The wedge salad  is very retro (circa 1950’s)  and I’m seeing it on a lot of menus lately. As much as I like a kale salad, I don’t want one every day.

Speaking of retro, have you watched the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel yet? It’s been out for a few years now, but was in season 3 when I first posted this wedge salad recipe.

The wit, the clothes, the storyline, the pace, are enticing in this absolutely original take on a New York Jewish housewife in the 1950’s who has it all, and then stuff happens. Of course, that “all” is defined by 1950’s Jewish mothers who want son-in-laws, grandchildren and close proximity.

This amazon original is just as refreshing and accessorized by proper twists and turns as this festive wedge salad.

Lately I’ve been on a wedge salad kick, ordering them everywhere I go. Typically, made with crisp iceberg lettuce, blue cheese and bacon, the wedge hits all the right notes, when I’m hungry and want salty yet refreshing

In my holiday version of the wedge salad, I add pomegranates and chopped pistachios for a festival holiday feel, bringing yet one more texture and color to the mix.

In a wedge salad summer version, I use fresh tomatoes and possibly some hard boiled eggs and fresh corn.

Sometimes I use a blue cheese vinaigrette; sometimes I make a homemade creamy blue cheese dressing.

I like to throw blue cheese crumbles in my shallot vinaigrette, but sometimes I long for a creamy blue cheese dressing like the one I made here. 

I  used a gorgonzola cheese which is an Italian blue cheese, a little more crumbly,  but not really that much different from other blue cheese.

What I Most Love about the Classic Party Wedge and Blue Cheese Dressing.

Iceberg lettuce gets a bad rap, and for so long has been the lettuce to make fun of, but I’m bringing it back to the table with gusto. The number one reason I love the wedge is that it’s can be a meal. It takes a long time to eat, and I like that. It can handle creamy dressings far better than most lettuces.

There’s a lot of crunch with the wedge and the bacon and a lot of umami satisfaction with the blue cheese. It’s also refreshing at the same time.

Iceberg lettuce has a high water content yet doesn’t wilt easily. It can sit high on a plate smothered in blue cheese vinaigrette or blue cheese dressing and stay crisp. Or the wedge can be the  height of luxury with homemade blue cheese dressing.

It’s the perfect thing to serve at a party! Don’t you just love this slate plate? You can order it here.

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Assemble Your Own Party Wedge Salad

The great idea for a brunch, lunch or dinner, is to allow people to assemble their own wedge. You can set out a bowl of crumbly blue cheese next to the dressing. There are always people who hate the blue, so set out cheddar and ranch for them. Everyone can be happy.

You can serve individual wedge salads on a platter with dressing applied or on the side.

So tell me do you make a salad for your parties? I always do.

Similar Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
• Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
• Blue Cheese Purple Potatoes
• Blue Cheese/Apple Cole Slaw
• Blue Cheese Bacon Biscuit Sandwich
• Grilled Peach Salad with Blue Cheese

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The Wedge Salad Recipe with Variations for a Crowd

Classic Wedge Salad or Try it with a twist, with homemade blue cheese dressing, and various toppings, depending upon the season.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• blue cheese dressing Recipe Here
• 4 slices bacon Oven Baked Recipe
• 2 hard boiled eggs Recipe Here
• 1/4 cup pomegranate arils or chopped tomato
• 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
• 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
• sliced radishes

Instructions

• Arrange wedges on platter or individual plates. Cut into 4 pieces for large sized servings or six pieces for party wedges.
• Top with dressing, followed by toppings.
• You can switch the toppings out as you see fit.
• Top with crumbled blue cheese.
• Serve immediately

The post The Blue Cheese Party Wedge Salad Recipe appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Broccoli is one of my favorite vegetables. Nutrient dense, beautifully green, with a versatility that spans sides, soups and salads.

Bacon and broccoli salad hits all the right texture and flavor notes for me. Bacon adds just the right amount of saltiness. If you use a smoky bacon, all the better. I also like to add in golden raisins for sweetness and toasted sliced almonds for crunch. You can use any kind of dried fruit, such as cranberries. You can exchange the almonds for nuts of your choice.

The problem I’ve had with broccoli salad bought at markets or salad bars is the unnecessary sweetness and amount of sugar. I also find the extra large pieces awkward to eat. I cut the sugar using some honey mustard instead and made sure to cut the broccoli into pieces a fork can grab.

Does bacon and broccoli salad have carbs?

One cup (91 grams) of raw broccoli contains 6 grams of carbs, 2 of which are fiber.  This bacon and broccoli salad can be made very low carb by eliminating the golden raisins. You can leave those out, or just add a few.

As for dressing, I avoid adding sugar, but use some honey mustard, which has minimal carbs.

Do I cook broccoli for broccoli salad?

No, while, I’ve seen a few recipes that cook the broccoli, I don’t recommend that for this particular salad.

The best part of broccoli salad is the crunch. I do not pre-cook broccoli for broccoli salad. You want to make it at least six hours in advance so that it marinates in the dressing which will slightly soften the broccoli. You can eat this two days later if you have any left.

What Part of the Broccoli do I eat and use for Bacon and Broccoli Salad?

When I make my bacon and broccoli salad, I trim the broccoli of the big stems and cut it into true bite sized pieces.

While I trim off the ends, I will use as much of the broccoli as possible, which includes the stems. You can choose not to use the biggest parts of the stems and just use the florets, but there is nutrition in all of the broccoli parts and the stems are edible. Sometimes I take the bigger parts of the stems and feed them to the chickens at my friend’s farm.

If you love broccoli and all things veggie, check out the my post on 30 low-carb vegetables, which include 75 Spinach Tiger Recipes.

If you love raw salads as much as I do, you’ll want to check these out from Spinach Tiger.

Raw Red Cabbage Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette

Raw Cauliflower Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette

Disclosure: Spinach Tiger is an Amazon Affiliate, earning a small commission, but does not affect price.

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Bacon and Broccoli Salad

Raw Broccoli and Bacon Salad, with Golden Raisins, Toasted Almonds and Crispy Bacon.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 6 cups raw broccoli cut in bite sized pieces
• 6 pieces bacon
• 2 large shallots minced
• 1/2 cup roasted sliced almonds
• 1/3 cup golden raisins or dried cranberries
• 1 cup honey mustard dressing recipe below
• Honey Mustard Dressing
• 3 tablespoons honey mustard
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 6 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

Instructions

• Rinse broccoli. Trim ends. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Cut bacon into lardons, cutting 1/4 inch pieces across. Then fry until crispy.
• Toast almond for about 4 minutes until nearly golden. Careful not to burn.
• Toss all ingredients together.
• Honey Mustard Dressing Instructions
• Make Salad dressing by putting all dressing ingredients in jar and giving a good shake. Taste for your own preference. You will want to have a sharp acidic taste which will calm down during the marination process. I use enough to cover all the pieces. Save what's left over. You may want to add more in after refrigeration.

Notes

If you are eating low carb or keto, leave out the raisins.

The post Paleo Bacon and Broccoli Salad, Honey Mustard Dressing appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

If you know me by now, winter brings out the lemon cravings in me and lemon everything dances in my head. Last winter I made lemon cake and recently lemon budino.

One way to satisfy the desire to pucker up a bit and feel that zing that lemon gives is a good lemon vinaigrette recipe on the right green salad.

Growing up in an Italian household, the green salad was a part of every single dinner. Sometimes it was just oil and red wine vinegar and sometimes it was oil and lemon.

Note: there are amazon affiliate links on this site which earn Spinach Tiger a small commission but do not raise your price. 

I do break a few rules however, as I like to add champagne vinegar, which marries very well with lemon. I mix this up with some dijon mustard, which makes everything better. Dried herbs such as herbs de Provence  compliments a lemon vinaigrette.

This salad with lemon vinaigrette recipe is not complicated.

but requires the right balance of fat, acid and salt. This means you will need to taste along the way.

In this salad I used  feta cheese that was packed in brine from Trader Joe’s. The olive oil has to be extra virgin and on the milder side. There is nothing worse than a a heavy olive oil dominating a salad except a salad with too much dressing.



Tips for a Green Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe  

• Acid to oil ratio. The ratio of acid (lemon and/or  vinegar will be anywhere from 1 to 4 parts olive oil to 1 to 3 parts olive olive oil. I go by taste, and you should too. A good rule of thumb is to start with 1 part acid to 2 parts oil. You can always add more oil if the dressing is too acidic.
• Use an emulsifier. I use dijon mustard which keeps the dressing together. Mix with acids first, then add the oil half at a time. Shake and taste.
• Sturdy lettuce such as romaine and iceberg require more dressing  Spring greens will use one fourth to one third the amount. The heavier lettuces do very well with lemony vinaigrettes. A mix of sturdy romaine lettuce with delicate arugula is fabulous. It’s pretty. The arugula adds a peppery flavor and the mixed textures work.
• Dried herbs marry well with a lemony vinaigrette and I recommend herbs de provence or a dried thyme or tarragon.
• Salad needs salt. Keep that in mind when tasting.
• Sheep Cheeses like a good crumbled feta or shaved Pecorino Romano complement a lemon vinaigrette well.
• Soft Hard Boiled eggs can serve as a protein.

Two Ways to Make Soft Hard Boiled Eggs

• Place in cold water, bring to boil, reduce to a simmer for no longer than three minutes. Soft, but no runny yolk.
• If you want a runny soft boiled egg, place in boiling water for 6.5 minutes.

I added some seared salmon to this salad, but any fatty meat likes this too.

You can also use the lemon vinaigrette for vegetables like green beans, kale, roast chicken, potatoes, etc.

More Vinaigrette Recipes from Spinach Tiger

More Salad Recipes from Spinach Tiger

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Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe

A very lemony vinaigrette with added champagne vinegar and herbs de provence, perfect for a bright crisp salad.

Course Salad Dressing

Cuisine French

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• juice of 1/2 lemon
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 6 to 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon herbs de provence
• sea salt black pepper

Instructions

• Mix lemon juice, zest and vinegar together with dijon mustard.
• Slowly add olive oil or add and shake in jar.
• Add herbs, salt, pepper to taste.
• You can reserve the herbs for the salad along with the zest.
• Toss greens first with just enough dressing, not overdoing. How much you use will depend on how many greens you use.

Notes

In this salad, I used one bag of romaine lettuce and three to four handfuls of arugula.
I added in crumbled feta cheese and soft hard boiled eggs.

There are Amazon affiliate links on this page, which aid in the running of this site and do not raise any prices.

The post Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe and Soft Hard Boiled Eggs appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

This shrimp avocado salad recipe is a go to in our house. Sometimes we eat it with big corn chips. Sometimes we use this as an in between meal when we know we’re going to a big fat food event. I make this at least twice a month.

While this shrimp avocado salad  recipe may seem like light fare, it’s filling because of all that good fat from the avocado.

In the summer we cut corn right off the cob and into the salad for an even better bite.

You can make the shrimp avocado salad recipe  your own in so many ways, by adding corn, beans, olives, or even making lettuce wraps or tacos.

One of the secrets as to why this is so good is how I cook the shrimp. I use this recipe. You could stop right here and enjoy this simple, yet nuanced shrimp appetizer adapted from Marcella Hazan.
The key to making anything taste good is a combination of fat, acid and salt.

The avocado provides plenty of fat, so be sure to add in plenty of acid and taste for salt. Also,if the shrimp can sit in olive oil and lemon for a while and soak in the citrus, the taste will be all the better.

We don’t like to refrigerate tomatoes, so if you want to make this ahead, just do the shrimp, onion and cilantro part. Add in your tomatoes and avocado right before serving. Never ever refrigerate tomatoes. It turns them mealy and deems them tasteless.

I used grape tomatoes because it’s not tomato season yet and these taste best at this time of year. In the summer, I’ll replace with fresh summer heirloom tomatoes and perhaps add some fresh sweet corn right off the cob.

You can extend the bulk of the salad by tossing it with a handfuls of romaine lettuce. You can add a crumbly cheese like a ricotta salata or feta.

However, you choose to adapt this shrimp avocado salad recipe, make it your own!

Click Here for More Shrimp Recipes from Spinach Tiger

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Shrimp Avocado Salad

Shrimp avocado salad is a perfect low carb entree, appetizer and can be used as a party dip, by slicing shrimp in smaller pieces.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• Cook Shrimp
• 1 pound raw cooked shrimp
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 teaspoon champagne or red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt or 1 piece celery
• Make Salad
• 3 tablespoons red onion finely diced
• 2 small avocado
• 3-4 radishes optional
• 1 pint grape tomatoes or 2 tomatoes chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• juice of one lime
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• sea salt
• black pepper

Instructions

• Cook Shrimp
• Put water in large sauce pan.
• Add vinegar and celery (or celery salt)
• Once water boils, add shrimp.
• Once water boils again, turn off stove. Shrimp should be pink and cooked.
• Drain. Take shrimp out of shell, which should occur easily.
• Drizzle with olive oil and squeeze lemon on shrimp. Refrigerate.
• Peel and slice avocado into bite sized pieces.
• Slice grape tomatoes lengthwise and again cross wise into bite sized pieces.
• Clean and slice radishes thinly. This will give a bite to salad and is an option.
• Juice the lime.
• Once shrimp are cold, assemble with ingredients, including cilantro.
• Toss with remaining olive oil, lime juice and vinegar. Most vinegars will work, but red wine vinegar or a white champagne vinegar works best.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Taste to see if more vinegar or salt is needed.

The post Shrimp Avocado Salad Recipe appeared first on Spinach Tiger.