There is something about a perfectly chilled wedge salad that makes dinner feel special, even on a busy Tuesday night. I first fell in love with this classic wedge salad back in my twenties, at a dimly lit steakhouse where the waiter cracked black pepper from a height that felt like a magic trick. The crunch of the iceberg, the tang of the blue cheese, the salty bits of bacon. It was simple but unforgettable.
When I started making this at home, Jake was skeptical. Iceberg lettuce? He thought it was just water. But after one bite of this loaded wedge salad, drizzled with creamy homemade dressing, he was a convert. Now it is a weeknight staple, especially in the hot Texas summers when turning on the oven feels like a crime. Plus, Lily calls it a ‘salad pizza slice’ because of the wedge shape, and Noah just eats the bacon off the top. So we all win.
Why You'll Love This Classic Wedge Salad with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
- Ready in 10 Minutes: From fridge to table, this is the speediest showstopper you can make. No cooking required except for the bacon and hard-boiled eggs, which you can prep ahead.
- Steakhouse Quality at Home: With my easy homemade blue cheese dressing, your wedge salad tastes like a fancy restaurant appetizer for a fraction of the cost.
- Kid-Approved Crunch: Even picky eaters love the crisp lettuce wedges. Let them customize with extra bacon or skip the onion, and they will clean their plates.
- Perfect Party Salad: Arrange the wedges on a large platter, drizzle with dressing, and watch it disappear. It is always the first dish to go at potlucks.
- Endlessly Customizable: Add avocado, switch the cheese, or turn it into a main dish with grilled chicken. This wedge salad is a blank canvas for whatever you love.
Classic Wedge Salad with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing Ingredients
This wedge salad comes together with just a handful of fresh, simple ingredients. The key is using a super cold, crisp head of iceberg lettuce and high-quality blue cheese for the dressing. Do not be intimidated by making dressing from scratch. It takes two minutes and tastes a thousand times better than bottled.
- 1 large head iceberg lettuce (about 900g / 2 lbs): The only lettuce that delivers the signature crunch for a true wedge salad. Look for one that feels heavy for its size with tightly packed leaves.
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon: Cooked until shatteringly crispy and crumbled. Smoky, salty, and essential.
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (150g): Little bursts of sweetness and color. Use the ripest you can find.
- 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced: Adds a mild sharpness and a pop of purple. Soak the slices in ice water for 5 minutes to mellow the bite if you prefer.
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped (optional): I love the creaminess they add, but this wedge salad is still fantastic without them.
- Fresh chives, finely chopped: For a delicate oniony finish and a pretty green confetti on top.
- For the Blue Cheese Dressing: 1/2 cup (120ml) mayonnaise, 1/2 cup (120ml) sour cream, 1/4 cup (60ml) buttermilk, 4 oz (115g) crumbled blue cheese, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and salt and black pepper to taste.
The lettuce matters more than you think. Iceberg gets a bad rap, but when it is icy cold and cut into thick wedges, there is no substitute. It is mostly water, which makes it the most refreshing base for a bold dressing (and surprisingly, it has some nutrients like vitamin K and folate). If you want to go rogue, a large wedge of romaine heart works too, but it loses a bit of that iconic crunch.
For the best bacon in your wedge salad, bake it. Lay the strips on a foil-lined sheet pan and pop them in a cold oven set to 400F (200C). Give them 18-22 minutes, and you will have perfectly flat, crispy bacon with zero stovetop splatter. I use this same method for my Classic Broccoli Salad with Bacon and it never fails.
Note: Chill your iceberg lettuce wedges for at least 30 minutes before assembling. A warm wedge salad is a sad wedge salad. The cold crunch is what makes this dish so refreshing.
How to Make Classic Wedge Salad with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
There is barely any real cooking here, which is what makes a wedge salad the ultimate quick-and-easy dinner hero. The dressing comes together in one bowl, the bacon can bake unattended, and the lettuce simply needs a good chop. I will walk you through it step by step.
Step 1: Make the blue cheese dressing.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and garlic powder until completely smooth. You will smell the bright tang of the lemon cutting through the creamy base. Stir in three-quarters of the crumbled blue cheese and mash some of the larger chunks against the side of the bowl with a fork. This releases more flavor into the dressing. Season with a pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Fold in the remaining blue cheese crumbles so you get little bursts of salty goodness throughout. Cover and pop the dressing in the fridge while you prep the rest.
Lora’s Tip: If you prefer a thinner dressing, add an extra splash of buttermilk, one tablespoon at a time. The dressing will thicken slightly as it chills.
Step 2: Cook the bacon and hard-boiled eggs (if using).
While the dressing chills, cook your bacon using the oven method I mentioned above. For hard-boiled eggs, place them in a saucepan, cover with cold water by an inch, bring to a rolling boil, then cover, remove from heat, and let sit for 10 minutes. Dunk them in an ice bath and peel once cool. While the bacon crisps and the eggs cool, you have the perfect window to cut your lettuce wedges. This multitasking makes the whole wedge salad come together in no time. If you are a fan of salads that feel like a full meal, check out my Parmesan Chopped Salad for another no-cook favorite.
Step 3: Cut the iceberg wedge.
Remove any wilted outer leaves from your head of iceberg lettuce. Rinse it briefly under cold water and shake off excess moisture, then pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Place it on a cutting board, core side down, and cut it in half right through the stem. Cut each half in half again so you have four equal wedges. Do not remove the core. That little bit of stem holds each wedge of your wedge salad together, keeping it intact on the plate. Lay the wedges cut-side up on a tray and pop them in the freezer for 5 minutes for extra-crisp chill.
Step 4: Assemble your wedge salad.
Place one iceberg wedge on each chilled plate. You will hear the satisfying thud of cold lettuce hitting the ceramic. Generously drizzle the creamy blue cheese dressing over the top, letting it cascade down the sides and pool around the base. It should look like a snow-capped mountain of flavor. Scatter the crumbled bacon, halved cherry tomatoes, and thinly sliced red onion over each wedge. If using, sprinkle on the chopped hard-boiled eggs. Finish with a shower of fresh chives and one final grind of black pepper. Your wedge salad is ready.
Step 5: Serve immediately.
Bring the plates to the table right away. This is a fork-and-knife salad. The best bite comes when you slice through the cold, crunchy lettuce and scoop up a little of everything. The cold wedge salad, the creamy dressing, the salty bacon, and the sweet tomatoes all at once. It is the kind of dish that makes a simple Tuesday feel like date night.
Lora's Kitchen Tips
- Chill your plates too. Stick your salad plates in the freezer for 10 minutes before serving. A cold plate keeps your wedge salad crisp even longer, especially if you are eating outdoors in the Austin heat.
- Crush the blue cheese by hand. Using a fork to mash some of the blue cheese into the dressing base intensifies the flavor. Your wedge salad will taste like it steeped for hours, not minutes.
- Pat the lettuce bone dry. Any water left on the iceberg leaves will dilute the dressing and make your wedge salad watery. Use a salad spinner if you have one, or a clean kitchen towel.
- If your dressing looks too thin, do not panic. Blue cheese dressing thickens significantly as it chills. Let it rest in the fridge for 15 minutes before adjusting the consistency.
- Make the dressing a day ahead. The flavors meld together beautifully overnight. Then assembling your wedge salad takes literally 5 minutes, which is a lifesaver on busy weeknights.
Classic Wedge Salad with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing Variations and Substitutions
This classic wedge salad is perfect as written, but here are a few twists my family loves when we want to mix things up.
BLT Wedge Salad: Double the bacon, add chopped avocado, and use a creamy ranch dressing instead of blue cheese. It is like a deconstructed BLT sandwich and Lily absolutely loves it.
Italian Wedge: Swap the blue cheese dressing for a zesty Italian vinaigrette, and scatter on some diced salami, provolone, and pepperoncini. This turns your wedge salad into an antipasto platter on a plate.
Southwest Wedge Salad: Top with black beans, corn, diced avocado, and a drizzle of chipotle ranch. Sprinkle cotija cheese instead of blue cheese. This version of the wedge salad is Jake’s favorite with grilled flank steak on the side.
Lightened Up Wedge: Use Greek yogurt in place of mayo and sour cream in the dressing. The tang is a little sharper, and it still tastes incredibly creamy. A little crumbled turkey bacon keeps the crunch without the extra fat.
What to Serve with Classic Wedge Salad with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
A wedge salad is often served as a starter at steakhouses, but I regularly serve it as a main course. Just add a crusty baguette or some garlic bread on the side to make it more filling. It also pairs beautifully with a simple grilled steak or pan-seared salmon for a classic steakhouse dinner at home.
When I am hosting, I like to serve this alongside something sweet and unexpected. My Honey Lime Fruit Salad is the perfect bright finish to a meal that starts with a savory wedge salad. For drinks, a tall glass of iced tea with lemon is all you need.
How to Store Classic Wedge Salad with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
- Storage: Store leftover wedge salad components separately. Undressed iceberg wedges keep in a zip-top bag in the crisper drawer for up to 3 days. Keep the dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezing: Do not freeze assembled wedge salad. The lettuce will become a limp, watery mess. The blue cheese dressing does not freeze well either, as the dairy can separate.
- Thawing: Not applicable for this recipe, since freezing is not recommended. Your best bet is to prep the dressing and bacon ahead, then cut fresh wedges when ready to serve.
- Reheating: The only thing you might need to reheat is the bacon. A quick 30-second zap in the microwave or 5 minutes in a warm oven brings back its crispiness before you rebuild your wedge salad.
- Make-ahead tip: Cook the bacon, boil the eggs, and make the dressing up to 2 days in advance. Then all you have to do is cut the lettuce and assemble. This makes getting a fresh wedge salad on the table in under 5 minutes possible even on the busiest nights.
Classic Wedge Salad with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing FAQ
Here are the questions I get asked most about this recipe:
Can I make this wedge salad ahead of time?
You can prep all the components ahead, but do not assemble until you are ready to eat. The dressing and bacon keep for days, and you can even cut the iceberg wedges and wrap them tightly in damp paper towels in the fridge for a few hours. When you are ready, just plate, drizzle, and serve your wedge salad cold. Assembling too early makes the lettuce soggy.
What is the best dressing for a wedge salad?
Blue cheese dressing is the classic choice and my personal favorite. The tangy, creamy, sharp flavor is the perfect contrast to the cold, crisp iceberg. Buttermilk ranch is a close second if you have blue cheese skeptics at the table. Either way, a homemade dressing makes your wedge salad infinitely better than store-bought.
Can I use a different lettuce for my wedge salad?
You can, but it will not be quite the same. A hearty romaine heart can be cut into a wedge shape and works well if you prefer a slightly more nutritious green. Butter lettuce is too delicate and will wilt under the heavy dressing. For the true wedge salad experience, stick with iceberg.
How do I get my bacon extra crispy for a wedge salad?
The cold-oven method is foolproof. Place bacon strips on a foil-lined baking sheet, put the sheet in a cold oven, then set the temperature to 400F (200C). The bacon renders slowly as the oven preheats, resulting in perfectly flat, shatteringly crispy slices. Let them drain on paper towels before crumbling over your wedge salad.
Is this wedge salad recipe gluten free?
Yes, this wedge salad is naturally gluten free. All the ingredients, including the homemade blue cheese dressing, contain no wheat or gluten. Just double-check that your Dijon mustard and bacon are labeled gluten free if you are serving someone with celiac disease, as some brands may include additives.
This wedge salad is one of those recipes that feels fancy but could not be easier. I love that it is a 10-minute miracle on nights when I am too tired to be creative but still want to serve something that makes my family smile. I hope it becomes a go-to in your house the way it has in ours.
With love and cold, crunchy iceberg,
Lora x
Classic Wedge Salad with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
4
servings15
minutes20
minutes350
kcalIngredients
1 large head iceberg lettuce (about 900g / 2 lbs), cut into 4 wedges
6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (150g)
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup mayonnaise (120ml)
1/2 cup sour cream (120ml)
1/4 cup buttermilk (60ml)
4 oz crumbled blue cheese (115g), divided
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and garlic powder until smooth. Stir in about three-quarters of the blue cheese and mash some chunks against the bowl. Add the remaining blue cheese, a pinch of salt, and black pepper. Chill the dressing while you prepare the rest of your wedge salad.
Cook the bacon until crispy using your preferred method (the cold-oven technique works great). If using eggs, hard-boil, peel, and chop them. Set aside.
Remove any wilted outer leaves from the iceberg head. Rinse, pat completely dry, and cut into 4 equal wedges through the core. For extra crispness, place wedges cut-side up in the freezer for 5 minutes.
Place each lettuce wedge on a chilled plate. Generously drizzle the blue cheese dressing over the top, letting it drip down the sides.
Sprinkle each wedge salad with crumbled bacon, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and chopped egg (if using). Finish with chives and a final crack of black pepper. Serve immediately with a fork and knife.
