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Wedge Salad

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salads•american•contains meat, gluten-free
30 minutes•4 servings•

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces bacon
  • 6 ounces blue cheese – crumbled
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice – freshly squeezed
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper – freshly ground
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 head iceberg lettuce
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes – halved
  • 1/4 cup chives – finely sliced
Wedge Salad

Instructions

1. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until the fat renders and the pieces are crisp, 8–12 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and crumble once cool.

2. Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, mash the blue cheese with the lemon juice into a rough paste. Whisk in the mayonnaise and sour cream, then whisk in the buttermilk until thick yet pourable. Whisk in the Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and kosher salt. Reserve about 2 ounces of the cheese crumbles for topping and chill the dressing 10–15 minutes.

3. Prep the salad components: Remove any wilted outer leaves from the iceberg lettuce, trim the core slightly while keeping it intact, and cut the head into 4 equal wedges; rinse and pat dry. Halve the cherry tomatoes and finely slice the chives.

4. Assemble and serve: Place a lettuce wedge on each plate, spoon the blue cheese dressing generously over the cut sides, and finish with the cooked crumbles, the prepared tomatoes and chives, and the reserved cheese. Serve immediately while chilled and crisp.

Wedge Salad is a chilled, crunchy quarter of iceberg lettuce draped in creamy blue cheese dressing and showered with savory, crispy bacon. Juicy tomatoes and fresh chives add brightness and lift, balancing the richness of the dressing with sweet-acid pops and a gentle oniony snap. It’s all about contrast—cold and crisp against creamy and salty—presented in a dramatic, knife-and-fork format that’s a staple in classic steakhouses.

This salad’s roots trace back to early 20th-century America, when iceberg lettuce became widely available and fashionable for its crunch and durability. The wedge appeared on mid-century menus paired with Roquefort or blue cheese dressing, cementing its status alongside grilled steaks and chops. After a lull, it surged back during the steakhouse revival, retaining its core elements while welcoming subtle garnish variations across regions.