Mini Bacon and Blue Cheese Wedge Salads
For our first take on unusual summer salads, we’re tackling the classic wedge salad. We feel like iceberg lettuce sort of gets a bad rep – we ourselves tend to prefer things like kale, arugula, or other leafy greens because they are healthier and packed with more vitamins and minerals. But there’s something to be said for that crunch you get when you bite into a perfectly crisp piece of iceberg lettuce, especially when bacon and blue cheese are involved.
Since we’re in love with all things mini, we decided some mini wedges were in order. Wouldn’t these be adorable for a dinner party or a BBQ? You could serve them up on a platter and people can easily grab a appetizer-sized salad by simply picking them up by the cocktail toothpick!
Ingredients for the salad:
– 1 heads iceberg lettuce
– 1 pint cherry or baby plum tomatoes, each one sliced in half
– 2-3 slices bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
– 1/2 red onion, chopped (optional)
– blue cheese dressing (store-bought or homemade)
– blue cheese crumbles
– cocktail toothpicks
Ingredients for the dressing (adapted from All Recipes):
– 3 ounces blue cheese crumbles
– 3 tablespoons buttermilk
– 3 tablespoons light sour cream
– 2 tablespoons Lemonaise Light (or mayo)
– 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
– juice from 1/2 lemon
– pinch of sugar
– pinch garlic powder
– salt and freshly ground black pepper
Slice a head of lettuce in half through core. Cut each half into three wedges. Cut each wedge in half again.
The top leaves will just be “stacked” since the core is not there to hold them together (the toothpick will serve in its place). The bottom ones will be little mini wedges.
You can totally just use store-bought blue cheese dressing (or ranch if you are not a blue cheese fan), but we decided to make our own. In a small bowl, mash blue cheese and buttermilk together with a fork until mixture resembles large-curd cottage cheese. Stir in sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, and garlic powder until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Spear 3-4 tomato halves with toothpick and secure into each lettuce wedge or stack. Drizzle with blue cheese dressing and sprinkle with bacon bits, chopped onion, and more blue cheese if desired. Season with salt and pepper and serve! See? So cute!
What are your favorite unusual salad recipes? Any salads you love to turn into appetizers? Tell us in the comments below.
