The wedge salad is a wonderful melding of crisp lettuce with delicious blue cheese dressing as well as some other toppings that make you want to return to it time after time. Some think of a wedge salad as a way of using a plain head of Iceberg lettuce and stepping it up to make it quite classy. Wedge salads are often served in steakhouses and have been around for decades. They were most popular in the 1950’s and 1960’s and are still sensational today. Wedge salads are one of those timeless foods. And if you’re doing research about wedge salad calories, you’ll find good news here.
My first time eating a wedge salad was in a local steakhouse when I went out to eat with some co-workers. The salad was ordered for me. My immediate thought when they brought it was, “oh dear, I don’t normally eat a lot of Iceberg lettuce”. But to be polite, I ate it anyway. And I was pleasantly surprised. It was actually very delicious. Thus began my love for wedge salads and I have made them several times since then. You should try them. We think you’ll really like them too.
Shopping List
Iceberg Head of Lettuce
Cherry Tomatoes
Crumbled Blue Cheese
Green Onions
Bacon Pieces
What Is A Wedge Salad?
A wedge salad is just as the name implies. It’s a wedge of a head of Iceberg lettuce that has been cut out and dressed with favorite toppings such as blue cheese crumbles, bacon, tomato and blue cheese dressing. You can add other toppings to your liking such as red onion, avocado and shredded cheddar cheese. Because the pieces of lettuce are quite large, it is best eaten with a fork and sharp knife to cut the pieces as you go.
What To Serve With A Wedge Salad
Since the wedge salad is typically thought of as a steakhouse food, people usually associate having it served with chicken or steak, but it really goes well with most any American fare. If there are meat and potatoes as a part of the meal, the wedge salad is a shoo-in. And we think it goes well with most any sandwich too.
How Many Calories Are There In A Wedge Salad: How Many Carbs?
As you might guess, the calories in a salad always depend on the dressing used with the salad. So, when we consider just the lettuce and any other vegetables in the salad, you’re looking at no calories. It’s when you start adding the blue cheese and bacon pieces that some calories begin to chalk themselves up. And then there are only 35, without the salad dressing.
As far as carbs are concerned, we have great news for this recipe! There are only 3 grams of carbohydrates in a classic wedge salad (before the dressing is added). It includes just plain vegetables that are good for you as well as protein from the blue cheese and bacon. Wedge salad is a great healthy option.
How To Cut And Compose A Wedge Salad
Depending on the size of the head of lettuce and what else is being served with it, we like to cut our wedge salad into 4-8 wedges. Begin by cutting off the end nub of the head, using a sharp kitchen knife with a long blade. If you’re planning to serve several wedges on one platter, now is a great time to move the whole head of lettuce to that location to simplify the process and avoid having to move it again later on. Slice the head of lettuce in half. And then with the flat side up, slice the half into 3 or 4 wedges, depending on the desired size of the wedge.
The key is to keep the wedge stacks of lettuce together. To do so, avoid moving them more often than necessary. But if it is necessary to move them, hold the wedges firmly together. We like to arrange them in a circle like flower petals. Another key to composing a wedge salad is to drizzle the salad dressing on the cut wedges before applying the toppings. This will help the toppings to stick to the wedge.
How To Make A Wedge Salad
Making a wedge salad is actually quite simple. It can be done in a matter of a few minutes. And if you are a visual learner, don’t forget to watch our YouTube video showing how we make ours.
Ingredients
1 Iceberg head of lettuce
1 box of cherry tomatoes
1 container of crumbled blue cheese
3-4 green onions
4 slices of bacon, crumbled to pieces
Instructions
1. Rinse the head of lettuce under cool water. Cut off stem.
2. Place the head of lettuce on the intended serving platter. Cut the head of lettuce in half. Then with the flat (cut) side up cut the half into 3 or 4 wedges. Repeat with remaining half.
3. Arrange wedge pieces into desired composition.
4. Drizzle wedges with salad dressing. Sprinkle with desired toppings including bacon pieces, cherry tomato halves and blue cheese crumbles.
Enjoy! (while knowing wedge salad calories are minimal)
Can You Make A Wedge Salad Ahead?
Not really. The wedges of the salad can be cut ahead, but we recommend not cutting them any further ahead than the night before. And for best results, save sprinkling the toppings and drizzling the dressing on the wedge until you’re ready to serve it. If these things are added in advance, they will just get soggy. And no one wants a soggy salad.
If you do choose to cut the salad wedges ahead, we recommend keeping them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will help to keep the edges from turning brown. But for the very best results, prepare the wedge salad right before it is to be served. This will help maintain the best appearance and crisp flavor that folks have grown to love.
The Proper Way To Eat a Wedge Salad
If you’re not sure how to eat a wedge salad without turning it into a chopped salad, the process is simple:
1. Yes you will need both a fork and knife.
2. Begin by placing your fork near the center of the wedge to hold it in place.
3. Cut a small bite sized piece at a time from the wedge beginning at the tip nearest to you.
4. Slosh it in the salad dressing and dab it in the topping goodies, and enjoy, while knowing that wedge salad calories are minimal.
Classic Wedge Salad
Equipment
- sharp knife
- cutting board
- serving platter
Ingredients
- 1 head Iceberg Lettuce
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 tbsp crumbled blue cheese
- 3-4 green onion tops
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled to pieces
Instructions
- Rinse the head of lettuce under cool water. Cut off stem.
- Place the head of lettuce on the intended serving platter. Cut the head of lettuce in half. Then with the flat (cut) side up cut the half into 3 or 4 wedges. Repeat with remaining half.
- Arrange wedge pieces into desired composition.
- Drizzle wedges with salad dressing. Sprinkle with desired toppings including bacon pieces, cherry tomato halves and blue cheese crumbles.
Have you tried this recipe? Leave us a star rating in the comments below and let us know what you think.
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