Chopped Wedge Salad

This Chopped Wedge Salad is a perfect example: all the classic flavors of a steakhouse wedge, but chopped for easy eating and even distribution of toppings.

Serves: 4-6 as a side dish
Prep Time: 15 minutes

Your Core Salad Ingredients

1 small head iceberg lettuce, cored and chopped
1 heart of romaine lettuce, chopped
8 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup fresh chives, finely chopped

The Essential Blue Cheese Dressing (To Complete the Dish)

A wedge salad isn’t complete without its signature creamy, tangy dressing. Here’s a simple homemade version using basic ingredients:

½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
½ cup crumbled blue cheese, plus extra for garnish
2 tablespoons lemon juice (or white vinegar)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of salt

Whisk together mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, garlic powder, pepper, and salt until smooth. Gently fold in the crumbled blue cheese, keeping some chunks for texture. Refrigerate until ready to use. Makes about 1¼ cups.

Shortcut: Use a high-quality bottled chunky blue cheese dressing. Just stir in extra crumbles for freshness.

Instructions

1. Cook the Bacon
Cook bacon until very crispy. Drain on paper towels, then crumble or chop. Set aside.

2. Chop the Lettuce
Core the iceberg and chop into bite-sized pieces. Chop the romaine similarly. Combine both in a large bowl or spread on a platter. The mix of crisp iceberg and slightly more tender romaine gives great texture.

3. Assemble
Drizzle about half the blue cheese dressing over the lettuce and toss gently to coat lightly. Add more dressing to taste. Top evenly with halved cherry tomatoes, crispy crumbled bacon, fresh chives, and extra blue cheese crumbles.

4. Finish and Serve
Finish with a crack of fresh black pepper. Serve immediately while everything is cold and crisp.

Traditional Add-Ons (If You Want the Full Steakhouse Experience)

Classic wedge salads often include:

Diced red onion or thinly sliced shallots
Hard-boiled egg, chopped
Diced avocado
A drizzle of balsamic glaze

Make It a Meal

Turn this side salad into a main course with one of these additions:

Sliced grilled steak (for a steakhouse salad)
Grilled or blackened chicken breast
Your slow cooker shredded chicken wings from the previous recipe

This salad is a great contrast to the slow-cooked comfort foods you’ve been exploring. Crisp, cold, and refreshing alongside rich, warm dishes—or topped with protein as a standalone meal.

Would you like the blue cheese dressing converted to a smaller portion, or would you prefer a different dressing option entirely?