Wedge Salad

Ingredients

• 6 slicesbacon, chopped
• 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon)lemon zest
• 1 headiceberg lettuce
• 240 ml (1 cup)blue cheese dressing
• 150 g (1 cup)cherry tomatoes, halved
• 30 g (¼ cup)blue cheese crumbles
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)red onion, minced
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)chives

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the bacon

   Heat a cast-iron pan over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Lift the bacon out with a slotted spoon and set it on a paper-towel-lined plate.

2. 2

   Season the fat

   Stir the lemon zest into the bacon grease and set it aside.

3. 3

   Cut the lettuce

   Cut the iceberg lettuce into four wedges. Drizzle each with just a little of the bacon grease and lemon zest.

4. 4

   Dress and garnish

   Pour the blue cheese dressing evenly over the four wedges, then add all the toppings and serve.

What is a wedge salad?

A wedge salad is a head of iceberg lettuce cut into quarters, with the leaves left together so each piece can be dressed and eaten as a substantial portion. It is a familiar American steakhouse-style salad, often paired with a creamy dressing and savoury toppings.

This version combines blue cheese dressing with crisp bacon, tomatoes, blue cheese, red onion and chives. A little lemon-scented bacon grease adds a savoury finish without taking the crunch from the lettuce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 255 calories, 11g protein, 8g carbs, 20g fat.

The lettuce and tomatoes contribute most of the carbohydrates, while the bacon and blue cheese dressing provide much of the fat; bacon, dressing and cheese also contribute protein. Pair a wedge with a lean protein or another simple main to make a more balanced plate.

The lettuce matters

Iceberg lettuce holds its shape when cut into wedges and offers a cool, crisp contrast to the rich dressing. Choose a firm head and keep the core intact while cutting so the layers stay together.

Crisp bacon, fragrant fat

Cook the chopped bacon over medium heat, stirring now and then, until crisp. The rendered fat is used as a light drizzle, so keep it rather than pouring it away.

Stir the lemon zest into the warm bacon grease after removing the bacon. This is a small finishing drizzle, not a dressing to soak the wedges.

Keep the wedges crunchy

Cut the lettuce into four wedges just before serving, then add only a little of the bacon-fat mixture. Too much liquid can weigh down the leaves and make the salad harder to handle.

Pour the blue cheese dressing over the wedges just before bringing them to the table. That preserves the contrast between crisp lettuce and creamy dressing.

Finish with the toppings

Scatter the bacon, halved cherry tomatoes, blue cheese crumbles, minced red onion and chives over the dressed wedges. Distribute them across all four portions so each wedge gets a mix of salty, tangy and fresh flavours.

The recipe takes 10 minutes in total, with the bacon cooking as the main active task. Have the toppings ready to add as soon as the lettuce is cut and dressed.

What to serve alongside

Serve a wedge as a starter or alongside a simple main, such as grilled chicken or a baked potato. The salad is already rich and creamy, so a plainly cooked accompaniment works well.

Recipe notes & tips

• Chill the lettuce before cutting for a particularly crisp serving.
• Keep the bacon pieces on a paper-towel-lined plate so excess grease can drain.
• Use a slotted spoon to lift out the bacon while leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
• Drizzle the bacon grease sparingly over each wedge.
• Set out the toppings before dressing the lettuce so you can serve it straight away.

Variations

• Extra citrus: Add a little more lemon zest to the bacon grease for a brighter finish.
• More onion: Scatter additional minced red onion over the wedges for a sharper bite.
• Herb swap: Use another fresh herb in place of the chives for a different garnish.
• Tomato change: Use quartered larger tomatoes if cherry tomatoes are unavailable.
• Dressing on the side: Serve the blue cheese dressing separately so diners can add their own amount.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcooked bacon: Watch it as it cooks and remove it once crisp so it does not burn.
• Too much bacon grease: Use only a tiny drizzle over each wedge to keep the lettuce crisp.
• Loose wedges: Leave the core attached when cutting so the leaves stay together.
• Dressed too early: Add dressing just before serving to avoid softening the lettuce.
• Uneven toppings: Divide the toppings across all four wedges rather than piling them on one.

How to store

This salad is best served straight away, since dressed iceberg lettuce softens as it stands. If preparing ahead, refrigerate the lettuce, cooked bacon and toppings separately in covered containers, and assemble just before serving.

Frequently asked questions