Loaded Blue Cheese Salad

I really enjoy making this salad because it is yummy, easy to throw together, and very colorful. Traditionally, blue cheese salads are supposed to be assembled using iceberg lettuce wedges, but I actually personally prefer a chopped green. I find that it absorbs more of the dressing and marries better with the toppings. However, you can use any green that you would like!

This salad includes hardboiled eggs, bacon, blue cheese, pickled red onions, and tomatoes. It may seem like a lot, but it truly is amazing. If there is an ingredient that you dislike, simple remove it!

Ingredients for Salad

• 2 heads romaine
• 3 hardboiled eggs
• 5 pieces of bacon, chopped
• 1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese
• 1 c. tomatoes, diced small

…for Pickled Red Onions

• 2 small red onions
• 1 c. apple cider vinegar
• 1/8 tsp peppercorns
• 1/4 c. sugar

…for Blue Cheese Dressing (makes about 2 1/3 c.)

• 1 heaping c. mayonnaise
• 1/2 heaping c. sour cream
• 1/2 c. half and half
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 c. crumbled blue cheese

Directions

Get started on your pickled red onions first because they take the longest. You can even make these the day before. Slice the red onions into thin crescents and place in a small sauce pan. Add the apple cider vinegar, peppercorns, and sugar. Bring the mixture to a light boil and continue to simmer until the onions are very soft and translucent. This may take even a half hour. Set aside for at least an hour. If you’re setting aside for longer or even overnight, after cooled place in the refrigerator.

For the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, half and half, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and blue cheese in a bowl. Set aside in the refrigerator. This is another ingredient that can be even made the day before.

Fry or bake your bacon. Chop and set aside until cool.

Chop your romaine (or any other green you are deciding to use) and place on a large platter. If you’re using iceberg lettuce, quarter the heads and place on the platter. Drizzle the blue cheese dressing over the greens until well-covered. Sprinkle the chopped bacon over the top.

Next, dice the hardboiled eggs and place on the salad. Dice your tomato small and add to them to the salad, also. Drain the pickled red onion and add them next. Be sure to drain the onions because they sit in a lot of vinegar. Lastly, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 c. of blue cheese crumbles over the top and serve. Voila! That’s it.