Equipment
Ingredients
Blue Cheese Dressing
- 100 g blue cheese, crumbled
- 60 g mayonnaise
- 60 g sour cream
- 45 ml buttermilk
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 g garlic powder
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
- salt
Salad Components
- 1 iceberg lettuce, outer leaves removed, cored
- 150 g thick-cut bacon, diced
- 150 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 10 g chives, finely sliced
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 366 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbohydrates
- 11 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 1166 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Cholesterol
- 32 mg
- Potassium
- 502 mg
- Calcium
- 212 mg
- Iron
- 1.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 33 mg
- Phosphorus
- 190 mg
- Zinc
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 142 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 12 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 65 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.75 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.37 mg
- Niacin
- 3.5 mg
- Folate
- 78 mcg
- Water
- 236 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place diced bacon in a cold skillet over medium heat. Cook until fat is fully rendered and bacon is crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool.
In a mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, lemon juice, garlic powder, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth.
Fold in the crumbled blue cheese, mashing lightly against the side of the bowl to incorporate the flavor while leaving distinct chunks.
Taste the dressing and adjust salt if necessary. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Cut the head of iceberg lettuce into four equal wedges, keeping the core intact just enough to hold the leaves together.
Place one lettuce wedge on each serving plate. Spoon the chilled blue cheese dressing generously over the top of the wedges, allowing it to drip down the sides.
Scatter the crispy bacon, halved cherry tomatoes, and sliced chives evenly over the dressed wedges. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Starting the bacon in a cold pan allows the fat to render slowly, resulting in crispier bacon that does not burn.
- For the ultimate crisp texture, soak the cut lettuce wedges in ice water for 5 minutes, then dry thoroughly with paper towels before assembling.
- Blue cheese can be polarizing; for a milder dressing, swap half of the blue cheese for crumbled feta, or use a sweet Gorgonzola dolce.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Dressing can be stored in an airtight container. Assembled salad must be eaten immediately.
Troubleshooting
Dressing is too thin and watery
Cause: Too much buttermilk added, or sour cream had high water content
Fix: Whisk in an additional 15g of mayonnaise or sour cream to thicken
Prevention: Add buttermilk gradually until desired consistency is reached
Lettuce wedge falls apart
Cause: Core was completely removed before cutting
Fix: Arrange the loose leaves back into a wedge shape on the plate; the dressing will help hold it together
Prevention: Trim only the very bottom oxidized part of the core, leaving the structural part intact before cutting into wedges
Cultural Context
The wedge salad is a quintessential American steakhouse classic that gained immense popularity in the 1950s and 60s. Its enduring appeal lies in the perfect textural contrast between the icy, crisp lettuce, the rich and creamy dressing, and the savory crunch of bacon.
