Wedge Salad with Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing
Not rated yet. Be the first.
Ice-cold iceberg, a chunky blue cheese dressing, crisp bacon, tomatoes and a lot of black pepper. Let the dressing rest twenty minutes, and the first crunch at the table is the sound of dinner starting.
The short version
Make a chunky blue cheese dressing with sour cream, mayonnaise and buttermilk, and let it sit 20 minutes. Crisp the bacon, chill the iceberg wedges, then spoon on dressing, bacon, tomatoes, chives and a lot of black pepper. 25 minutes.
What makes ours better
what we fixed so you don’t have to
-
Mash half the blue cheese, crumble the rest. The mashed cheese flavors every spoonful of the dressing; the crumbles give you creamy bites of the real thing. Two textures from one block.
-
Add buttermilk and a splash of vinegar. Sour cream and mayo alone taste heavy. A little buttermilk thins the dressing to a drizzle, and the vinegar adds a clean tang.
-
Rest the dressing for 20 minutes. The garlic and cheese need time to mingle with the cream. Straight from the whisk it tastes flat.
-
Crisp the wedges in ice water. Ten minutes in cold water makes iceberg loud and crunchy; just dry them well or the dressing slides off.
What you need
the usual suspects
- Sour cream½ cup
- Mayonnaise¼ cup
- Buttermilk2 tablespoons
- Red wine vinegar2 teaspoons
- Garlic clove1 small
- Minced chives1 tablespoon
- Thick-cut bacon6 slices
- Cherry tomatoes1 cup
Blue cheese dressing
Salad
yes, all of the butter
Steps
nobody opens the oven door. looking at you, Dad.
-
Mash the cheese into the cream
In a medium bowl, mash half of the blue cheese (about 2 ounces) with a fork until mostly smooth. Whisk in the sour cream, mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar, Worcestershire, garlic and pepper. Stir in the minced chives and the rest of the cheese, crumbled.
-
Rest the dressing
Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. It will thicken. Taste, and add a splash of buttermilk if you want it thinner. It rarely needs salt.
About 20 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
-
Crisp the bacon
Lay the bacon in a cold skillet and cook over medium heat, turning now and then, until deep golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels, cool, and break into bite-sized pieces.
Cook bacon in strips, not already chopped. It browns evenly and doesn't scorch.
About 10 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
-
Cut and chill the wedges
Trim the stem of the lettuce flat but leave the core in. Cut the head in half through the core, then cut each half in half again for four wedges. Submerge them in ice water for 10 minutes, drain, and pat dry thoroughly with towels.
About 10 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
-
Plate the wedges
Set each wedge on a plate with a cut side facing up. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of dressing over each so it runs into the folds.
-
Top and serve
Scatter the bacon, tomatoes and chopped chives over the wedges. Finish with plenty of coarse black pepper and a few more cheese crumbles. Serve right away, with extra dressing on the side.
Dress the wedges at the table, not ahead. Dressing on a cut surface softens the lettuce in about 15 minutes.
Good to know
things I learned the hard way, so you can skip that part
- Iceberg is classic because it stays crisp under a thick dressing. Romaine hearts or little gem work as wedges too, but they're softer.
- Extra dressing keeps 1 week in a jar in the fridge. It's also excellent on burgers, chicken wings and baked potatoes.
- To make it a main course, add two chopped hard-boiled eggs per plate, or top with sliced steak.
- Storage. Dressing, covered, 1 week in the fridge. Bacon, 3 days in the fridge; re-crisp in a dry skillet. Cut lettuce is best the day it's cut.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
How do you cut a wedge salad?
Leave the core in and cut the head into quarters from top to bottom. The core holds the leaves together so the wedge stays whole on the plate.
Can I make the blue cheese dressing ahead?
Yes, up to a week ahead. It actually tastes better after a day, when the cheese has had time to spread through the dressing.
What lettuce can I use besides iceberg?
Romaine hearts or little gem cut lengthwise into wedges. They won't be as crisp or watery, but they hold up well enough under a heavy dressing.
How do I keep iceberg lettuce crisp?
Soak the cut wedges in ice water for 10 minutes and dry them well. Keep them in the fridge until the second you plate them.
What can I use instead of blue cheese?
Crumbled Gorgonzola or Roquefort are the closest. If you don't like blue, ranch dressing works.
From the table
Made it? I want the full report: first bite, best compliment, and who tried to take the leftovers home.
Made it?
one star means we talk. five means I tell Dad.
Tap a star
- No reviews yet. Yours would be the first, and I’d read it twice.
Find it in
Published October 29, 2026.