The wedge salad survives every food trend because it does one thing perfectly: it is cold, crunchy and unapologetically rich on top. A firm wedge of iceberg, a generous pour of creamy blue cheese dressing, crisp bacon, and something fresh and sharp - here, thinly sliced radishes and a shower of herbs, exactly as pictured. It is the salad we serve before steak night, and it happens to be low-carb without trying to be anything else.
Two details decide whether a wedge is great or forgettable. First, the lettuce must be properly cold and dry - chill the wedges after cutting and pat them dry, or the dressing slides off into a puddle. Second, the dressing should be made at least 30 minutes ahead so the blue cheese melts into it and the flavour rounds out. Our homemade version takes five minutes and beats the bottled kind hollow. Salad people will also want our easy Cobb salad in the same rotation.
Everything else is assembly, which is the wedge's other gift: it looks like a restaurant plate and takes almost no cooking. Cook the bacon, whisk the dressing, slice and serve. Steak is optional; satisfaction is not.
A blue cheese dressing worth making
The trick is to mash half the blue cheese right into the base with a fork so the dressing itself tastes of cheese in every spoonful, then fold in the rest as crumbles for texture. Sour cream and a little mayonnaise give body, lemon juice and a splash of milk set the pouring consistency, and a pinch of garlic powder and black pepper finish it. Resting it for 30 minutes in the fridge is not optional if you can manage it - the flavour difference between freshly mixed and rested dressing is genuinely noticeable.
Cutting wedges that hold together
Keep the core in. Slice a cold, firm head of iceberg in half through the core, then cut each half into wedges, again through the core, so every piece has a bit of core holding the leaves together. Rinse the wedges briefly, drain them cut-side down on a clean towel for a few minutes, then chill until serving. Wet wedges shed dressing; dry, cold ones hold it in every layer.
Ingredients
- 1 large head iceberg lettuce (700 g)
- 6 slices bacon (170 g)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (120 g)
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise (60 g)
- 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled, divided (115 g)
- 2 tablespoons milk (30 ml)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (15 ml)
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (1 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (1.5 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to finish (1 g)
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced (60 g)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (8 g)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (3 g)
Amounts are for the yield below. US customary measures first, grams in brackets for scale users.
Step-by-step instructions
- Cook the bacon. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then chop or break into bite-size pieces. Cook it a shade darker than you think - it softens slightly under the dressing.
- Make the dressing. In a bowl, mash half the blue cheese with the sour cream and mayonnaise until mostly smooth. Stir in the milk, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper, then fold in the remaining crumbled cheese. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes if time allows.
- Cut and chill the wedges. Remove any wilted outer leaves from the lettuce. Cut the head in half through the core, then cut each half into 2 wedges through the core so each wedge holds together. Rinse briefly, drain cut-side down, pat dry and chill until serving.
- Plate the wedges. Arrange the wedges on chilled plates or one large oval plate as pictured, cut sides up. Spoon the dressing generously over the top, letting it run down between the leaves.
- Finish with the toppings. Scatter the bacon, radish slices, parsley and chives over the dressed wedges. Finish with extra black pepper and a small pinch of flaky salt if you like.
- Serve immediately. Serve straight away, cold, with a knife and fork - a wedge is eaten in cut bites, not tossed. Pass extra dressing at the table for the committed.
Nutrition estimate
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 290 kcal |
| Protein | 10 g |
| Carbohydrates | 6 g |
| Fat | 25 g |
| Saturated fat | 10 g |
| Sodium | 720 mg |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
Nutrition figures are estimates calculated from standard ingredient data for the yield stated. Your actual values will vary with brands, substitutions and portion sizes — treat them as a guide, not a guarantee.
Storage & reheating
The dressing keeps for up to 5 days in a sealed jar in the refrigerator and improves over the first day. Cooked bacon keeps 3 days refrigerated. Cut the lettuce wedges fresh - once cut and dressed, a wedge salad does not store at all, so assemble only what you will eat. Nutrition estimates vary with bacon and cheese brands.
Easy Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese
Cold, crunchy iceberg wedges under creamy blue cheese dressing with bacon, radish and herbs - steakhouse style, low-carb by nature.
Ingredients
Tick ingredients off as you prep, and tap a step below to mark it done as you cook. Scaling adjusts the listed amounts - seasoning to taste stays your call.
Instructions
- Cook the bacon. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then chop or break into bite-size pieces. Cook it a shade darker than you think - it softens slightly under the dressing.
- Make the dressing. In a bowl, mash half the blue cheese with the sour cream and mayonnaise until mostly smooth. Stir in the milk, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper, then fold in the remaining crumbled cheese. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes if time allows.
- Cut and chill the wedges. Remove any wilted outer leaves from the lettuce. Cut the head in half through the core, then cut each half into 2 wedges through the core so each wedge holds together. Rinse briefly, drain cut-side down, pat dry and chill until serving.
- Plate the wedges. Arrange the wedges on chilled plates or one large oval plate as pictured, cut sides up. Spoon the dressing generously over the top, letting it run down between the leaves.
- Finish with the toppings. Scatter the bacon, radish slices, parsley and chives over the dressed wedges. Finish with extra black pepper and a small pinch of flaky salt if you like.
- Serve immediately. Serve straight away, cold, with a knife and fork - a wedge is eaten in cut bites, not tossed. Pass extra dressing at the table for the committed.
Recipe by Ahsan ul Haq · FryDaily. Printing? This card is designed to print cleanly on its own.
