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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!
What is a wedge salad?
A classic wedge salad is an American salad featuring quartered wedges of lettuce heads covered with creamy dressing and topped with finely diced colorful toppings. Unlike other salads, the lettuce isn’t chopped or shredded; rather, it’s kept whole to make for an attractive presentation.
Table of Contents
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.
- Apple cider vinegar. Adds a bright, acidic component that cuts through the richness. You can also use fresh lemon juice.
- 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.
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.
Variations
- Swap the dressing. I love this dressing, but if you’re not a fan, make it with Caesar dressing, buttermilk ranch dressing, or any other salad dressing you prefer.
- Add protein. Top the salad with chopped skirt steak, chicken breast, shrimp, or roasted chickpeas.
- Experiment with more toppings like chives, crushed croutons, or sunflower seeds.
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:
Wedge Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 1 large iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup grape tomatoes quartered
- 1/4 cup red onion thinly sliced
- 2 green onions sliced
- 1/4 cup bacon cooked and chopped
- 2 tablespoons blue cheese crumbled
Blue cheese dressing
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons blue cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Make the dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise Greek yogurt, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and blue cheese until combined.
- Remove the outer leaves of the iceberg lettuce and slice into 4 wedges.
- Place the wedges onto the serving plates and drizzle with blue cheese dressing.
- Top with cherry tomatoes, red onion, green onion, blue cheese, and bacon.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published June 2023, updated and republished June 2024
Must be so crunchy. Iceberg salad is very crunchy!
Such a nice recipe for different salad. Maybe will try.
Thanks for sharing this Wedge Salad. It looks very delicious. I’ll definitely try this at home.
Easy peasy, fresh, & yummy!