your whisk or the back of a spoon to crush the larger blue cheese crumbles until your reach your desired consistency.
To build the salad
- Step 6- Put your iceberg lettuce wedge on the plate, or bowl.
- Step 7- Dress the wedge with your preferred amount of homemade creamy blue cheese dressing.
- Step 8 – Garnish your salad with bacon bits, blue cheese crumbles, cherry tomatoes and green onions
Tips and Tricks to a Perfect Wedge Salad:
Making a classic wedge salad, even with homemade creamy blue cheese dressing, is super easy but these tips will help make it even better.
Make your dressing ahead of time. You can make your dressing a few days in advance, and store it in your fridge. The extra time will allow the flavors the meld together and balance out, making an even better dressing.
Cut lardons of your bacon. Want to make your prep time even shorter? Cut your raw bacon into small strips or cubes before you cook it. These are called lardons. They will cook more quickly and more evenly that a full strip of bacon and will already be the right size for garnishing your easy wedge salad with homemade creamy blue cheese dressing.
You don’t strictly have to serve in wedge form. If you have younger (or older) guests that might have trouble attacking the traditional wedge of iceberg, your can cut up each wedge into more mangage piece and build your wedge salad in a more traditional manner. It’s supposed to be easy for a reason!
FAQs
This is very much a knife and fork kind of salad. Secure the center of your wedge of iceberg with your fork and then use your knife to carve slices of the wedge. Then cut in the opposite direction to create bite sided square pieces. Use your fork to distribute the dressing and garnish evenly.
You can keep your homemade dressing in your refrigerator for 5-7 days, but in my experience this tasty treat won’t last that long.
Your creamy, homemade blue cheese dressing is a great dip for vegetables andis a great way to complete a crudité board. You can also use this dressing on homemade chicken wings, like my best baked chicken wings.
Cut your wedge into quarters, lengthwise, so the stem remains attached to each wedge. Then gently run water between the leaves in the sink. You can also use a bowl of water, and gently submerge each wedge and swirl it around to remove any dirt. Gently dry with a towel before serving.
What to Serve with Wedge Salad and Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
Classics are classics for a reason, and serving your easy wedge salad and homemade dressing with a steak is a sure fire winner.
Try these other delicious salads:
I highly recommend trip tip or flank steak this grilling season, as they’re often more available than other more popular cuts and they have all of the delicious beefy flavor. My best garlic grilled flank steak is a winner in our house.
But if you’re short on time, my air fryer trip tip is a sure-fire winner at home, and won’t heat up your house. I also love to dip chicken wings in the creamy homemade blue cheese dressing. These Instant Pot chicken wings take all the hassle out of making wings for yourself at home.
Wedge Salad With Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe
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Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Iceberg lettuce head
- 1 cup Blue cheese
- 1 ½ cups Mayonnaise
- ½ cup Sour cream
- 4 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp sea salt
- Fresh cracked pepper to taste
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Mustard powder
- ¼ cup Red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp Buttermilk or whole milk
- Green onions or chives minced
- Bacon cooked and crumbled
- Cherry tomatoes
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the iceberg lettuce head into quarters, you may cut it smaller for side salads.
- In a medium bowl add the blue cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, mustard powder, and red wine vinegar. Mix well.
- Add the buttermilk or milk to the dressing to thin it to your desired consistency. It should remain reasonably thick.
- Spread dressing over each lettuce head, top with tomatoes, bacon, and green onions/chives. Enjoy!
