Name: Bad Roman Wedge Salad
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: Spicy Ranch Dressing; 2 cups mayonnaise (such as Hellmann’s); 1/2 cup buttermilk; 4 teaspoons hot sauce (such as Frank’s Red Hot); 4 teaspoons white balsamic glaze; 1 1/2 tablespoons crushed Calabrian chiles; 2 teaspoons lemon juice, fresh squeezed from 1 lemon; 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 1 1/2 tablespoons powdered ranch seasoning (such as Hidden Valley Ranch); 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/4 teaspoon dried basil; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 teaspoons chopped dill; Wedge Salad; 1 head iceberg lettuce, cut horizontally into thick slices; 4 teaspoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; Kosher salt as needed; 4 tablespoons Spicy Ranch Dressing; 1/2 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers; 1/4 cup sliced black olives; 1 cup toasted garlic croutons; 1/4 cup quartered slices of soppressata; 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes; 1/2 cup pickled sweetie drop red peppers; 1/4 cup celery leaves; 2 tablespoons torn basil leaves

Wedge Salad Recipe — Photo:
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne

Active Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

30 mins

Servings:

4 servings

Order a wedge salad at New York’s Bad Roman, and you’ll get this thick slab of crunchy lettuce, seasoned with olive oil and lemon juice, topped with a spicy Italian ranch dressing and loaded with toppings, including garlic croutons, two kinds of pickled peppers, soppressata, and fresh herbs. Here’s how to make it at home.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make a wedge salad?

Any kind of wedge salad is centered on a large piece of iceberg lettuce, which is crunchy and crisp enough to stand up to all the toppings. A traditional wedge salad often includes bacon, tomatoes, croutons, and blue cheese dressing, but variations abound. This version of the wedge salad leans toward Italian ingredients, with pickled peppers, soppressata, herbs, and a ranch dressing made spicy with Calabrian chiles.

How do you cut a wedge salad?

We took the easy route and cut the head of iceberg lettuce into thick slabs, but at the restaurant, they use bamboo skewers to be more precise for each order. To follow their method, hold the head of lettuce with the root side down and insert an eight-inch bamboo skewer horizontally, about a quarter of the way up. Make sure the skewer protrudes on the opposite side. Rotate the head of lettuce 90° and insert a second skewer (this will help secure the leaves when the portion cut is made). Using a long, sharp serrated knife, remove the bottom half inch of lettuce and discard. There should be about 1 inch of lettuce between cut and skewers. Make a second horizontal cut 1 inch above skewers, leaving a 2-inch thick slab of lettuce. Remove skewers and place lettuce on the plate.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

The spicy ranch dressing in this salad is a slight change from the traditional wedge salad dressing, but it’s the toppings that make this wedge salad stand out. The soppressata, which is a dry-cured pork salami, is salty and meaty, while the pickled pepperoncini and sweetie peppers are tangy and add a little heat. Crunchy, garlicky croutons and fresh herbs contribute to the layers of texture and flavor.

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Ingredients

Spicy Ranch Dressing

2 cups mayonnaise (such as Hellmann’s)
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 teaspoons hot sauce (such as Frank’s Red Hot)
4 teaspoons white balsamic glaze
1 1/2 tablespoons crushed Calabrian chiles
2 teaspoons lemon juice, fresh squeezed from 1 lemon
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons powdered ranch seasoning (such as Hidden Valley Ranch)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons chopped dill

Wedge Salad

1 head iceberg lettuce, cut horizontally into thick slices
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Kosher salt as needed
4 tablespoons Spicy Ranch Dressing
1/2 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1 cup toasted garlic croutons
1/4 cup quartered slices of soppressata
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 pepper pickled sweetie red peppers
1/4 cup celery leaves
2 tablespoons torn basil leaves

Directions

Make the Spicy Ranch Dressing

Combine mayonnaise, buttermilk, hot sauce, white balsamic, Calabrian chiles, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar in a mixing bowl and whisk together. Add ranch seasoning, oregano, basil, salt, and dill. Stir to combine. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice if necessary; recipe makes about 3 cups dressing. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.

Make the Wedge Salad

Lightly dress each lettuce slab with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and kosher salt. Spoon a generous layer of Spicy Ranch Dressing on top of lettuce.
Divide toppings among lettuce slabs and distribute evenly in this order: pepperoncini, olives, garlic croutons, soppressata, sweetie drop peppers, tomatoes, celery leaves, and basil.