Classic wedge salad is a simple, iconic salad made with crisp iceberg lettuce, blue cheese dressing, bacon, and fresh toppings. This recipe focuses on clean presentation and balanced flavors without unnecessary extras.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Classic Wedge Salad
🕒 Ready In: ~10 minutes
👪 Serves: 4 servings
🍽 Calories: ~320 per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Iceberg lettuce, blue cheese dressing, bacon, tomatoes
📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free
👌 Difficulty: Easy - assemble and serve
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Each wedge is topped with crunchy bacon, juicy tomatoes, red onion, and blue cheese crumbles, then finished with creamy dressing just before serving. Keeping the ingredients cold and fresh helps maintain the signature crunch.
If you enjoy straightforward salads like this, you might also like our Grilled Chicken Salad, Smoked Salmon Salad, or Arugula Fig Salad. These dishes pair well with grilled meats, sandwiches, or easy weeknight meals.
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Why You'll Love this Classic Wedge Salad:
Crisp and refreshing: Iceberg lettuce gives the perfect crunch in every bite.
Bold flavors: Savory bacon, tangy blue cheese, and creamy dressing come together for a satisfying combo.
Visually stunning: The wedge presentation makes it feel special with minimal effort.
Quick to assemble: Just a handful of toppings turn this into a restaurant-style salad at home.
Perfect starter or side: Great with steak, burgers, or as a standalone light lunch.
Key Ingredients:
- iceberg lettuce. Cold, crisp, and perfect for wedges, remove the core and slice into quarters.
- bacon. Cook until crispy, then crumble for salty crunch. Turkey bacon works too.
- red onion. Adds a bit of bite, soak in cold water for 5-10 minutes if you want a milder flavor.
- blue cheese dressing. Use store-bought or homemade, thinner dressings drizzle better over the wedge.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- Use a Different Dressing: Swap blue cheese dressing for ranch or a creamy balsamic dressing if preferred.
- Make It Lighter: Use turkey bacon or reduce the amount of dressing for a lighter wedge salad.
- Add Protein: Top with grilled chicken or shrimp to turn it into a more filling meal.
- Change the Cheese: Replace blue cheese crumbles with feta or gorgonzola for a different flavor.
- Extra Crunch: Add sliced cucumbers or chopped celery for additional texture.
How to Make Classic Wedge Salad:
- Remove any wilted, limp outer leaves from the head of lettuce. Cut the lettuce into 4 equal wedges, trimming the base slightly if needed so they sit flat.
- Place each wedge on a serving plate or large platter.
- Sprinkle each wedge evenly with crumbled bacon, halved cherry tomatoes, red onion, and blue cheese crumbles.
- Spoon or drizzle blue cheese dressing over each wedge just before serving.
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Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Keep the Lettuce Cold: Chill the iceberg lettuce until just before assembling to maintain maximum crunch.
- Cut Clean Wedges: Use a sharp knife and cut through the core so each wedge holds together.
- Drain Bacon Well: Let cooked bacon cool on paper towels to prevent excess grease from softening the lettuce.
- Dress Just Before Serving: Adding the dressing right before serving keeps the wedges crisp.
- Serve Immediately: Wedge salad is best enjoyed fresh, as the lettuce can wilt once dressed.
How to Store:
Refrigerator (assembled): Best eaten fresh. If already dressed, the salad will keep for up to 1 day, though the lettuce may soften.
Refrigerator (components): Store lettuce wedges, bacon, toppings, and dressing separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Assemble just before serving for best freshness.
Freezer: Not recommended, as lettuce and fresh toppings do not freeze well.
Classic Wedge Salad FAQs:
A classic wedge salad is made with iceberg lettuce cut into wedges and topped with blue cheese dressing, bacon, tomatoes, red onion, and blue cheese crumbles. It's known for its crisp texture and bold, savory flavors.
Iceberg lettuce is used for wedge salad because it's very crisp and holds its shape when cut into wedges. Its mild flavor pairs well with rich dressings like blue cheese.
A wedge salad can be partially prepped ahead of time by washing and cutting the lettuce and preparing the toppings. For best results, assemble and add dressing just before serving to keep the lettuce crisp.
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Classic Wedge Salad
Ingredients
- 1 head iceberg lettuce, quartered
- 4 bacon slices, cooked & crumbled
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup red onion, diced
- ½ cup blue cheese crumbles
- ½ cup blue cheese dressing
Instructions
- Remove any wilted, limp outer leaves from the head of lettuce. Cut the lettuce into 4 equal wedges, trimming the base slightly if needed so they sit flat.
- Place each wedge on a serving plate or large platter.
- Sprinkle each wedge evenly with crumbled bacon, halved cherry tomatoes, red onion, and blue cheese crumbles.
- Spoon or drizzle blue cheese dressing over each wedge just before serving.
- Enjoy as a side dish or light lunch.
Nutrition
Notes
- Keep the Lettuce Cold: Chill the iceberg lettuce until just before assembling to maintain maximum crunch.
- Cut Clean Wedges: Use a sharp knife and cut through the core so each wedge holds together.
- Drain Bacon Well: Let cooked bacon cool on paper towels to prevent excess grease from softening the lettuce.
- Dress Just Before Serving: Adding the dressing right before serving keeps the wedges crisp.
- Serve Immediately: Wedge salad is best enjoyed fresh, as the lettuce can wilt once dressed.
Olivia says
I loved how crisp the lettuce stayed and how well the creamy dressing paired with the bacon and tomatoes. The balance of textures in this wedge salad was spot on and it felt just like something from a restaurant.