You might be asking, Why are you adding a wedge salad recipe to a BBQ site? Well… sometimes you need to have salad, and this steakhouse-style wedge salad pairs perfectly with all the meat-heavy BBQ recipes on this site. Did you know that wedge salads became popular in steak houses in the 1970s? This wedge salad with homemade blue cheese dressing and homemade garlic parmesan sourdough croutons will go great with a reverse-seared steak, burgundy pepper tri-tip, baby back ribs, smoked brisket, or anything that you take off the grill or smoker. Trust me… It will be a simple, fresh side dish that your guests will really enjoy.
Wedge Salad Ingredients
- 1/4 head iceberg lettuce (must be fresh and firm)
- 1 strip of high-quality, thick-cut bacon
- 4 cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup homemade garlic-parmesan sourdough croutons (Recipe Below)
- 1/4 cup homemade blue cheese dressing
The quality of your ingredients is key in making a great wedge salad. With only a handful of ingredients, everything has to be top-notch. Select a good head of iceberg lettuce, get some thick applewood smoked bacon, and some fresh sourdough bread for croutons and make your own dressing if you can.
Substitutions
- Bacon: There is no substitution for bacon.
- Iceberg Lettuce: There is no substitution for iceberg lettuce.
- Homemade blue cheese dressing: Yes, you can use some good store-bought blue cheese dressing if you have to.
- Cherry tomatoes: Grape tomatoes will work.
- Homemade sourdough croutons: Sure, you can use store-bought croutons if you have to, but trust me, the homemade ones are amazing.
Equipment Needed
- Sharp knife
- Large cutting board
- Baking sheet
- Paper towels for drying lettuce
How to Make the Perfect Wedge Salad
Preparation
First, let’s tackle the iceberg lettuce.
Core and Clean the Iceberg Lettuce
- Remove outer leaves from lettuce head
- Cut into quarters, keeping the core intact
- Rinse each wedge under cold water
- Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels
- Remove the lettuce core from each lettuce wedge.
Making the Garlic-Parmesan Croutons
Step 1: Prepare the Bread
- Butter both sides of the sourdough slices
- Season with garlic powder and freshly grated parmesan
- Cut into small cubes
Step 2: Broiling
- Place on baking sheet
- Broil on high for 30 seconds
- Toss and continue broiling until golden
Homemade Crouton Tip
The key is to broil these croutons in the oven at a high temperature. You want to make these golden brown and crisp without making them super hard and overly crunchy. I have found that a very hot oven on broil does the trick. Watch these closely and mix them so they don’t burn. Seriously, don’t look away with these in the oven.
Assembling the Wedge Salad
- Place lettuce wedge on a chilled plate.
- Add 4-6 halved cherry tomatoes around the lettuce wedge.
- Drizzle blue cheese dressing generously.
- Make sure to add extra blue cheese dressing around the plate. You might need it when you get down to the bottom of the wedge salad.
Step 2: The Wedge Salad Toppings
- Sprinkle with warm bacon bits.
- Place croutons strategically.
- Finish with fresh black pepper.
Additional Wedge Salad Ingredients.
Don’t go overboard with ingredients. This isn’t a Cobb salad. The beauty of a wedge salad is in the limited, simple, fresh ingredients. Less is often more when you are putting together the perfect wedge salad.
- Avocado
- Extra Blue Cheese Crumbles
- Red Onions
What to Serve With
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time?
No, the wedge salad should be assembled before serving to maintain crispness. However, you can prep ingredients a few hours ahead if you keep everything chilled in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble and serve.
How long do homemade croutons last?
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days, but they’re best used within 24 hours.
Can I use some other type of lettuce for a wedge salad?
No, you cannot use anything but iceberg lettuce for a wedge salad. It simply will not work with anything except a nice cold crisp head of iceberg lettuce.
Storing and Reheating
The assembled salad doesn’t store well, but components can be stored separately:
- Washed lettuce: Up to 3 days in a crisper drawer
- Croutons: Airtight container at room temperature
- Cooked bacon: Up to week refrigerated
Scaling for a Crowd
For 4 servings:
- 1 full head of lettuce
- 4 strips bacon
- 16 cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup croutons
- 1 cup blue cheese dressing
Wedge Salad – Steakhouse style
Equipment
- Sharp Knife
- Cutting Board
- Baking Sheet
- Paper Towels for drying lettuce wedges
Ingredients
- 1/4 Head Iceberg Lettuce
- 1 Strip Thick cut applewood smoked bacon Cut into bacon bits
- 4 Cherry Tomatoes Cut in half
- 1/4 Cup Sourdough Croutons
- 1/4 Cup Blue Cheese Dressing
Instructions
Cut, Clean and Core the Iceberg Lettuce
- Start by cutting down on the core of the head of the lettuce, making two halves.
- Cut each half of lettuce again making 4 quarter wedges.
- Wash, dry, and remove the stems.
Making the Garlic-Parmesan Croutons
- Prepare the Bread. Butter both sides of the sourdough slices. Season with garlic powder and freshly grated parmesan. Cut into small cubes
- Place on a baking sheet and broil on high for 30 seconds.
- Toss and continue broiling until golden brown. The key is to broil these croutons in the oven at a high temperature. You want to make these golden brown and crisp without making them super hard and overly crunchy. I have found that a very hot oven on broil does the trick. Watch these closely and mix them so they don’t burn. Seriously, don’t look away with these in the oven.
Assembling the Wedge Salad
- Place lettuce wedge on a chilled plate. Add 6-8 halved cherry tomatoes around the lettuce wedge. Drizzle blue cheese dressing generously. Make sure to add extra blue cheese dressing around the plate. You might need it when you get down to the bottom of the wedge salad.
- Add the wedge salad toppings. Sprinkle with warm bacon bits. Place croutons strategically. Finish with fresh black pepper.
- Don’t go overboard with ingredients. This isn’t a Cobb salad. The beauty of a wedge salad is in the limited, simple, fresh ingredients. Less is often more when you are putting together the perfect wedge salad.
