This quick and easy Iceberg Wedge Salad recipe makes the best side dish or full meal!
Wedge salad recipes trace back to 1916, and they’re famous for good reason! No one can resist cold and crispy wedges of iceberg lettuce topped with bacon and tomatoes and then drizzled with a creamy bleu cheese dressing. This recipe includes bacon so it’s a great option to serve as a full salad meal, as well. Add assorted bowls of toppings to a salad bar and let everyone create their own loaded wedge salads! Kids and adults alike will love this meal.
A steakhouse favorite (think Outback or Ruth’s Chris), iceberg wedge salads have simple, easy-to-find ingredients
- Wedge salads come together quickly and look so elegant on a plate! They are perfect for last-minute company or as a main dish meal with shredded chicken or steak.
- Serve as a simple side dish or add your favorite protein for a nutritious and refreshingly low-carb, low-calorie main dish!
Ingredients & Variations
ICEBERG LETTUCE: Because of its high water content, iceberg lettuce is the choice because it stays crunchy and keeps its shape. Choose heads that are heavy and clean and pull off torn or wilted leaves. Romaine lettuce can be used by assembling the large leaves in a pile (cut the white ends off), filling the center with the toppings, and drizzling the dressing across the top.
DRESSING: Creamy homemade dressings like this blue cheese, ranch or creamy dill are most authentic, but any creamy dressing will work. If using ranch dressing, garnish with parmesan cheese.
TOPPINGS: Bacon pieces, fresh-cut tomatoes, and parsley are the classic toppings for wedge salads. Bleu cheese crumbles, sliced radishes, sliced hard-boiled eggs, candied pecans, or even candied bacon will make wedge salads more hearty and colorful! For the best way to make bacon, check out these easy methods for oven bacon or crispy air fryer bacon.
How to Cut a Wedge Salad
Cut a whole head of iceberg lettuce in half (keeping the core intact) and then cut each half into half, resulting in 8 wedges.
How to Make a Wedge Salad
It’s super easy to make this classic fave:
- Prepare lettuce per the directions below.
- Drizzle bleu cheese dressing over each wedge and top with the remaining ingredients.
- Serve immediately with optional homemade croutons, homemade sourdough crackers, or some breadsticks.
Tips & Tricks
- Rinse wedges under cold water, gently separating the leaves. Dry in a salad spinner or wrap wedges in a paper towel and chill for up to 24 hours.
- For the best restaurant-quality wedge salad, start with very cold lettuce so the wedges hold their shape and are extra crunchy!
- Prepare wedges and toppings in advance and let guest build their own!
More Salad Recipes
- Cucumber Dill Salad– Creamy and crispy
- Caprese Pasta Salad – Filling and flavorful
- Black Bean Corn Salad – Heart and colorful
- Red Leaf Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette – Light and tangy
- Broccoli Grape Salad – Crisp and refreshing!
Iceberg Wedge Salad
Ingredients
- 1 head iceberg lettuce
- 2 medium tomatoes diced (or 1 pint grape tomatoes, diced)
- ¾-1 pound bacon cooked and crumbled (about 1 cup, 8-10 slices)
- ½ cup blue cheese crumbled (approximately 2.75 ounces)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 ½ cups blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing
Instructions
- Remove broken or wilted leaves from the lettuce head. Slice lettuce in half, directly through the core. Cut each half into half again directly through the core*, then once more to create 8 wedges.
- Carefully run the wedges under cold water to wash, spreading the leaves. Gently shake or spin in the salad spinner and allow to drain to dry in the strainer or on a towel**.
- Place 1 lettuce wedge onto each plate and drizzle each wedge with an equal amount of dressing.
- Top each wedge with tomatoes, bacon crumbles, blue cheese and fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
Notes
**Alternately, wrap washed lettuce in a towel or paper towel, place into a bag and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
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