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I LOVE a good wedge salad. I think my obsession started when I worked at Outback Steakhouse in college. At the time they had an amazing wedge salad. I wonder if it’s still on their menu. I ate a ton of those things when I worked there. I’m pretty surprised it took me this long to put a wedge salad on the blog since I love them so much. But at last, here we are! Better late than never, so they say.

My wedge salad is a little bit different from Outback’s, of course. The main difference is that my salad is completely free from dairy, gluten, sugar, and soy! It’s definitely a much healthier option, with the flavor of ranch dressing instead of blue cheese. I know some people get pretty heated at even the mere thought of blue cheese (my mother included), so my spin on a wedge salad will be a good fit for those types I guess. One thing that remained very similar, however, is the Balsamic Glaze! Definitely do not skimp on the Balsamic Glaze, also known as a balsamic reduction. I had never tried making it myself, but it’s super easy to make! And it tastes really fabulous on top of this salad.

Are you a blue cheese lover, or are you a blue cheese hater?

thehungryhungryhiker

Ranch Wedge Salad

A Whole30 take on a steakhouse classic. This rendition is free from dairy, gluten, soy, and sugar!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Cooling Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 people
Course: Appetizer, Salad
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar good quality
  • ½ lb bacon check labels for Whole30, I use ButcherBox
  • ½ cup avocado oil mayo check labels for Whole30, I use Sir Kensington's
  • ½ lemon, juice from
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp dried dill
  • ½ tsp dried parsley
  • sea salt to taste
  • fresh ground black pepper to taste
  • unsweetened almond milk, as needed
  • 1 head iceberg lettuce 1-2 outer leaves removed and discarded, stem cut off and discarded, head cut into quarters
  • 12 cherry tomatoes cut in half
  • ½ red onion, small sliced thinly

Method
 

  1. Start the Balsamic Glaze. Pour 1 cup balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan over medium heat. When it starts to gently boil, stir and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 25 minutes, until thickened considerably and reduced. Make sure to stir occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
  2. While the Balsamic Glaze reduces, prepare the bacon. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Place the bacon on the sheet pan in a single layer. Place the bacon in the oven and turn the oven on to 375° F. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until brown and crisped to your liking. Remove from oven and use tongs to put the bacon strips on a paper towel lined plate to drain the fat. Once cool, crumble the bacon into bits.
  3. Make the Ranch Dressing: in a small bowl, combine the mayo, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, dill, parsley, sea salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Stir. Taste and add more sea salt or pepper if desired. If the dressing is not thin enough for your liking, add a little unsweetened almond milk. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  4. Assemble the salads: place one lettuce quarter on a plate. Spoon some Ranch Dressing over each wedge. Add the bacon bits, tomatoes, and red onion. Spoon a little of the Balsamic Glaze (you will have leftover Glaze) over each wedge. Serve immediately and enjoy!