Pioneer Woman Wedge Salad

Pioneer Woman Wedge Salad is made with a fresh head of iceberg lettuce, crispy fried bacon, ripe cherry tomatoes, and a rich homemade blue cheese ranch dressing. The result is a refreshing, steakhouse-style side dish that delivers a satisfying crunch and a bold, tangy flavor in every bite. It is the perfect accompaniment to a grilled ribeye steak or a hearty burger night and serves four people.

Try More Recipes:

• Pioneer Woman Wild Rice Casserole
• Pioneer Woman Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe
• Pioneer Woman Strawberry Jam

💚 Why You Will Love This Wedge Salad:

• It’s a Texture Masterpiece: This salad is all about the crunch. The cold, crisp layers of iceberg lettuce combined with the crunchy bacon and the creamy dressing create a satisfying bite that soft leafy salads just can’t match.
• Homemade Dressing is Superior: The dressing is the star of the show. Mixing mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk creates a smooth, tangy, rich dressing that is far superior to anything you can buy in a bottle.
• Looks Impressive: Serving a whole wedge of lettuce looks architectural and fancy on a plate, yet it requires almost no knife skills to prepare. It makes a dinner party feel like a high-end restaurant meal.
• Simple, Bold Flavors: The richness of the bacon and the dressing is perfectly cut by the coolness of the lettuce and the acid in the tomatoes and vinegar. It’s a very satisfying combination of simple, bold flavors.

🥬 Pioneer Woman Wedge Salad Ingredients

For the Salad Base:

• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
• Freshly cracked black pepper

For the Creamy Dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup buttermilk (or whole milk)
• 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles (plus extra for topping)
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

🥗 How To Make Pioneer Woman Wedge Salad

1. Prepare the lettuce: Remove the loose, wilted outer leaves from the head of iceberg lettuce. Wash the head and pat it completely dry. Cut the head in half through the core, then cut each half again to create four equal wedges. Cut out the hard stem from the bottom of each wedge.
2. Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, parsley, minced garlic, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Gently fold in the blue cheese crumbles. Taste and add more salt if needed.
3. Arrange the wedges: Place the four lettuce wedges on individual salad plates or a large serving platter, cut side up.
4. Dress the salad: Spoon the thick dressing generously over the center of each wedge, allowing it to drip down the sides and into the layers of the lettuce.
5. Add toppings: Sprinkle the halved cherry tomatoes, crumbled crispy bacon, and chopped chives over the dressing.
6. Finish and serve: Top with a little extra crumbled blue cheese and a heavy cracking of black pepper. Serve immediately while cold and crisp.

💭 Recipe Tips

• Dry the Lettuce: Water is the enemy of a good wedge salad. If the lettuce is wet, the creamy dressing will slide right off. Pat the outside dry with paper towels before cutting.
• Keep it Cold: Keep your lettuce in the fridge until the very last second. The contrast between the ice-cold lettuce and the room-temperature toppings is part of the experience.
• Use Thick Bacon: Thin bacon can get lost in the creamy dressing. Thick-cut bacon provides a meaty, salty crunch that stands up to the other ingredients.
• Customize the Cheese: If you find blue cheese too strong, you can make the dressing with plain ranch seasoning and top the salad with crumbled Feta or sharp cheddar cheese instead.

🍖 What To Serve With Wedge Salad?

This salad is the quintessential steakhouse side dish it pairs flawlessly with a pan-seared ribeye, filet mignon, or prime rib. It also elevates a simple backyard barbecue menu served alongside grilled hamburgers, barbecue chicken, or smoked brisket.

🎚 How To Store Leftovers Wedge Salad?

• Refrigerate: A wedge salad is best eaten immediately once dressed. However, if you have undressed lettuce wedges and separate toppings, store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Do not freeze this salad. Iceberg lettuce has a very high water content and will turn into a brown, mushy mess if frozen and thawed.

Final Notes & Reminders

• Chill is Non-Negotiable: For the best possible crunch, ensure your head of iceberg lettuce is ice-cold. If the lettuce is warm, the whole dish loses its appeal.
• Make the Dressing Ahead: The blue cheese dressing tastes much better if you prepare it the day before. This gives the minced garlic and fresh herbs time to fully infuse the sour cream and buttermilk.
• Dress Just Before Serving: Only pour the dressing onto the wedges right before they hit the table. Dressing the salad too early will cause the salt to draw water out of the lettuce, leading to a soggy presentation.
• Don’t Toss: Unlike a regular salad, you don’t toss the wedge. You simply spoon the thick dressing over the top, letting it cascade down the layers for a beautiful, defined presentation.

FAQs

More Recipes:

• Pioneer Woman Turkey Noodle Soup Recipe
• Pioneer Woman Tomato Tart
• Pioneer Woman Tuna Salad Recipe

Wedge Salad Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 wedge with dressing

• Calories: 420 kcal
• Total Fat: 38g
• Saturated Fat: 12g
• Cholesterol: 45mg
• Sodium: 680mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 8g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugars: 4g
• Protein: 12g

Pioneer Woman Wedge Salad

Recipe by Imen DridiCourse: Salads, Dinner, Lunch, SidesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Beginner

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

420

kcal

Pioneer Woman Wedge Salad is made with a fresh head of iceberg lettuce, crispy fried bacon, ripe cherry tomatoes, and a rich homemade blue cheese ranch dressing. The result is a refreshing, steakhouse-style side dish that delivers a satisfying crunch and a bold, tangy flavor in every bite. It is the perfect accompaniment to a grilled ribeye steak or a hearty burger night and serves four people.

Ingredients

• 1 head iceberg lettuce

• 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

• Freshly cracked black pepper

• For the Creamy Dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup buttermilk (or whole milk)

• 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles (plus extra for topping)

• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Prepare the lettuce: Remove the loose, wilted outer leaves from the head of iceberg lettuce. Wash the head and pat it completely dry. Cut the head in half through the core, then cut each half again to create four equal wedges. Cut out the hard stem from the bottom of each wedge.
• Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, parsley, minced garlic, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Gently fold in the blue cheese crumbles. Taste and add more salt if needed.
• Arrange the wedges: Place the four lettuce wedges on individual salad plates or a large serving platter, cut side up.
• Dress the salad: Spoon the thick dressing generously over the center of each wedge, allowing it to drip down the sides and into the layers of the lettuce.
• Add toppings: Sprinkle the halved cherry tomatoes, crumbled crispy bacon, and chopped chives over the dressing.
• Finish and serve: Top with a little extra crumbled blue cheese and a heavy cracking of black pepper. Serve immediately while cold and crisp.

Notes

• Dry the Lettuce: Water is the enemy of a good wedge salad. If the lettuce is wet, the creamy dressing will slide right off. Pat the outside dry with paper towels before cutting.
  Keep it Cold: Keep your lettuce in the fridge until the very last second. The contrast between the ice-cold lettuce and the room-temperature toppings is part of the experience.
  Use Thick Bacon: Thin bacon can get lost in the creamy dressing. Thick-cut bacon provides a meaty, salty crunch that stands up to the other ingredients.
  Customize the Cheese: If you find blue cheese too strong, you can make the dressing with plain ranch seasoning and top the salad with crumbled Feta or sharp cheddar cheese instead.