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Take a classic Wedge Salad recipe and add Crispy Fried Shallots to make the most perfect, elegant salad that rivals any served at the very best steakhouses.
This ultimate iceberg wedge salad is fully loaded with crumbled bacon, diced tomatoes and red onions, drizzled with a delicious homemade blue cheese dressing with buttermilk, and garnished with crispy fried shallots.
Serve Wedge Salad with Crispy Fried Shallots as a side dish or as a light lunch on chilled plates with extra blue cheese crumbles and a drizzle of a good quality aged balsamic vinegar for an ultimate culinary experience you can easily create at home.
Wedge Salad with Crispy Fried Shallots
I ate my first wedge salad at a dinner I co-hosted for out-of-town clients a few years ago at the trendy Bistro by the Tracks, then Knoxville’s most popular upscale restaurant.
What I remember most about the salad was the perfect combination of gorgonzola, Benton’s bacon, tomato, tangy buttermilk dressing, and balsamic vinegar on a crisp lettuce wedge.
First off, I’ve never been a big fan of blue cheese. Second, I thought the only tasty way to eat an iceberg lettuce salad was with fresh tomatoes, garden cucumbers, and Ranch dressing. Third, I was very, very wrong. Wedge salad is seriously good!
Thankfully, the waiter that evening insisted the wedge was definitely the best choice for our table and so my LOVE for the classic wedge and a good blue cheese dressing was born, right then and there.
Crispy fried shallots take it over the top
Mind you, that first wedge salad I had at Bistro by the Tracks was near perfect, but when I went to recreate the recipe myself, I decided to add even one more delicious component — fried shallots.
When cooked, shallots have a mild, slightly sweet flavor and make a delicious accompaniment to salads and other dishes.
To fry shallots, always start in a cold pan with vegetable oil. This helps ensure the shallots get crisp and golden brown without burning. As the oil and shallots heat up, stir gently with a spatula or fork to separate the rings or slices.
Cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook until the shallots are brown and crispy. Watch carefully during the last couple of minutes as the shallots can quickly go from perfect to burnt!
Prepping the wedge
A full head of iceberg lettuce will make four salads. Choose a head that is large and firm, without any noticeable dark spots.
- First, remove any of the outermost leaves that appear wilted. Give the lettuce head a quick rinse under cold water and dry it off with paper towels.
- Slice the head in half from top to bottom through the core. Place each half cut side down and cut it in half again through the core.
- Now you have 4 wedges. Slice off a thin section of core stem end and place the wedges on salad plates, or chill until ready to use.
The dressing
My wedge salad boasts a Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing with Buttermilk that you can make in under 10 minutes. It’s creamy with some chunks of blue cheese and is not overpowering on this salad.
Choose the blue cheese flavor profile that best fits your taste for this dressing. If you like the stronger, more pungent blues, try Stilton blue cheese. For a milder flavor, use Danish Blue or Gorgonzola.
There’s no judge zone here, though. You can always make this salad using a bottled blue cheese dressing, too!
How to eat a wedge salad
Now that all that goodness is on the plate, how exactly does one eat a wedge salad? Unlike chopped salads where a lot of the work has been done for you already, you’ll need to grab a knife and fork to tackle a wedge.
The best way is to start by cutting the wedge down the middle so you have two large pieces on your plate. From there, cut bite size pieces as you go, drag them through the blue cheese dressing and toppings, and savor the flavor with every forkful!
Related recipes
- Insalata Della Casa. Bravo’s signature copycat recipe with a creamy homemade Parmesan Ranch dressing with tangy buttermilk.
- Asian Chicken Salad. Lots of color and crunch combine to create a beautiful and delicious, not to mention healthy, version of Asian Chicken Salad that you can make at home.
- Citrus Grilled Shrimp Salad. A light and refreshing dinner that uses orange juice and fresh lime juice are the base for its light vinaigrette.
- Chopped Chicken Salad with Fresh Peaches. The BEST chopped chicken salad! with fresh peaches! Add Feta cheese, smoked almonds, and a sweet citrus vinaigrette for a perfect light and healthy dinner!
Let’s cook!
A wedge salad is the perfect salad to make with iceberg lettuce. If you’re not a fan of iceberg lettuce, try this recipe with a head of romaine instead.
You won’t get the same crisp wedge of lettuce, but you will still have the delicious crumbled bacon and blue cheese combo.
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Wedge Salad with Crispy Fried Shallots
Ingredients
- 2 shallots sliced thin
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 head iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup grape tomatoes diced
- 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
- 6 slices bacon fried and crumbled
- 1/2 cup blue cheese dressing see notes
- 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar optional
- blue cheese crumbles optional4
Instructions
- Slice the shallots either crosswise into thin rings or lengthwise into thin strips. Add the shallots and vegetable oil to a skillet and place over medium heat. Use a spatula to stir the shallots until the slices are separated. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes until tender.
- Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking and stirring a couple more minutes, until the shallots are golden brown. Watch carefully and do not burn! Remove the shallots with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate and cool completely.
- Rinse the head of lettuce and remove the outermost leaves. Cut the lettuce in halve through the core, then cut each half into two wedges. Trim the bottom core and place each wedge on a plate.
- Drizzle each wedge with 2 tablespoons (or more) of the blue cheese dressing. Evenly sprinkle the diced tomatoes, red onion, and bacon over the dressing. If desired, drizzle 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar over top.
- Garnish each salad with a mound of crispy fried shallots. Add extra blue cheese crumbles, if desired.
Notes
Prepping the lettuce
- Remove any outermost leaves that appear wilted. Give the lettuce head a quick rinse under cold water and dry it off with paper towels.
- Slice the head in half from top to bottom through the core. Place each half cut side down and cut it in half again through the core.
- Now you have 4 wedges. Slice off a thin section of core stem end and place the wedges on salad plates, or chill until ready to use.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
