The classic Wedge Salad is basically a BLT without the bread that’s meant to be eaten with a knife and fork. Using good quality cheese, ripe flavourful tomatoes and real bacon turns this ordinary salad into a masterpiece.
If you’re in Canada, you may not be familiar with the Wedge Salad. It’s more commonly found in American restaurants. I recently ordered one that was pretty disappointing. The lettuce was huge, way too much for one person but with only 3 cherry tomatoes. THREE. Cut in half to trick me into thinking there were 6. And there was too much bacon (if that’s actually possible) in tiny bits with no real blue cheese. This is a better version.
Jump to Recipe
Start with a wedge of fresh iceberg lettuce. Yes, plain old iceberg lettuce. The lowest lettuce on the food chain. But you can’t cut a wedge out of mixed greens and try picking up a piece of arugula with a fork. A typical head of lettuce cut into quarters is about perfect for 4 servings. Take a slice off the bottom of the lettuce then cut into 4 quarters. A typical head of lettuce is about the perfect size for 4 people.
Choose ripe flavourful tomatoes. If, and only if tomatoes are in peak season, use freshly picked vine ripened tomatoes. Otherwise, the most flavourful tomatoes are the small ones like grape or cherry tomatoes. I also love using mini San Marzanos because they have amazing flavour and are super sweet so they pair well with the other ingredients.
Since you’re going to the trouble to use the best tomatoes, choose a good quality bacon too, cooked to your desired level of crispness. Thicker cut pieces are best. Don’t use the tiny bits of “fakon.” (fake + bacon) Just like arugula, try picking up one of those with a fork.
Most blue cheese dressings don’t have any, or enough real chunks of cheese in them so adding real crumbled blue cheese gives maximum flavour. If you find really good French blue cheese, it will be Bleu Cheese, or more accurately Fromage Bleu. There are lots of good quality dressings available for purchase. And, in fact, you can make Wedge Salad with a good ranch dressing too! Here is a link to one of my favourites!
Serve with some cracked black pepper on top. If you make a Wedge Salad, consider leaving a comment or rating below. Here’s the recipe:
Wedge Salad
Ingredients
- 1 head iceberg lettuce
- 24 grape or cherry tomatoes or 16 mini San Marzano tomatoes
- 4 strips cooked bacon
- ½ cup blue cheese dressing or buttermilk ranch
- 4 Tbsp crumbled bleu cheese
- fresh cracked black pepper if desired
Instructions
- Cook bacon to desired crispiness. Drain on paper towel.
- Meanwhile, remove outer leaves from lettuce head, trim bottom and cut into 4 wedges. Arrange on serving platter or individual plates.
- Drizzle bleu cheese dressing evenly over top of lettuce wedges.
- Cut tomatoes into halves or quarters depending on the size of the tomatoes. Approximately bite sized. Divide evenly over lettuce wedges.
- Cut bacon into pieces. Sprinkle over top of lettuce wedges.
- Add crumbled bleu cheese to each wedge.
- Serve with fresh cracked black pepper if desired.
Nutrition
more awesome salads
Grilled Halloumi and Asparagus Salad
Spinach Salad with Maple Roasted Pecans and Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette