Steakhouse-Style Classic Iceberg Wedge Salad

Today I’m going back in time to the classic wedge salad! Though there are a lot of twists and variations on wedge salad, you really can’t beat the crisp, clean bite of iceberg lettuce. It’s the perfect base for buttermilk blue cheese dressing, crisp bacon, and vinegary tomatoes. And the perfect side for a well seared steak.

What is a Classic Wedge Salad?

A couple of months ago I was on-line reading the NYT Magazine Eat column where they were describing the classic wedge salad. I’ve long loved a wedge salad, but I have usually made variations on the theme instead of working with the original recipe. This time, inspired by their description, I decided to make a classic version.

(And, yes, there is a recipe associated with the column, but I wanted to take the description and use that to make my own salad. Making a recipe from a story is more fun for me than making it from a recipe. 🙂 )

According to the NYT’s article a classic wedge salad is –

• Simple and not too fancy
• Doesn’t need gussying
• Contains:
  • iceberg lettuce (for the clean crunch)
  • a basic style of blue cheese
  • cherry tomatoes tossed with a sharp vinaigrette
  • crisp bacon
  • and sprinkling of chives

And I wondered: Would I love the classic as much as the variations? Would the salad live up to the glowing depiction?

Happily, the answer was yes to both of these questions! Classic wedge salad has a place at my table. Along with a seared steak and a nice glass of red wine.

How to Make a Classic Wedge Salad

To make a classic wedge salad you start with a head of iceberg lettuce cut into wedges. Add an intensely flavored blue cheese dressing, like my Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing, some vinegary tomatoes and shallots, crispy bacon, crunchy croutons, and finish it with a grind of black pepper.

First off, you’re going to need to make the blue cheese dressing. Luckily, I have a great recipe for the dressing, which is both simple and satisfyingly tasty. I prefer to make the dressing a day or two ahead (when I have a few minutes and I’m thinking about it) of when I need it so that it’s ready to go without any last minute effort on my part.

Next up, you’re going to make all the different parts of the recipe. Note: there are a few different parts! This wedge salad is a classic, but it’s not a no-effort, 5 minute recipe.

Bacon: I like to use 4-5 strips of bacon for the salad. Place the bacon on a cooking sheet and bake them for 14-16 minutes at 400F. (Rotating the sheet half way through.) When done, move them to a towel-lined plate and let them cool.

Lettuce: This part is simple. Strip off the wilted leaves, then cut the iceberg head into 4 wedges, cutting through the stem each time. The stem will keep the wedges intact.

Tomatoes: Combine halved cherry tomatoes with thinly sliced shallots in a tangy vinaigrette of red wine vinegar, olive oil, and a dash of salt.

Croutons: You have a choice here. For crispy croutons with a tender center, fry them in olive oil over low heat until browned. For crunchy croutons with a dry center, toss them with oil and bake them in the oven until browned.

Once all the ingredients are prepped, put an iceberg wedge on each plate. Spoon over some of the tomato shallot salad, getting the vinaigrette in the leaves. Pour over some blue cheese dressing so it drips down the sides of the wedge. Then scatter crumbled bacon, croutons, and chopped chives around the plate. Finish with a few turns of the pepper grinder.

How to Wash Iceberg For a Wedge Salad

Honestly, I don’t.

Similarly to cabbage, I rely on the tight leaf structure in iceberg lettuce to keep the inside clean. Instead I strip off a few layers of leaves and then I proceed with the recipe.

And I wouldn’t recommend washing the iceberg lettuce either. Since you are using the lettuce in a wedge and not separating the leaves, the water you use to wash it is going to collect inside and water down the flavors.

How to Cut Iceberg for a Wedge Salad

There are a couple of tips for cutting the lettuce:

1. For full-sized wedges, you will cut through the stem each time. Trim off the end of the stem so you have a clean cut there, then cut the head in half through the stem and each half into quarters through the stem.
2. Use a standard, serrated bread knife to cut the lettuce. The bread knife will shred the leaves just a little, making a somewhat ragged cut which will hold the dressing better.

Making Classic Wedge Salad for a Crowd

Note: Since this would be for larger group, I am assuming there will be other sides served and likely appetizers and desserts. Therefore, you will want to make smaller salads and streamline the production.

Salad Bar Style

Cut each iceberg lettuce into 8 wedges (by cutting each long wedge into two shorter wedges) and put them on a platter. Set out each of the toppings in bowls near the platter. And set out salad plates nearby as well. Let everyone make their own. This is great for smaller get-togethers where you won’t have a backup around the salad bar. Or when feeding crowds with various food restrictions.

Potluck Style

Cut each head into 16 wedges by halving the 8 wedges once again. Place the wedges on a platter. Top the wedges with all the toppings as directed for the large salads and let everyone scoop up a wedge for their plate.

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If you try my recipe for Classic Wedge Salad, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! You can connect with me by subscribing to my emails (see the form in the sidebar or below the recipe card), liking my FACEBOOK page, or by following me on PINTEREST.

– Happy Eating, Annemarie