Our Steakhouse Wedge Salad is a crisp, refreshing classic elevated by a rich and tangy homemade blue cheese dressing that truly puts it in a league of its own. Perfect as a side or starter, this salad delivers bold flavors and satisfying crunch in every bite.
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🥬 The Ingredients
Simple, everyday ingredients come together perfectly in this classic salad to create a delicious, restaurant-quality dish you can enjoy right at home. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
👉 Substitutions and Variations
- Dressing – We can’t stress enough how much the Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing elevates this salad. If you want to try a different dressing, Homemade Ranch Dressing is wonderful.
- Lettuce – Chilled iceberg is traditional. However, chopped Romaine or green leaf lettuce could work, too.
- Tomatoes – Cherry or grape tomatoes are commonly used, but chopped vine-ripe tomatoes will work just fine. For a beautiful presentation, try tomatoes that are a combination of colors, including red, purple, yellow, and orange.
- Bacon – We go with thick-cut, smoked bacon. However, crispy cubed pancetta would be just as delicious. Cook the bacon in a skillet or on a foil-lined baking sheet in the oven.
Refer to the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
👩🏼🍳 How To Make Steakhouse Wedge Salad
- Step 1: Add all of the dressing ingredients into a bowl and then crumble in the blue cheese.
- Step 2: Stir the dressing and mash some of the blue cheese with a fork, and then transfer to a jar with a lid. Chill for at least 1 hour.
- Step 3: Quarter the head of lettuce and chill for at least one hour.
- Step 4: Chop the bacon and cook in a skillet, or bake the strips in the oven until crisp, and then crumble.
- Step 5: Finely chop the onion and cut the tomatoes into slices.
- Step 6: Place the chilled wedge, and top with tomatoes, bacon, onion, and plenty of the dressing.
Expert Tip
You can cook the chopped bacon in a skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Or, you can line a baking pan with foil and then lay strips of bacon on it. Bake in a 350°F oven until cooked and crisp. Drain on paper towels, then roughly chop once cool enough to handle. The bacon can be prepared hours in advance of serving.
🍽️ How To Serve
- The salad is best served when the lettuce, dressing, and even the plate and chilled. Make sure you’ve rinsed the wedge, drained it well, and then let it chill for one hour along with the plates you will be serving the salad on.
- This recipe serves four and is a satisfying first course. To serve this as an entree salad for two, only slice the head of lettuce in half. Be sure to slice away the very end of the core (the nub).
- You’ll want to have plenty of extra dressing on hand when serving it to guests. The dressing recipe can easily be doubled. Extra dressing will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, homemade blue cheese dressing can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator to let the flavors meld. In fact, it’s even better when made in advance.
Iceberg lettuce is the classic choice because of its crisp texture and ability to hold the dressing well.
To keep the lettuce crisp, place the washed wedges on a plate lined with paper towels, cut-side down, and chill for 1 hour. And don’t add the dressing until just before serving.
Yes, this steakhouse wedge salad with homemade blue cheese dressing is naturally gluten-free, making it a safe and delicious option for those avoiding gluten.
Ready to make a salad that will rival any steakhouse in town? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Steakhouse Wedge Salad with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
Video
Ingredients
- 3 cups blue cheese dressing
- 1 head iceberg lettuce
- 6 strips bacon thick slice
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved or sliced into rings
- ½ cup red onion finely chopped
- black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Prepare the blue cheese dressing and chill for at least 1 hour. Be sure to leave a little blue cheese off to the side for garnishing the salad.3 cups blue cheese dressing
- Slice the edge of the stem of the core from the head of lettuce. Peel off and discard any brown or damaged exterior leaves. Use a large knife to cut the lettuce in half, lengthwise (through the core). Then cut each piece in half. Gently wash each quarter with tap water. Place on plates lined with paper towels, cut-side down. Refrigerate for 1 hour.1 head iceberg lettuce
- Place the serving plates in the fridge while the lettuce chills.
- Cook the bacon either by chopping it up and then cooking in a skillet until crispy, or place the strips on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake in a 350°F oven until crispy, usually about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. When cool enough to handle, roughly chop the bacon into bits.6 strips bacon
- Place the quartered wedges on the chilled plates. Liberally drizzle the dressing over the tops of the wedges. Sprinkle on the cut tomatoes, chopped onions, and bacon. Garnish with extra crumbled blue cheese and freshly ground black pepper. Serve at once.1 cup cherry tomatoes, ½ cup red onion, black pepper
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