WEDGE: A piece of metal, wood or other material with a thick end and a thin end that is driven between two objects. A doorstop. A type of shoe, in which the same piece of material serves as sole and heel. A popular surfing spot off the Balboa Peninsula in southern California…
OR a delicious, easy, fresh salad that’s been around long enough to surface multiple times and is now becoming popular once again. For good reason, “The Wedge” is back! Its origins date back to the 1920s or earlier, with repeat performances in the forties, fifties, sixties, seventies….well, you get the picture. The Wedge Salad is one of those eternal dishes that probably will never go out of style. Its classic ingredients just work! Sure, kale, chard and spinach are having their turn in the spotlight. Don’t get us wrong…we’re all about those delicious, nutritious leaves. But there’s nothing wrong with a good, old-fashioned wedge of crisp iceberg every now and then! Pair it with some bacon and bleu, and you’ve got something pretty wonderful.
This BLT Wedge Salad is pretty much the classic, although we’ve replaced the traditional creamy Roquefort dressing with a lighter apple cider version. Blast back through the ages to see how versatile this little gem truly is….The new and trendy “casserole” became the dish of the day in the 1950s, French-inspired steak dinners were all the rage in the 60s, the 80s introduced a wave of new, “healthy” salad ideas, and the turn of the century saw farmer’s markets and artisan breads surge to the headlines. Well, guess what? The Wedge lived through all that and more, complementing each new trend or standing all on its own. We think the wedge is truly an icon in the food world. While it might not be the most glamorous dish, it’s here to stay. Hallelujah! Such a delicious timeless classic will never be out of style.
Ingredients
- 1 head iceberg lettuce
- 5-6 Roma tomatoes
- 1-2 avocados
- 1 lb. bacon
- 8-10 oz. bleu cheese
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. honey
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Wash lettuce and drain thoroughly. Cut stem out, and cut into 5-6 wedges.
- Cut tomatoes in wedges.
- Slice avocados.
- Cut bacon into bite-sized pieces and fry until crisp. Drain.
- Crumble bleu cheese into large chunks.
- Mince garlic.
- Combine all ingredients and blend thoroughly. Chill.
- When ready, assemble all ingredients around and on lettuce wedges, and drizzle with dressing.
Notes
*Use top-quality bleu cheese, preferably sold in wedges, NOT already crumbled.
*Dressing lasts weeks in refrigerator, and is extremely versatile. Use on any salad, drizzle on fresh or roasted vegetables, or use as a marinade for fish.
40 Comments
So glad I found you ladies! I pin almost anything you post! 🙂
Thanks so much for pinning our recipes Brittany! Glad you like them 🙂
Oh my goodness this looks delicious! Bright and beautiful photos too
http://www.amusedblog.com
Thanks Amber! It’s such a quick and easy recipe to whip out, hope you like it!
What a fun idea for a fancy wedge salad!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Kari, it’s true, simple ingredients can seem really impressive if you present it right. One reason to use the wedge!
I haven’t had a good BLT wedge salad in way too long. Pinning for later.
Maggie, thanks for pinning! Enjoy the wedge 🙂
These make fantastic appetizers! I love the presentation. 🙂
Thanks Elsa! It’s true, they do make great appetizers! So easy to throw together, but they look impressive.
Love serving wedges especially at our women gatherings. They think it’s fancy.
Candy, I’m glad you appreciate the wedge 😉 You can fool a lot of people into thinking it’s a gourmet, fancy-pantsy dish. But we know the truth: takes 2 minutes to throw together!
Wonderful photos! I love eating salads, but I really hate making them, I’m not sure why. I may have to try this version.
Beth, I totally get it. Salads sometimes take a lot of prep…chopping, grating, mixing dressings. But it’s so worth the effort. And the wedge salad only requires you to chop the lettuce head in half instead of into tiny pieces. That’s one bonus at least!
I have never thought of cutting it up into wedges before! That’s a fabulous idea!
Angela, Ya it’s kind of a fun and unique way of eating a salad! Give it a try next time you’re in the mood for some greens 🙂
Okay your photographer is beautiful! So crisp and clean! As a food blogger, I love finding other food blogs with delicious recipes and photography that is inspiring.
Hilary, thank you so much for your sweet words. It’s so encouraging to get good feedback, especially from other food bloggers! 🙂
I love BLT’s and I love salad, so I’m obviously going to have to try this out!
xoxo, SS
The Southern Stylista
Hope you like it! It’s always fun when you can combine two of your favorite foods into one delicious meal. 🙂
A wedge salad hits the spot every time. All that crunch and freshness is for the win.
Liz, we totally agree. Something about the crunchiness of a wedge just hits the spot! Happy cooking!
They look delicious and super cute but I get confused with how to serve wedges. On a plate then like you have pictured? Or all thrown together in a bowl? I’ve had large wedge salads before but I’ve never had these mini wedges. So cute!
Angie, You can serve them however you’d like, but we usually plate them separately. So we take a mini wedge, put it on the plate and then add the toppings and dressing to each one individually. Hope that helps!
what a great presentation! also sounds delicious
Thanks Leslie!
I love the addition of the avocado! I don’t care for iceberg lettuce, so I would probably use romaine stalks instead. Thanks for the idea.
Cori, romaine would work just as well! Hope you like it!
Love avocados and roma tomatoes in everything! And that dressing sounds so yum! Love your pics, delicious.
xx, Kusum | http://www.sveeteskapes.com
Thanks Kusum! We totally agree with you about the avocados and tomatoes. They make anything good 😉
This is an incredibly smart and healthy snack. What a clever idea, and a great way to incorporate vegetables into a simple party appetizer! Love it!
Thanks Christine! Glad you like it! It really is a fun dish to serve at a party. Super easy to make, but looks gourmet and will impress any guest 😉
Love salad for dinner – going to try this one! Great photography!
Carrie, we definitely agree! Salad for dinner = the best. Hope you like the recipe!
I love salads… I try to create new one every week and I have them for dinner. Salads are so healthy and will definitely try this one too.
Ninz
Ninz, hope you love this one!
That’s wonderful! I especially want to mention the supply of food 🙂 I love when there is creativity 🙂
Klauss, thank you! We think this is a tasty one…hope you enjoy it.
Tasty? Are you kidding me? This is incredible yummy!
Klauss, thanks so much! I’m kind of addicted to this salad…so glad you like it!