Apple chunks, crispy bacon, roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, glazed pecans and a goat cheese dressing turn ordinary into extraordinary in theses Mini Fall Wedge Salads.
But Make it Autumn!
Think: the wedge salad from your favorite steak house but make it… autumn! Y’all know I love an updated a classic! And these Mini Fall Wedge Salads with Goat Cheese Dressing are the perfect seasonal update. I took one of my favorite salads and made it into autumn’s perfect go-wither. Instead of a wedge of iceberg lettuce, I used these delicious gem lettuce hearts. Then I swapped the blue cheese crumbles for goat cheese and a creamy goat cheese dressing and added some of fall’s best flavors. It’s so delicious and full of wonderful textures!
What is a Wedge Salad?
A classic wedge salad is made when you cut the head of iceberg lettuce in half or quarters and top with a few ingredients and a basic homemade blue cheese dressing.
What goes on a wedge salad? Customarily, you’ll find bacon and blue cheese crumbles and chives on lettuce wedges with a creamy blue cheese dressing. If you’re not a fan of blue cheese, this might be the update you’ve been waiting for! In place of blue cheese, try goat cheese and some unique fall flavors like:
- roasted butternut squash
- chunks of Honeycrisp apple
- dried cranberries
- glazed pecans
How to Cut a head of Lettuce
First, wash the lettuce and remove any wilted or damaged outer layers. Then dry gently with a paper towel. Next, hold the lettuce gently on a cutting board. Use a large, sharp knife to cut it in half lengthwise. Slice each half of the lettuce head in two.
How to Make Mini Fall Wedge Salads with Goat Cheese Dressing
- First, cook the bacon and roast the butternut squash.
- To roast the butternut squash, preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the cubed butternut squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil on a lightly greased baking sheet. Arrange in a single layer and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast until tender and lightly browned, about 25 minutes.
- Make the dressing by mashing the goat cheese with a whisk in a small bowl. Add the mayonnaise, buttermilk, honey, apple cider vinegar, pepper, and salt and whisk until well combined.
- If the dressing is too thick, stir in some more buttermilk to thin it out.
- Then cut the lettuce hearts in half. Plate the halved lettuce hearts or wedges and drizzle each one with a few tablespoons of goat cheese dressing. Top each one with some butternut squash, apple, bacon crumbles, red onion, pecans, cranberries, goat cheese crumbles and fresh cracked black pepper.
How to Serve, Eat and Store a Wedge Salad
Serve the salads cold, with extra dressing on the side and enjoy! In my experience, salads don’t store well, so I recommend eating these right away and discarding any leftovers. You can store any unused dressing in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days.
What can I serve with mini wedge salads? You could serve them with any of your favorite home cooked meals. We like to pair them with a reverse seared steak, Roasted Lemon Garlic Rosemary Chicken, or my Honey Herb Roasted Chicken Drumsticks.
Can salad be an appetizer? Yep! Salads are super versatile. They can be served as appetizers, sides, and main courses. Light, smaller portion salads like this one are served before the main course, so it’s an appetizer salad.
How do I eat a wedge salad? A wedge salad is eaten with a fork and a knife. With the fork in your left hand, press the tines into the lettuce to secure the wedge. Take your knife in your right hand. Cut off a bite sized piece of salad, starting at the tip of the wedge, and take a bite. It’s considered good etiquette to cut only one bite at a time.
If you make these Mini Fall Wedge Salads with Goat Cheese Dressing, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me or tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. 
I love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the recipes I share. Enjoy!
xoxo,
Mini Fall Wedge Salads with Goat Cheese Dressing
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6 wedge salads
Description
Apple chunks, crispy bacon, roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, glazed pecans and a goat cheese dressing turn ordinary into extraordinary with theses Mini Fall Wedge Salads with Goat Cheese Dressing.
Mini Fall Wedge Salads Ingredients:
- 3 little gem lettuce hearts, cut in half (or 2 butter leaf lettuce hearts cut into thirds or fourths, if big)
- Goat Cheese Dressing (see recipe below)
- 1 cup roasted butternut squash
- 1/2 cup chopped Honeycrisp apple
- 1/3 cup crumbled cooked bacon
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 1/3 cup chopped glazed pecans
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup crumbled goat cheese
- Fresh cracked black pepper
Goat Cheese Dressing Ingredients:
- ½ cup crumbled goat cheese, softened
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Bake the bacon and roast the butternut squash. To roast the butternut squash, preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the cubed butternut squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil on a lightly greased baking sheet. Arrange in a single layer and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast until tender and lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes after removing from the oven.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, mash the goat cheese with a whisk. Add the mayonnaise, buttermilk, honey, apple cider vinegar, pepper, and salt and whisk until well combined. If the dressing is too thick, stir in some more buttermilk to thin it out.
- Plate the halved lettuce hearts or wedges and drizzle each one with a few tablespoons of goat cheese dressing. Top each one with some butternut squash, apple, bacon, red onion, pecans, cranberries, goat cheese crumbles and fresh cracked black pepper.
- Serve cold and enjoy!
