Steakhouse Wedge Salad

Cold, crisp iceberg wedges get a tangy, creamy blue cheese dressing with crackling bacon, sweet tomatoes, sharp pickled onion, chives, and black pepper.

48 min

4 side servings

Four iceberg wedge salads with tangy blue cheese dressing, crisp bacon, tomatoes, pickled red onion, chives, and blue cheese.

Ingredients

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided

8 oz thick-cut bacon

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream

2 tbsp buttermilk

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 large iceberg lettuce

1 cup cherry tomatoes

2 tbsp chives

4 oz blue cheese, divided

Equipment

Rimmed sheet pan · Aluminum foil · Small bowl · Whisk · Chef's knife · Chilled serving platter

Crisp bacon every time

Use a cool pan and bake in one layer; drain only after the fat has rendered and the strips are deeply brown.

The cold-warm contrast

Keep the wedges chilled, then add room-temperature bacon just before the platter reaches the table.

Pickle and crisp the bacon

01. Cover the red onion with vinegar, sugar, and salt; give it time to soften while the rest of the salad comes together.

02. Heat the oven to 400 F so the bacon renders steadily and crisps without scorching.

03. Arrange bacon in one layer with a little space between strips; crowding traps steam and leaves it chewy.

04. Bake until the bacon is mahogany brown and bubbling, rotating the pan once. Drain it on towels so it becomes especially crisp as it cools.

Make the dressing and wedges

05. Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, lemon, salt, and blue cheese until creamy but still tangy; thin only enough to make it spoonable.

06. Cut the iceberg through the core into wedges and dry every crevice thoroughly. A cold, dry wedge gives the dressing something crisp to cling to.

Garnish and serve

07. Halve tomatoes, chop chives, and break cooled bacon into large crisp shards.

08. Spoon dressing over the iceberg ridges while leaving visible green-white lettuce for texture.

09. Finish with bacon, tomatoes, drained pickled onion, blue cheese, chives, and cracked pepper, then serve right away.