Tired of the same old wedge salad? Try this one with a homemade creamy, herbal buttermilk ranch and all the delicious toppings including crispy fried Vidalia onion strings. Yes, it’s not as healthy but I’m a big believer that a little bit of indulgence is absolutely necessary both in life and cooking. It’s all about balance. Just try not to eat the whole batch right out of the pan and you’re fine.
What sets this Wedge apart:
The quality of the ingredients in a wedge salad is absolutely key. The best tomatoes you can find (heirloom if in season) and a creamy blue cheese with lots of flavor like Point Reyes or a French blue like Saint Agur. And of course, a really nice thick-cut bacon and a perfectly ripe Avocado are all going to set you up for success. But what really sets this wedge salad apart from the rest are the homemade buttermilk ranch dressing and the crispy fried Vidalia onions. Hands down.
Why I love this Wedge Salad for a dinner party:
When you host a dinner party planning the menu is half the battle and finding something to make that you know everyone will love is the challenge. When it comes to salad, I’ve found that the Wedge is kind of this universally loved nostalgic thing. And since it’s individually plated you can customize for each person’s taste. For example, one of my close friends, who I made this for, doesn’t care for blue cheese. No problem, I added cheddar to hers. Not the same in my opinion, but hey she was happy and that’s what counts. If you have vegetarian friends, then just leave the bacon off or use a meatless alternative. So many ways you can switch this up. But whatever you do….don’t leave off those onions.
Also, aside from being a popular salad it’s also hearty. So, you could serve this and just a main dish and not have to worry about a bunch of sides. I even love just the wedge salad and homemade soup for dinner or lunch. Or how about a Wedge Salad bar for a brunch idea? Mimosas and wedge salads anyone? Count me in. Seriously call me I’m coming over.
Wedge Salad Ingredients:
SALAD
- 1 head iceberg lettuce
- Heirloom tomatoes or Campari tomatoes
- 1 perfectly ripe Haas avocado
- 6 slices thick cut bacon
- Blue cheese crumbles (Point Reyes or St. Agur)
- Buttermilk ranch dressing (see below)
- Crispy fried Vidalia onions (see below)
- Fresh cracked pepper
BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup mayonaisse
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1 1 shallot bulb
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsp fresh dill
- 2 Tbsp fresh chives
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley
- 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper (or more to taste)
FRIED VIDALIA ONIONS
- 1/2 Vidalia or sweet onion
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 tsp corn starch
- paprika
- cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 1 1/2 cups canola or vegetable oil
Wedge Salad Recipe Steps:
- Make buttermilk ranch dressing by combining all the ingredients in a food processor until well combined. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Store in refrigerator if made ahead. Dressing can hold for up to several days.
- Cut the Vidalia onion in half and then lay flat on the cutting board and cut into slices. Save the rest of the onion for another use or go ahead and just make extra and store in an airtight container for other uses.
- Whisk together the flour, corn starch, paprika and cayenne pepper, 1 tsp of salt and black pepper. Soak the cut onion slices in buttermilk. In a medium saucepan bring the oil to 375 or until little bubble appear. You want the oil hot enough to fry but not so hot that the onions burn immediately. Remove onions from buttermilk and coat in flour mixture. To test that the oil is hot enough, start with one onion and see how it goes. Hint: Don’t overcrowd the pan or it drops the heat. Fry in batches and place on paper towels and immediately sprinkle with more salt.
- Prep the veggies for the salad, leaving the avocado until right before serving so it doesn’t brown. Slice the head of lettuce into 4 equal wedges.
- Top each wedge with a good drizzle of dressing and then pile on the toppings, leaving the onion strings for the final garnish.
What to serve for a dinner party:
I like to make things easy on myself when I host dinner parties by picking dishes that are delicious but have some do-ahead steps. So here are a few options that I like and would serve for any dinner party.
