Loaded Wedge Salad with Creamy Blue Cheese and a Balsamic Drizzle
This salad will have even the heartiest of meat eaters changing their tune! Taking the basics from the steakhouse staple, this version piles on all of your favorite toppings, held together with a fabulous fresh blue cheese dressing!
Picasso in the kitchen! Of many of the delicious dishes that you will make, take advantage of the beauty here with the textures and colors on this great lettuce canvas! By itself, I find iceberg lettuce to be one of the least used vegetables in my kitchen, just for the lack of nutritional value (no hard feelings, iceberg). But, given its crispness, it provides the perfect framework for the wedge salad, holding its shape and giving a wall to decorate with the fresh ingredients that bring a pop of nutrition, flavor and color! While any onion, tomato or crouton works here, I would highly encourage using multi-colored cherry tomatoes, a great herby-y bread, and bold red onion to further amplify the colors presented. Have fun with the plating!
The Lion Tamer. The comfort food aspect of this salad is definitely present with the creamy blue cheese, soft egg, crunchy bacon, and juicy tomatoes. Paired together, this is reminiscent of many super clubs throughout the Midwest that boast their spread along with the two-piece cod and baked potato special of the night. What takes this version to the next level is the drizzle of balsamic over the top, with the vinegar acidity bringing a freshness to the creamy elements, keeping it refreshing and not too heavy, while also mixing well with the onion and radish to tame the bite they bring. You can reduce down your own balsamic, or buy the reduce ‘blaze’ version. Regardless of how you accomplish this liquid, it is the cherry on top of this salad for both taste and color!
Looking for other ways to use your blue cheese? Try out these other recipes:
Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Broccoli Omelet
Charred Brussel Sprout Salad with a Tahini Beet Dressing
Sautéed Beets with a Raspberry Balsamic Reduction
Pepper and Onion Rolled Steak with Blue Cheese Butter
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Loaded Wedge Salad with Creamy Blue Cheese and a Balsamic Drizzle
Equipment
- Kitchen knife
- Mixing bowl
- Baking sheet
- Skillet (if not baking bacon)
- Toothpicks (optional for presentation)
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2 tbsp Mayonaisse
- 2 tbsp Sour Cream
- 1/2 squeezed Lemon
- 1/4 cup Crumbled Blue Cheese (reserve some for garnish)
- 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley
- Salt and Pepper
Salad
- 1/2 head Iceberg Lettuce
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes
- 4 pieces Bacon
- 1/2 cup Sliced Radishes (about 4)
- 1 medium Avocado
- 1/4 medium Red Onion
- 2 stalks Chives
- 2 hardboiled Eggs
- 1 1/2 cup Torn Artisan Bread
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 2 tsp Reduced Balsamic Vinegar
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Lay bacon strips on the baking sheet. In mixing bowl, roughly tear artisan bread (omit bread if keto) to create large pieces and drizzle with olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Toss to coat and add to the baking sheet.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, flipping both bacon and croutons about halfway through. Remove when bacon is crisp and set aside.
- While bacon/croutons are cooking, in mixing bowl, combine mayo, sour cream, lemon, blue cheese, parley, salt and pepper and mix well. Adjust to taste and reserve some blue cheese crumbles for garnish.
- With this amount of assembly for the salad, I find it helpful to chop all toppings ahead of time, making plating a very easy process!
- Taking the iceberg lettuce, slice the head into quarters. If you have an uneasy piece of lettuce, take two toothpicks and create a base to hold the wedge upright.
- Drizzle about 2/3 of the blue cheese dressing liberally over the wedge and on the plate to hold all of the toppings together.
- Sprinkle the wedge with tomato haves, sliced radishes, sliced egg, red onion pieces, and chopped avocado. Drizzle the remaining blue cheese dressing and add chopped bacon, bread crumbs, chopped chives and rest of the blue cheese crumbles.
- Lastly, taking the reduced balsamic vinegar, drizzle over the entire salad and serve. Enjoy!
