Wedge Salad (bacon, tomato, cucumber and ranch)

Wedge salad is a classic salad I used to only get at restaurants, but this one is super simple to make and so delicious. It truly is the BEST wedge salad recipe.

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Side note: you may want to check out my entire salad recipe archives for more salad ideas. 👌🏻 This Pea Salad, in particular, is one of my very favorites!

How to make wedge salad

Here is how to make the BEST wedge salad. First, gather your ingredients.

What type of lettuce to use

This is a long-time favorite and one of the best salads, and here is how you can make it in just a few simple steps. First, you always want to use crisp iceberg lettuce for wedge salad. Iceberg got a bad rep a few years ago as the “least nutritious lettuce.” Cue all the eye rolls. Eat Romaine, they said. It has more vitamins, they said.

Don’t listen to the naysayers, y’all. Let me assure you that crunchy iceberg lettuce is the only way to go for a classic wedge salad recipe. No other variety that I know of is as crisp. No other variety that I know of will stay in perfect slices.

Ingredients

For best results, always use the best quality ingredients you have access to. To make this easy wedge salad recipe, you will need the following fresh ingredients:

• iceberg lettuce
• homemade ranch dressing (trust me, it’s the game-changer)
• cucumber
• tomato
• bacon

For the homemade ranch dressing, you will need:

• buttermilk, or regular milk if preferred
• sour cream
• mayo
• garlic cloves
• dried parsley
• dried dill
• chives
• onion powder
• black pepper
• salt

Feel free to adapt to include your favorite toppings.

How to cut lettuce for wedge salad

You always want to remove any limp outer leaves of the lettuce head, as well as the core from your head of iceberg lettuce. I usually like to use the bang-it-on-the-cutting-board method. But every once in a while I’ll get a stubborn head of iceberg. So here is what to do if that happens to you.

You can cut the core out very easily. Just take a small knife and trace around the stem. The core will pop right out, as seen below.

I think a small paring knife works best. But this can be done with any knife.

After you remove the core, place the core side down on the cutting board for best stability. Then cut the head of lettuce (larger chef’s knife works best for this) into four equal parts by using your knife to cut a giant + sign, right down the middle.

What to put on wedge salad

Blue cheese dressing is what I usually think of when I hear wedge salad. But I do not like blue cheese dressing! So I am using ranch dressing on this classic American restaurant salad.

If you’ve never made your own salad dressing, particularly ranch, you need to. And I just so happen to have the BEST homemade ranch dressing recipe. It is good stuff, and it’s what I am using here, and it is precisely what you need to take this easy recipe to the next level. Whisk or blend the ranch dressing ingredients and set aside. Use a stick blender to make it extra smooth.

I really like the flavors of a BLT, and so that is the theme I am going with here people. I suggest using 1 to 2 slices of bacon per person. Just dice that up into small pieces. My slices were pretty big, so just 1 slice worked well for me.

And now for tomatoes. You can use any type. I love the baby heirloom tomatoes from Trader Joe’s. They are seasonal, but they are so good! And so pretty on the wedge salad with all the different colors.😍 That is what I am using here.

Also, I add some diced and peeled cucumber. Simply because I love the way cucumbers taste with ranch.

Feel free to modify your toppings to your liking. You do you, friends. But this is what I like best.

How to assemble 

First, put one of those lettuce wedges on a salad plate, with the straight cut sides facing upward.

I like to start with the ranch dressing.

All of those little crevices of the iceberg wedge catch the dressing like little reservoirs. Next, I sprinkle on the tomato and cucumber. And then crispy bacon bits. I like to top is off with the diced bacon last.

And I always, always serve it with extra creamy dressing on the side. I hope you enjoy this delicious salad! Let me know if you try it.

Wedge Salad Recipe

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5 from 3 votes

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Wedge Salad

This wedge salad recipe is super simple to make and so yummy. Better than a restaurant! Made with bacon, cucumber tomato, homemade ranch.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword wedge salad, wedge salad recipe

Prep Time 9 minutes

Total Time 9 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 157 kcal

Author Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy

Ingredients

For assembling the salad

• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• 3/4 cup ranch dressing plus extra for serving, see ingredients below
• 1/2 cup cucumber finely diced
• 1 cup tomato diced
• 4 slices bacon cooked and diced – I use more if slices are small

For the ranch dressing

• 1/3 cup buttermilk (I have substituted regular milk with great results)
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 2 garlic cloves minced, small or 1 large
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon dill
• 1/2 teaspoon chives
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Whisk or blend ranch dressing ingredients together, and set aside.

2. Core the lettuce by taking a small knife and tracing around the stem. The core will pop right out, as seen in the photos above.

3. Place the head of lettuce, core side down, on a cutting board. Cut into for equal parts by using your knife to make a giant + sign.

4. Place each wedge on a salad plate, and drizzle with about 3 Tablespoons of ranch dressing.

5. Sprinkle on the cucumber, tomatoes and bacon.

6. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator. It includes 3 Tablespoons of the ranch dressing. 

I always serve with extra dressing, just in case somebody wants more.

I recommend preparing this just prior to serving.

 

Nutrition Facts

Wedge Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 157 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 18mg6%

Sodium 331mg14%

Potassium 372mg11%

Carbohydrates 7g2%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 1065IU21%

Vitamin C 9.7mg12%

Calcium 56mg6%

Iron 0.7mg4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Note: This post originally appeared on A Pinch of Healthy May 10, 2019.