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Wedge Salad is the steakhouse classic you can make at home in minutes, with a crisp lettuce base piled high with creamy blue cheese dressing, crispy bacon, juicy tomato, and tangy pickled onions. I throw this together on a *busy weeknight* when the girls want something cool and crunchy beside dinner, and the bowls always come back empty. It pairs beautifully with our marry me chicken.
Made with romaine instead of the usual iceberg, this version gives you all that classic wedge flavor with a sturdier, even crunchier base.
Wedge Salad Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 5 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 75 minutes with chilling
- 🍽️ Serving: 2 salads
- ⚡ Calories: 665kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Cool, creamy, tangy, and savory with smoky bacon
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, about as simple as our homemade buttermilk ranch dressing
Quick Answer
Quick pickle some red onions in a sweet vinegar brine, whisk together a creamy blue cheese dressing, and cook bacon until crispy. Cut a head of lettuce into wedges, then pile on the bacon, diced tomato, pickled onions, and a generous drizzle of dressing with extra blue cheese crumbles on top.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Romaine holds up better than iceberg. A halved head of romaine gives you the same crisp wedge shape with sturdier ribs that do not wilt under all those toppings.
- Homemade blue cheese dressing is worlds better. A quick whisk of mayo, sour cream, milk, and real blue cheese tastes fresher and tangier than anything from a bottle.
- Quick pickled onions add bright contrast. A short soak in sweet vinegar mellows the raw onion bite and adds a pop of color and acidity that cuts the richness.
- Crispy bacon brings the savory crunch. Thick cut bacon cooked until crisp gives every forkful a smoky, salty bite that makes the salad feel like a meal.
- Everything can be prepped ahead. The dressing and pickled onions both keep for days, so assembly takes just a couple of minutes when you are ready to eat.
- It is endlessly customizable. Once you have the base method down, you can swap the cheese, the protein, or the toppings to suit whatever you have on hand.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It tastes like a fancy steakhouse side but comes together in your own kitchen.
- The creamy, tangy dressing rivals our reader favorite buttermilk ranch dressing.
- Most of it can be made ahead, so it is perfect for entertaining or meal prep.
Key Ingredients
Just a handful of fresh, simple ingredients build this big flavor salad. Here is what each one does.
- Romaine lettuce: halved lengthwise for a crisp, sturdy wedge that stands up to heavy toppings.
- Blue cheese: the star of both the creamy dressing and the garnish, bringing that signature tangy, funky bite.
- Thick cut bacon: cooked crispy and diced for smoky, salty crunch in every bite.
- Red onion: quick pickled in a sweet vinegar brine for bright color and tang.
- Mayo, sour cream, and mustard: the creamy base of the dressing, much like the one we use in our goat cheese salad.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Make this wedge your own with a few easy swaps.
- Use a head of iceberg lettuce cut into quarters for the most classic, old school steakhouse wedge.
- Swap the blue cheese dressing for ranch if you have picky eaters at the table.
- Add a sprinkle of croutons or toasted nuts for extra crunch.
- Top with grilled chicken or shrimp to turn it into a full main dish salad.
- Love a creamy side? Try our creamy macaroni salad with peas next.
How to Make Wedge Salad
- Make the pickled onions. Heat the water, vinegar, and sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Off the heat, stir in the sliced onion and smashed garlic, let cool, then chill at least one hour.
- Whisk the dressing. Combine the mayo, milk, sour cream, blue cheese, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, and whole grain mustard in a bowl. Cover and chill at least one hour to let the flavors meld.
- Cook the bacon. Fry the thick cut bacon until crispy, then drain and set aside.
- Prep the lettuce. Cut the head of romaine in half lengthwise and remove the core, keeping the wedge shape intact. Place each half in a bowl.
- Assemble. Top each wedge with the bacon, diced tomato, and pickled onions.
- Dress and serve. Drizzle generously with the blue cheese dressing, scatter extra blue cheese crumbles on top, and serve right away.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Chill the dressing and onions ahead. Both taste better after at least an hour, and they keep for several days in the fridge.
- Pat the lettuce dry before plating so the dressing clings instead of sliding off.
- Cook the bacon extra crispy. It softens slightly once it hits the cool, creamy salad, so a little extra crunch goes a long way.
- Dice the tomato small and seed it if it is very juicy to keep the salad from getting watery.
- Double the dressing and save half for dipping veggies or topping our air fried baked potatoes.
- Serve immediately once dressed so the lettuce stays crisp.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This wedge is a steakhouse side at heart, so it shines next to a hearty main. Set it beside our marry me chicken or a juicy grilled steak for a restaurant style dinner at home.
Round out the plate with a warm side like our air fried baked potatoes or a basket of crispy fried green tomatoes for a true Southern spread.
Hosting a cookout? Add it to a salad bar with our 5 bean salad and kale and quinoa salad so there is a little something for everyone.
Wedge Salad FAQs
Iceberg is the traditional choice for its crisp, watery crunch, but romaine works beautifully too and holds its shape better under heavy toppings. Use whichever you prefer, cut into wedges or halves.
You can prep all the components ahead. Make the dressing and pickled onions up to several days early and cook the bacon in advance. Wait to cut and assemble the lettuce until just before serving so it stays crisp.
Creamy blue cheese is the classic, and this homemade version is tangy and thick. If blue cheese is not your thing, ranch or a creamy peppercorn dressing are great swaps.
Beyond bacon, tomato, and pickled onions, try croutons, hard boiled egg, avocado, or grilled chicken. A drizzle of balsamic glaze is also a lovely finishing touch.
Pat the lettuce dry, dice and seed juicy tomatoes, and dress the salad right before serving. Keeping the wet ingredients separate until the last minute is the key to a crisp wedge.
It can be a lighter side since it is mostly fresh lettuce and vegetables. The bacon and creamy dressing add richness, so adjust the amount of dressing or use a lighter version if you want to lighten it up.
For more crisp, crowd pleasing sides, try our goat cheese salad with poppy seed dressing next.
For a no-lettuce salad, our tomato and bread panzanella is the move.
Love black and bleu flavors? Our steak potato salad recipe turns them into a cookout side.
Romaine Wedge Salad
Ingredients
For the Pickled Red Onions
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 garlic clove smashed
- 1 small red onion thinly julienned
For the Blue Cheese Dressing
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 3 1/2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
- dash Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cracks fresh black pepper
- 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
Salad Assembly
- 1 head romaine lettuce cut in half length-wise, core removed
- 3 slices thick-cut bacon 1/2 inch diced, cooked crispy, fat drained
- 1 small tomato small dice
- crumbled blue cheese for garnish, optional
Instructions
For the pickled red onions
- Place the water, vinegar, and sugar in a small saucepot. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat, add the onion and garlic, let cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container and place in the fridge for at least one hour.
For the blue cheese dressing
- Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Transfer to an air-tight container. Let chill in the fridge for at least one hour.
Salad Assembly
- Place each half of the romaine lettuce in two bowls. Top with bacon, tomato, pickled onions, dressing, and more blue cheese.
Notes
- Make sure that you dissolve the sugar fully in in the red onion mixture.
- You need to cool the onions down before consuming so make sure you place them in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
- The Blue Cheese Dressing also needs time to chill so again for that, place in the refrigerator for one hour before using.
- Make sure you always wash your lettuce before eating, you can wash as a whole or after cut.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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This salad is so good! Love the pickled onions and blue cheese dressing!
What a gorgeous salad! I love the pickled onions – I use them on all my salads!