A steakhouse style wedge salad is a classic side dish, that is incredibly simple to make at home! Fresh, crisp lettuce gets topped with salty, crunchy bacon, and ripe, sweet tomatoes. Dressed with a delicious homemade ranch dressing instead of classic blue cheese, this salad comes together in under 15 minutes! Served with a perfectly seared steak or blackened chicken, and creamy mashed potatoes, the steakhouse can come straight to your kitchen!
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Why This Recipe Works
Minimal prep work! One of the best things about wedge salads is how low effort and low maintenance they are. No fancy prep work is required to make this steakhouse inspired salad.
Flavourful dressing! This salad, unlike a lot of steakhouse wedge salads, is dressed with an herbaceous ranch dressing instead of a blue cheese dressing. The flavours are bright, and creamy!
Approachable ingredients! You do not need to go out of your way to purchase fancy ingredients for this salad. You likely have everything you need in the fridge and pantry, to have this on the table today!
Ingredients
- Iceberg lettuce: Iceberg lettuce is the ideal lettuce for a wedge salad, as it has good surface area when quartered, a neutral flavour, and a great crunch element.
- Beefsteak tomatoes: I recommend using a firmer variety of tomatoes, such as hot house or beefsteak. They add more substance, without too much liquid of mushiness.
- Thick cut bacon: I like to use thick cut bacon for this salad, as it adds good chunks of meatiness as a topping, even after crisped. You can use reduced sodium, regular cut, or just your favourite bacon variety.
- Mayonnaise: This ranch dressing is mayonnaise based. For that reason, I recommend using a good quality mayonnaise that you know and love.
- Sour cream: Sour cream adds a good tang to the dressing, and cuts some of the fattiness of the mayonnaise. I still recommend using full fat sour cream, as the texture is thicker compared to reduced fat varieties.
- Spices and herbs: You will need garlic and onion powder, fresh dill, and chives.
- Whole milk
- Fresh Lemon
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
Instructions
Prep Work Before Cooking
Collecting all your ingredients - This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
Chop the herbs and tomatoes - Using a sharp knife, finely dice the tomatoes, and finely chop the dill and chives.
Prep the bacon - Cut the bacon into lardons, or strips.
Crisp the bacon lardons in a frying pan. It is best to put the bacon into a cold pan, and then turn the heat on. This will allow the bacon fat to render evenly, and the bacon will be evenly crispy. Once the bacon is crisp, drain on a plate lined with paper towel.
Remove the core from the head of iceberg lettuce. You can remove the core with a pairing knife, or by banging the head of lettuce, core facing down, on a hard surface.
Cut the head of lettuce into quarter wedges, and arrange on a platter. Top with the diced tomato, and crisped bacon.
In a small mixing bowl or measuring cup, mix together the ingredients for the ranch dressing. Dress the wedge salad with the ranch dressing, and serve.
Expert Tip
It is easiest to cut cold bacon! Because of the fat content of bacon, if it is left out for too long, or comes into extended contact with your hands, it will soften. The easiest way to cut bacon into lardons is to cut it straight out of the fridge, or to put it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes prior to cutting it.
If your tomatoes are very seedy or watery, remove the seeds with a spoon before dicing the tomatoes.
Substitutions
- Iceberg lettuce: You can use romaine, or bibb lettuce instead of iceberg lettuce, if you prefer.
- Thick cut bacon: Feel free to use turkey bacon, pancetta, or even omit the bacon for a fully vegetarian recipe.
- Sour cream: Substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt, for a similar tangy flavour.
- Whole milk: You can use buttermilk, or half and half cream in place of whole milk.
Variations
- Fiesta ranch: Instead of this classic ranch dressing, switch it up with homemade salsa ranch!
- Blue cheese: If you are more of a fan of blue cheese dressing, feel free to use your favourite store-bought blue cheese dressing, or this homemade blue cheese dressing too!
Equipment
This is what I used to make this recipe - Please be mindful that different equipment and cooking utensils may yield varying results. Most of my favourite equipment can be found on my storefront.
Make Ahead & Storage
Make Ahead Instructions
I only recommend making the dressing element of this salad ahead of time. You can make the ranch dressing up to 3 days in advance.
I do not recommend preparing the vegetables in advance, as the lettuce will turn brown and the tomatoes will get watery.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover dressing for 3-4 days in an airtight container, in the fridge. The remaining elements of this salad are best eaten fresh, so they keep their freshness and crisp texture.
Recipe FAQs
There are two options for eating a wedge salad - cut it and deconstruct, or cut it with a knife and fork as you eat. I like to cut up the salad all at once, and mix it up with the dressing and toppings before eating.
As with all salads, I recommend washing the lettuce. The easiest way to do this is by quartering the lettuce, and then washing through the leaves. Dry the lettuce on a paper towel, and then
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Steakhouse Style Wedge Salad {Without Blue Cheese}
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 head Iceberg lettuce
- 1 Beefsteak tomato - finely diced
- 8 strips Bacon - thick cut, cut in lardons
For the Ranch Dressing
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- ½ cup Sour cream
- ½ cup Whole milk
- ½ Lemon - juiced
- 2 tablespoon Fresh dill - finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon Chives - finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- Salt - to taste
Instructions
- Crisp the bacon: Crisp the bacon lardons in a cold frying pan. Turn the heat to medium, and allow the bacon fat to render and the bacon to crisp. Once the bacon is crisp, drain on a plate lined with paper towel.8 strips Bacon
- Prepare the lettuce: Remove the core from the head of iceberg lettuce. You can remove the core with a pairing knife, or by banging the head of lettuce, core facing down, on a hard surface.1 head Iceberg lettuce
- Arrange the salad: Cut the head of lettuce into quarter wedges, and arrange on a platter. Top with the diced tomato, and crisped bacon.1 head Iceberg lettuce, 1 Beefsteak tomato, 8 strips Bacon
- Prepare the dressing: In a small mixing bowl or measuring cup, mix together the ingredients for the ranch dressing. Dress the wedge salad with the ranch dressing, and serve.½ cup Mayonnaise, ½ cup Sour cream, ½ cup Whole milk, ½ Lemon, 2 tablespoon Fresh dill, 2 tablespoon Chives, 1 teaspoon Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Onion powder, ½ teaspoon Black pepper, Salt
✱Recipe Notes
- It is easiest to cut cold bacon! Because of the fat content of bacon, if it is left out for too long, or comes into extended contact with your hands, it will soften. The easiest way to cut bacon into lardons is to cut it straight out of the fridge, or to put it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes prior to cutting it.
- If your tomatoes are very seedy or watery, remove the seeds with a spoon before dicing the tomatoes.
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