Redefine your summer dining experience with our Romaine Blue Cheese Wedge Salad—a refreshing delight that’s both effortless and satisfying. Whether you prefer a fork and knife or a more casual approach, this salad is ready to devour in minutes!
Indulge in the timeless allure of the wedge salad, accentuated by the irresistible blend of blue cheese, crispy bacon, candied peacans, and a decadent balsamic reduction. It’s a culinary romance that’s quick to prepare and bursting with flavor.
Indulge in a slice and relish the harmonious blend of sharp, smoky, and sweet flavors all in a single, satisfying bite. This salad achieves simplicity in preparation while delivering a symphony of complex flavors—an experience akin to salad Zen!
Craft your own Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing—it’s a quick process, but the payoff is immense!
How to Make Balsamic Reduction
Another simple cooking technique that expands flavors exponentially with its sweet, thick drizzle of goodness. It only takes about 15 minutes and it’s so much healthier than pre-made reductions that are likely loaded with stabilizers, chemical colors, and emulsifiers. Pop it on the stove and bang out a new flavor sensation!
Pour balsamic vinegar into a saucepan: Start by pouring the desired amount of balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan. You can use any amount depending on how much reduction you need, but a common ratio is 1 cup of balsamic vinegar for every 1/4 cup of reduction desired.
Heat the vinegar: Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the vinegar to a gentle boil. Allow it to simmer uncovered.
Reduce heat: Once the vinegar reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Stir occasionally to prevent burning or sticking.
Simmer until thickened: Continue simmering the vinegar until it reduces by about half or reaches your desired thickness. This process can take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the amount of vinegar and desired thickness.
Test for consistency: To check if the reduction is ready, dip a spoon into the vinegar and lift it out. The reduction should coat the back of the spoon and have a syrupy consistency.
Remove from heat: Once the reduction reaches the desired consistency, remove the saucepan from the heat.
Cool and serve: Allow the balsamic reduction to cool slightly before using it. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Use it as a glaze for meats, drizzle over salads, or as a topping for fruits and desserts.
Enjoy your homemade balsamic reduction!
Learn How to Make Candied Pecans
Making candied pecans is quite simple! Here’s a basic recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the pecans to the melted butter and stir to coat them evenly.
- Sprinkle the sugar, cinnamon (if using), and salt over the pecans, and continue stirring until the pecans are coated with the mixture.
- Spread the coated pecans in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the pecans are toasted and the sugar is caramelized.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the candied pecans cool completely on the baking sheet. They will harden as they cool.
- Once cooled, break apart any clumps and store the candied pecans in an airtight container at room temperature.
Please Pin to Make & Share!📌
How to Make Romaine Blue Cheese Wedge Salad
Ingredients
- 2 heads Romaine lettuce, sliced in half lengthwise + washed thoroughly
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 handful wild cherry tomatoes, sub regular cherry tomatoes
- 4 slices apple wood smoked bacon, sub your favorite
- 1/2 cup (120 grams) candied pecans, sub pan roasted
- Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing, drizzled to taste (recipe above + below)
- balsamic reduction, drizzled to taste
Instructions
- Slice the Romaine lettuce lengthwise, wash and dry thoroughly. Plate the lettuce and top with red onions, cherry tomatoes, Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing, bacon, Candied Pecans (or Pan Roasted), and balsamic reduction.
Notes
- Prep time is approximate and does not include dressing, pecan, and balsamic reduction instructions. All easy steps that make a huge difference in the final dish!
Creative Recipe Inspiration
Indulge in the creamy tanginess of our Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing, bursting with chunks of fresh blue cheese. Crafted with care, it’s a delightful blend that’s both easy to whip up and utterly delicious—a must-have for any Romaine Blue Cheese Wedge Salad.
Immerse yourself in the vibrant flavors of Italy with our Big Easy Italian Salad, a delightful fusion of antipasto and fresh salad goodness. Bursting with a medley of hearts of palm, marinated artichoke hearts, tangy cheeses, briny olives, and crisp lettuce, this salad is a feast for the senses.
Step Into My Kitchen!
Hey there, fellow food enthusiast! Welcome to Mean Green Chef, where every dish tells a story and every recipe is a labor of love. I’m thrilled to share a bit about myself and the journey that led me here, stirring pots and sprinkling spices for over three decades!
As I’ve gotten older, I have come to love blue cheese!! (I was always a “just ranch” kid!) Need to try this!
Hi, Brittany, it’s funny how our tastes change as we get older! I will tell you we have a ranch dressing recipe that may rock your salad world too! lol Thanks for stopping by to check it out 😊
That looks so delicious and healthy and yummy! Can you come cook for me j/k I need to try this recipe!
I’ll be happy to come and cook for you, Lisa! lol Thank you for stopping by to see our recipe creation! 😊
This looks yummy, Angela! I’ve saved the Buttermilk Blue Cheese dressing as well 🙂
Great, thanks so much Suzan! 😊
I had no idea it was that easy to make my own balsamic vinegar reduction. Thanks for the tip! This salad looks incredible!
Thank you, Malia, the reduction is so easy to make and you can use it in so many dishes!😊
I like how you have jump to Recipe at the top! I will try this it looks delicious!
Thanks, Joanne, so glad that you like the layout of our site too! 😊
this looks great and who is not a fan of blue cheese? I would drink it if I could get away with it!
Agreed, Angela we could do blue cheese shooters! lol Thank you for stopping by to check it out! 🥰
This looks so incredible – I will have to try your dressing and this recipe! I love wedge salads 🙂
Thanks so much for checking it out Michele! As simple as wedge salads are, they are always delicious and refreshing! 🥰
I made this last night and it was amazing!!!!!
Great to hear, Heather, so glad that it turned out amazing!!! 🤗
That looks amazing, Angela! I love blue cheese and may just have to try this! Your website keeps getting more awesome every time I come back to it. You are doing such a nice job!
Thank you, Ramae! So glad that you noticed that we did some sprucing up for spring, thank you so much for being a part of our kitchen! 🤗🤗🤗
That salad looks so good! Thank you for explaining how to make the dressing. I’ll have to try it!
Hi, Stacey, thanks so much so glad that you liked the recipe for the Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing too! 🤗
As usual, it looks amazing. I would love to know where you get wild cherry tomatoes!
Hi, Tricia, thanks so much! Actually, I got these little sweet tomatoes from a friend he says that he purchased the seeds from Pinetree Garden Seeds they have a great selection of other seeds too! 🤗
This looks amazing! I will have to make this.
Thank you, Lina!!!🤩
This is my absolute FAVORITE salad!! Your pictures have me wanting one today =) Great post and another recipe of yours I will be saving!
Thanks so much, Brittany!!! It’s one of my favorite salads too! 🥰🤩
OMG! This looks so amazing! I love blue cheese and wedge salads!
Thanks so much, Nissa, we appreciate you stopping by to check it out!🥰
You literally made my mouth water! LOL Making this tonight! This is something my kitchen challenged self can make!
Lol, then we’re doing our job, Jen! Thanks so much for stopping by to check it out!!!🤗🤗🤗
This looks DELISH! Thanks for sharing. I am going to definitely pin it for future use!
Thanks so much, Katie, we appreciate the pin too!! 😊
This looks delicious! I love the crunch and touch of sweet from the pecans!
Thanks, so much Michele, the sweet crunch from the pecans really helps set it off! 😊
I’m normally not a big fan of blue cheese, but I think I might be willing to try this. ❤
The great thing about recipes is that you can adjust them to your taste Kyndall! If you don’t care for blue cheese dressing, use your favorite dressing then you can’t go wrong! 🥰
Great recipe, can’t wait to try this.
Thanks, Lora, be sure to share a pic with us on our Facebook Page too!
I love blue cheese! I was hoping noone else liked it but apparently the kids love it too. We make lots of salads in the summer so this will be something we try.
Blue cheese is a serious favorite here too Pauline, please be sure to share some pics when you make some this summer! 😊
The balsamic reduction sounds like an incredible addition to this traditionally delicious salad!
Hi, Sharon! It’s a great addition and really works well with the buttermilk blue cheese dressing!😊
Once again, you got my mouth watering! I love a good wedge of lettuce with the right kind of toppings on it. And bacon – who can say no to bacon!?
Awww, thanks so much T.M! We are so glad that you enjoy our recipes and nope we can’t turn down bacon either! lol 🤗
Blue Cheese is one of my favorites and your salad looks amazing. Thanks for sharing it with Souper Sundays this week. 😉
Thanks so much, Deb, so glad that you liked it! 🤙
This looks AMAZING! I always order these at restaurants IMO it beats out burgers and fries every time! Thank you for sharing!!!
Agreed I love wedge salads to Robin, definitely beats a burger!
Thank you for the inspiration. I have made this twice now *with Beef Bacon and we love it. Never thought about doing a wedge salad at home!
Awesome I’m so happy that you’re enjoying it, Tricia! next time we’ll give it a go with the beef bacon too 🙂