These Romaine Wedge Salads are loaded with tangy blue cheese, crispy bacon, sweet dates, and fresh tomatoes. On top, tender sprigs of dill and creamy ranch dressing is drizzled. It’s a modern upgrade on a traditional salad. Once you try this fresh take, you won’t go back!
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I love a good wedge salad. And since I've been making them with romaine instead of iceberg, things have gotten much better.
Was it just me or was there something awkward about cutting a wedge out of a big head iceberg lettuce?
For some reason, I could never get those perfect angled cuts. They'd always fall apart and look awkward on my platter.
But that doesn't happen anymore with this new method.
Instead of using the traditional iceberg approach, I've switched to romaine.
And I have to be truthful and say that I'm never going back!
Tips on Making a Great Wedge Salad
- Skip the iceberg and use romaine. It's crunchier, more delicious and it's easier to work with!
- Add something sweet for a more balanced flavor profile. In this recipe, I add chopped dates for an unexpected pop of sweetness! Which also goes perfectly with bacon, blue cheese and tomatoes! You could also use candied nuts, fresh chopped strawberries, or dried cranberries.
- And most importantly, be sure to have Roth's new Flavor Ups Blue Cheese Crumbles on hand! Because we all know there's nothing worse than opening up a pack of blue cheese and wasting it because you only need a little. These tiny packs are the perfect answer to that food waste dilemma... and well, they're freakin' delicious, too! (I should also mention that they sponsored an instagram post where this recipe was originally posted!)
Ingredients
- Romaine Lettuce
- Ranch Dressing
- Blue cheese (not sponsored but I love Roth's new Flavor Ups Blue Cheese Crumbles)
- Bacon
- Dates
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Fresh Dill
How to make a Wedge Salad with Romaine Lettuce
Making a wedge salad out of romaine is much easier than working with a head of iceberg lettuce.
Now only do the romaine wedges stay together better, but the flat surface area allows for a more even distribution of the dressing and ingredients.
So let's get started. First, you'll need to wash and dry a head of romaine. Now, use a sharp knife and cut the lettuce in half, length-wise.
You might notice that the lettuce halves are wobbly. If so, carefully cut a little bit off the bottom of the lettuce so that it creates a flat, even surface to work with.
Next, place the halves on a serving platter and drizzle with a little bit of ranch dressing. I used store-bought for mine but you could make your own (like this one from my girl FoodieCrush!) if you'd like!
Lastly, it's time to top them! Simply add the crumbled blue cheese, crumbled bacon, sliced dates, sliced cherry tomatoes and fresh dill.
You can finish with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, too, if you'd like!
That's it! Easy peasy, right?!
Other Variations
If you're looking for more variations on romaine wedge salads try these concepts:
- Fresh strawberries, candied walnuts, goat cheese and balsamic viniagrette
- Sliced oranges, crispy wonton noodles, scallions, cilantro, red onion and asian viniagrette
- Black beans, roasted corn, queso fresco, crushed tortilla chips, cilantro and chipotle ranch dressing
- Dried apple slices, red onion, sliced chicken breast, gorgonzola cheese and poppy seed dressing
- Sliced cucumber, tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, green peppers and greek dressing
What to pair this romaine wedge salad with
If I was making this dish for lunch, I'd probably pair with these chicken bacon ranch quesadillas, these ham and swiss funeral sandwiches, or this open-faced chicken curry salad sandwich.
For dinner, I'd pair with this some white cheddar mac and cheese, a big bowl of pasta pomodoro or a light bowl of spicy lemon detox soup.
If you'd like to save this recipe for later, pin it below
Recipe:
Recipe
Romaine Wedge Salads with Blue Cheese, Bacon, Dates and Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 large head romaine lettuce
- 4 tablespoon ranch dressing
- 4 tablespoon blue cheese crumbled
- 6 slices of cooked bacon crumbled
- 4 pitted dates thinly sliced
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes sliced
- 1 teaspoon fresh dill
Instructions
- Wash and dry romaine lettuce. Use a sharp knife to cut the lettuce in half length-wise.
- If the lettuces are wobbly, carefully cut a little bit off the bottom of the lettuce so that it creates a flat, even surface to work with.
- Plate the lettuces and drizzle the halves with ranch dressing.
- Top with crumbled blue cheese, crumbled bacon, dates, cherry tomatoes and fresh dill.
KJ
Romaine is the way to go!! Thanks for this awesome recipe!!