Wedge Salad

This classic wedge salad recipe combines crunchy iceberg with cherry tomatoes, red onion, and crispy bacon in a tangy blue cheese dressing. It’s simple yet elegant and SO easy to make. 

Love fancy salad recipes? Try my 7 layer salad, healthy tuna salad, Caesar salad with chicken, and rotisserie chicken salad next.

Contrary to popular belief, salads don’t have to be a mandatory side dish you power through in order to be ‘healthy.’ They can, in fact, actually be delicious, and my recipe is proof!

Table of Contents

1. Why I love this recipe
2. Ingredients needed
3. How to make a wedge salad
4. Arman’s recipe tips
5. Storage instructions
6. Serving suggestions
7. Wedge Salad (Recipe Card)

Why I love this recipe

• Easy to make ahead. You can chop your veggies and prep the dressing a day in advance. That way, you can assemble everything right before you want to serve. 
• Full of flavor. Can we take a moment to appreciate the sweet, salty, bold, tangy flavors that make up this salad?
• A crowd-pleaser. Even those of us who roll our eyes at salad will love this recipe–just ask my friends!

Ingredients needed

• Iceberg lettuce. Look for a big head of iceberg lettuce with no bruises. Make sure to wash it and remove any wilted outer leaves. 
• Cherry tomatoes. Quartered. I prefer cherry tomatoes because they’re sweeter and juicier. For a pop of color, look for a mixture of different-colored tomatoes. 
• Onion. I suggest using red onions for their color and because they tend to be milder in flavor. 
• Spring onion. Thinly sliced. 
• Blue cheese crumbles. For tangy flavor and creamy texture. 
• Fried bacon. Because bacon makes everything better! Keep the salad lighter with my air fryer turkey bacon.

For the blue cheese dressing

• Mayonnaise. For a rich flavor and creamy texture. 
• Greek yogurt. I used unsweetened Greek yogurt for its naturally tangy flavor. You can also use equal portions of sour cream. 
• Garlic powder. I used garlic powder for convenience, but you can use minced garlic or roasted garlic for a more robust garlic flavor. 
• Blue cheese. For the blue cheese dressing, of course. If you’re new to blue cheese, look for a milder one like Roquefort. 
• Kosher salt and black pepper. To taste.
• Apple cider vinegar. Optional, but a splash will add a bright, acidic component that cuts through the richness. You can also use fresh lemon juice.

How to make a wedge salad

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. 

Step 2- Prepare the lettuce. Remove the outer leaves of the iceberg and slice it into 4 wedges.

Step 3- Assemble. Place the iceberg wedges on the serving tray and drizzle with blue cheese dressing. Sprinkle the rest of the ingredients on top and serve.

Arman’s recipe tips

• Lightly salt the tomatoes. I find adding a bit of salt to the tomatoes helps draw out excess water and makes them sweeter and more flavorful.
• Use the bacon fat. If you’re cooking bacon from scratch, add it to the dressing for more flavor. 
• Remove the stem. After quartering the lettuce, remove the stem so you don’t get the fibrous pieces. 
• Keep the toppings small, so they stick to the lettuce wedge. 
• Serve your salad with a steak knife, as I find it makes slicing the iceberg easier.

Storage instructions

To store: Individual salad ingredients can be stored in separate containers in the fridge for up to one to two days. Once the salad has been assembled, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to one day.

Serving suggestions

This salad works well with just about any main course. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Grilled bavette steak
• Wagyu burgers
• Grilled pork tenderloin
• Blackened salmon

Originally published June 2023, updated and republished June 2024