Wedge Salad

This classic Wedge Salad features crisp, refreshing iceberg lettuce drizzled with tangy blue cheese dressing and topped with crunchy bacon, juicy tomatoes, toasty pecans, and a sweet and tangy balsamic glaze. Just like you’d find in a restaurant!

Iceberg wedge salads have to be one of the most simple yet sophisticated salads out there. All you need is a head of iceberg lettuce, some blue cheese dressing, and a few toppings to create a salad that looks like it belongs on a plate at a fancy steakhouse.

Why You’ll Love This Salad

• Incredible texture. Fresh, crispy iceberg lettuce, juicy tomatoes, crunchy pecans, and crumbly cheese make every bite of this salad divine.
• Perfect for lunch or dinner. I like to enjoy this salad as a light lunch, but you can absolutely serve it alongside your favorite dinners, too.
• Adaptable. One of the reasons I love this wedge salad recipe is because it’s so easy to customize. If you don’t like blue cheese dressing, for example, you can make it with ranch dressing, and you can also toss in different veggies if you like. There are so many ways to switch things up!

What Is A Wedge Salad?

A wedge salad is a simple salad made out of a quarter head of lettuce, covered with dressing and toppings. It’s very popular in steakhouses. While you can add whatever you’d like to it, a classic wedge salad is made with iceberg lettuce, blue cheese dressing, bacon crumbles, tomatoes, and chives. With simple ingredients, it can be served as a side dish to pretty much any meal or as a light meal on its own.

Recipe Ingredients

Both the homemade blue cheese dressing and the classic wedge salad require just a handful of common ingredients. See the recipe card below for exact measurements and the full set of directions.

For the Dressing

• Greek yogurt – The yogurt adds a nice tanginess, but sour cream can be used in place of it.
• Mayonnaise – Adds extra creaminess to the dressing.
• Buttermilk – Thins the dressing while adding a tangy flavor.
• Lemon
• Parsley – You can use either fresh parsley or half the amount of dried parsley.
• Blue cheese – Buy the kind sold in a container rather than a block of cheese.

For the Salad

• Lettuce – See notes below.
• Bacon – I usually cook a whole package of bacon in the oven (less mess) and reserve the extra for other salads and sandwiches, or to eat with breakfast.
• Tomatoes – I used cherry tomatoes but you can use whatever you have on hand.
• Chives – You can use diced red onion in place of or in addition to the chives.
• Pecans – Toasting the pecans brings out their amazing flavor even more. You can substitute candied pecans if you like a little sweetness to your salad. Both are delicious!
• Balsamic glaze – Balsamic glaze can be found at your grocery store near the balsamic vinegar and olive oil. You can also make your own (see below).

What’s The Best Lettuce For A Wedge Salad?

Iceberg lettuce is typically used to make a wedge salad. You want a head of lettuce that’s nice and crispy and sturdy, not flimsy or soft, making iceberg the perfect candidate. If you don’t have any on hand, Romaine lettuce could be substituted in a pinch.

How to Make Balsamic Glaze

If you want to make your own balsamic glaze to top this iceberg wedge salad, all you need is balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Here’s what to do:

• Bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil. Pour 1 cup of balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar into a small saucepan, then bring the pot to a boil.
• Let the glaze simmer. Turn the heat down to a simmer until the mixture is reduced by half.
• Let it cool. The glaze will thicken as it cools. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container or a glass jar for a couple of weeks.

How to Make a Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

• Make the blue cheese dressing. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir them well.
• Cut the lettuce. To cut the lettuce for the wedge salad, slice the head of lettuce in half then cut off the stem. Place the halves cut side down and slice each in half again.

• Assemble the salad. Place each wedge on a serving plate and drizzle them with the blue cheese dressing. Next, add the toppings, then drizzle with balsamic glaze. Enjoy!

Watch The Recipe Video

To see this wedge salad recipe assembled step-by-step, check out the video below:

What Goes With An Iceberg Wedge Salad?

• Steak: As a classic steakhouse side dish, it’s no surprise that this wedge salad recipe pairs so perfectly with steak, whether it’s perfectly marinated steak on the grill, pan seared steak, or garlic butter steak bites.
• Chicken and pork: It also pairs well with chicken and pork dishes, like air fryer chicken parm, melt in your mouth chicken, and Dr. Pepper ribs.
• Soup: You can also use it in a soup and salad combo, with soups like crack chicken noodle soup or vegetable soup.

How to Store Leftovers

• Salad. Once assembled, wedge salads are best eaten immediately! If you want to pack it for lunch or save it for later, it’s best to store the lettuce, dressing, and toppings all separately.
• Dressing. If you have extra blue cheese dressing it will keep for about 5 days in the refrigerator.

More Easy Salads

• Detox Salad
• Cobb Salad
• Marinated Vegetable Salad
• Watermelon Salad