Summer Wedge Salad with Ranch Dressing
Summer Wedge Salad with Ranch Dressing
What I love about Summer Wedge Salad with Ranch Dressing
The hotter months of the year have arrived and with that we are all looking for quick, easy, refreshing meals to prepare with little to no cooking involved. Well, I have you covered with this, perfect for lunch, Summer Wedge Salad! It’s very light, it contains all fresh ingredients and the only thing that has to be cooked is the bacon. This recipe makes 4 portions and they all come together in only 20 minutes! Spend more time outside enjoying the sun and less time cooking with this recipe.
All of the ingredients are very basic and the homemade ranch dressing is so easy to make! If you’re not used to making your own salad dressing, let me tell you that though it does take a bit more effort it is so worth it! Store-bought dressings are full of trans fats, added sugar and cheap oils. When you make your own you can be assured that you know what’s in it and the flavour is incomparable! I haven’t bought salad dressing in years and I will never go back! So, I challenge you to give it a try.
What you will need for Summer Wedge Salad with Ranch Dressing
Here’s a list of ingredients that you will need for the dressing:
Mayonnasie - You will want to use real, good quality mayonnaise for this recipe. I wouldn't recommend using fake versions like Miracle Whip. It will make all of the difference in flavour.
Sour cream - I used full-fat sour cream for this recipe because it’s extra thick and creamy. It makes the dressing taste so delicious!
Lemon juice - Because the mayonnaise and sour cream are thick, we are thinning out the dressing with some lemon juice. This is not a buttermilk ranch dressing nor is there any milk involved as I like to keep it low sugar. So the sour cream, mayonnaise and lemon juice make the base of the dressing for this recipe.
Garlic - I always like to use fresh garlic when I can, so instead off using garlic powder, we are using fresh minced garlic for the dressing. If you are in a pinch, you can certainly use garlic powder, but fresh is always best for flavour!
Dijon mustard - You don’t need much, but adding a little dijon mustard into the dressing adds another bit of flavour that makes it really yummy! I don’t recommend using other types of mustard as the flavours differ.
Herbs - The herbs are what make a ranch dressing a ranch dressing! For this recipe, we are using a mix of fresh herbs including chives, parsley and dill. Using fresh herbs makes a world of a difference in flavour, but again if you are in a pinch you can certainly use dried herbs.
Here’s a list of ingredients that you will need for the salad:
Iceberg lettuce - Iceberg lettuce is what is commonly used for a wedge salad because it is very light, crunchy and also pretty for presentation once cut into wedges! It doesn’t have much flavour on it’s own, so it requires a lot of help from the toppings to bring it to life.
Tomatoes - Sliced cherry or grape tomatoes are the perfect topping for this summer salad. They bring bright, beautiful colour and refreshing flavour to the mix. You can really use any kind of chopped tomato that you like here.
Bacon - What is a salad without some protein! This wedge salad almost takes on the flavours of a BLT with the crisp lettuce, chopped tomatoes and crispy bacon. It adds not only protein, but a little saltiness and flavour to the salad.
Avocado - I love to add a little avocado for flavour, good, healthy fats and extra satiation. Yum!
Onion - This salad needs a little onion-y flavour, so I opted for some finely diced purple onions. They also add a pretty purple colour to the salad for presentation. If you want something a little less “spicy”, you could use either sliced shallots or green onions instead.
Panko crumbs - The crispy, golden panko crumbs are totally optional, but they add a little more crunch which I like. They’re super easy to make on the stovetop; all you need is the crumbs and a little olive oil.
Thats it! These wedges salads are so easy and simple to make. If you’re hosting a few friends for lunch, everyone can put their own toppings on and there’s very minimal clean up. They make a great light lunch or if you’ve had a big lunch then a light dinner! Whenever you have it, it’s the perfect recipe for those scorching hot days.
Summer Wedge Salad with Ranch Dressing
Summer Wedge Salad with Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 head organic iceburg lettuce
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 or whole ripe avocado, diced
- 1/4 cup finely diced purple onion
- 375g bacon
- 1/2 cup panko crumbs
- 1/4 cup real mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh chives
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh dill
- pinch salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the ranch dressing: Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic, fresh herbs and salt and pepper to a mason jar.
- Secure the lid and shake vigorously until fully combined. Let it chill in the fridge while you make the salad.
- Cut the iceberg lettuce into quarters and wash them. Pat them dry with a tea towel and set them aside on a plate.
- Dice the bacon and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until brown and crisp, about 3-5 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Drain the excess bacon grease from the pan and then add in the panko crumbs. Toast over medium heat, stirring constantly until just browned. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Assemble the salads: drizzle the ranch dressing evenly over the 4 salad wedges and top with cherry tomatoes, cooked bacon, diced avocado, purple onion, and toasted panko crumbs.
- Season with fresh cracked pepper and enjoy!
