Side

How to Make a Great Wedge Salad

by HexClad Cookware

If you’re going to go to a classic steakhouse, there’s one dish you absolutely need to order, and it’s not the meat. It’s a wedge salad, made with iceberg lettuce. It's a cheese-lover’s approach to lettuce, a vegetable dish in name only, and the dream side for a perfectly cooked steak.

HERES HOW TO MAKE A PEFECT WEDGE SALAD

We know purists out there will insist a wedge salad can only consist of iceberg lettuce, blue cheese dressing, bacon, tomatoes and chives, but there’s an argument to be made for breaking out of the box. First, let’s start with constructing this steakhouse staple in all its geometric glory.

A classic wedge is simple to make: Cut a head of iceberg lettuce into 4 wedges, top with a buttermilk-blue cheese dressing, and shower with crispy bacon, chopped tomatoes and minced chives. That’s it. (Well, maybe a grind of freshly ground pepper wouldn’t hurt.)

Our point is: To make a traditional wedge salad recipe, you’re going to want to keep it simple. For a simple buttermilk dressing, turn to NYTCooking’s Wedge Salad recipe, which combines blue cheese, buttermilk, mayonnaise, olive oil, hot sauce, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce to make the perfect tangy drizzle for your wedge.

HERE ARE 6 CLEVER IDEAS FOR RIFFING ON A CLASSIC WEDGE SALAD

Building a wedge-inspired salad requires a few key ingredients: You need a hunk of lettuce–preferably cut into a wedge–a creamy dressing, and extra flavorful bits.

Chopped wedge: A true wedge salad is served edge-up so you can carve into the lettuce at the table. But, if you’d rather not do the work, or prefer every piece of lettuce to be well-coated, make a chopped wedge salad instead. It’s as simple as starting by chopping the lettuce (either iceberg or romaine, if you like), then tossing with half the dressing and the toppings. Serve drizzled with the remaining dressing and more blue cheese crumbles.
The Napa cabbage wedge remix: Napa cabbage—the soft, crinkly cabbage that you use to make kimchi—also makes a banging wedge-inspired salad that makes a beautiful centerpiece at year-round celebrations. You’ll adorn the quartered cabbage with a buttermilk-Parmesan dressing, onions and apples. To make it, check out Food52’s recipe for Napa Cabbage Wedge Salad with Apples and Buttermilk Dressing.
A tahini twist on wedge salad dressing: Not a fan of blue cheese or simply want something lighter? Opt for a tahini-based dressing, which brings depth of flavor without relying on cheese. This recipe for Little Gem Wedge Salad With Tahini Ranch from Bon Appetit starts with a Greek yogurt base and finishes each plate with toasted seeds instead of bacon.
An extra-garlicky wedge: Put garlic front and center in your wedge with Delish’s Garlic Herb Wedge Salad. You’ll use confited cloves of garlic as well as their oil to make an intensely garlicky dressing that can stand up to the standard rich blue and bacon flavors.
Vegetarian wedge salad: Skip the meat entirely and opt for crispy chickpeas rather than bacon. In Real Simple’s Baby Wedge Salad with Crispy Spiced Chickpeas, you’ll pair shawarma-spiced chickpeas with harissa-infused ranch dressing and Little Gem lettuce for a lighter, vegetarian take on a classic wedge salad recipe.
A coconut-based shake up of wedge salad dressing: Food & Wine’s Wedge Salad with Coconut Ranch and Furikake swaps coconut cream and sour cream for the mayonnaise and blue cheese to lighten up the classic wedge salad dressing. Instead of bacon, you’ll use furikake, an umami-rich Japanese condiment that combines sesame seeds, seaweed, fish flakes, dried herbs and salt.