Wedge Salad Recipe

Combine base

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 1/4 cup sour cream until smooth.

Add thinners and flavor

Whisk in 2 tablespoons buttermilk, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until combined.

Fold in blue cheese

Gently fold in 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, reserving a tablespoon for topping. Taste and adjust seasoning or buttermilk for desired thickness; cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes so flavors meld.

Prepare bacon

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange 6 bacon slices on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake 12–18 minutes until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool, then crumble or chop into bite-size pieces.

Prepare vegetables

While bacon cooks (or in advance), halve a head of iceberg lettuce lengthwise and then cut each half in half again to create 4 wedges. Rinse wedges under cold water, shake or spin gently to remove excess water, and pat dry with paper towels.

Slice and dice

Halve 1 cup cherry tomatoes (or quarter if large), peel (optional) and slice 1/2 cup cucumber into thin half-moons, and thinly slice 1/4 cup red onion into rings. Place these in a bowl and season lightly with a pinch of salt to draw out extra moisture for 5 minutes, then drain any excess liquid.

Assemble wedges

Place each lettuce wedge on individual plates. Spoon and scatter the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion evenly over the top and around the base of each wedge.

Add bacon and cheese

Sprinkle the crumbled bacon and 3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese evenly over the four wedges, leaving some blue cheese to dot on top after dressing if desired.

Dress the salad

Spoon the chilled blue cheese dressing over each wedge — about 2 to 3 tablespoons per wedge (adjust to taste) — letting some run down the sides for classic presentation.

Finish and garnish

Sprinkle reserved tablespoon of blue cheese over the dressing, scatter 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts, snip 2 tablespoons fresh chives over the top if using, and finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt (1/4 tsp total) and freshly ground black pepper (1/4 tsp total). Serve immediately.