How many calories is a blue cheese wedge salad?

When trying to eat healthy and watch your calorie intake, it’s important to know how many calories are in the foods you eat. Salads can be a great lower calorie option, but it depends on the ingredients. Let’s take a closer look at the calorie count for a blue cheese wedge salad.

What is a Blue Cheese Wedge Salad?

A blue cheese wedge salad is a classic salad featuring a wedge or chunk of iceberg lettuce topped with crumbled blue cheese dressing and other ingredients. The base of the salad is a wedge of crisp iceberg lettuce. The lettuce is then topped with a creamy blue cheese dressing made with crumbled blue cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, and/or buttermilk.

In addition to the lettuce and blue cheese dressing, blue cheese wedge salads often include other toppings like:

  • Tomatoes
  • Bacon pieces
  • Chopped red onion
  • Ranch dressing
  • Blue cheese crumbles
  • Chopped chives

The combination of cool crisp lettuce, creamy dressing, savory bacon, pungent blue cheese, and fresh vegetables makes this salad a flavorful appetizer or side dish.

Calories in Blue Cheese Wedge Salad Ingredients

To determine the total calories in a blue cheese wedge salad, we need to look at the calorie count of each ingredient typically included in the salad:

Lettuce

A 1 cup serving of shredded iceberg lettuce has only 10 calories. Iceberg lettuce is very low in calories, so the base of the salad adds minimal calories.

Blue Cheese Dressing

Blue cheese dressing can vary in calories depending on the brand and recipe, but a 2 tablespoon serving of blue cheese dressing averages around 140 calories.

Blue Cheese Crumbles

1 ounce of blue cheese crumbles contains about 100 calories.

Bacon

2 slices of cooked bacon are approximately 40 calories.

Tomatoes

1 cup of cherry tomatoes has around 30 calories.

Red Onion

There are 15 calories in 1/4 cup of sliced red onion.

Ranch Dressing

Ranch dressing has about 90 calories per 2 tablespoon serving.

Chives

1 tablespoon of chopped chives contains just 1 calorie.

Total Calories in a Blue Cheese Wedge Salad

Adding up the average calorie counts for each ingredient, we can estimate the total calories in a typical blue cheese wedge salad:

Ingredient Calories
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce 10
2 Tbsp blue cheese dressing 140
1 oz blue cheese crumbles 100
2 slices bacon 40
1 cup cherry tomatoes 30
1/4 cup red onion 15
2 Tbsp ranch dressing 90
1 Tbsp chives 1
Total Calories 426

Based on these typical ingredients and portions, a full blue cheese wedge salad contains approximately 426 calories. Of course, the calorie count can vary depending on the exact size of each ingredient and any additional toppings.

Ways to Reduce Calories in a Blue Cheese Wedge Salad

If you’re looking for ways to lighten up this salad, there are a few easy substitutions you can make:

  • Use reduced-fat blue cheese dressing to save about 50 calories per serving.
  • Skip the bacon to subtract 40 calories.
  • Use just 1 tablespoon of blue cheese instead of 1 ounce to reduce calories by about 70.
  • Swap full-fat ranch for a light ranch dressing, saving around 45 calories.
  • Use just 1 tablespoon of chopped red onion instead of 1/4 cup to subtract about 10 calories.

Making all of these simple swaps could reduce the total calories in the salad down to around 300.

Nutritional Benefits of Blue Cheese Wedge Salad

While it does contain a good amount of calories from the blue cheese dressing and bacon, a blue cheese wedge salad also delivers some important nutrients, including:

  • Protein – from the bacon and blue cheese
  • Calcium – in the blue cheese
  • Vitamin C – in the tomatoes and onion
  • Fiber – in the lettuce
  • Potassium – found in tomatoes and onion

So despite the higher calorie count, the blue cheese wedge still offers nutritional value. The combination of lean protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats makes it a salad that provides nutrients as well as flavor.

Serving Suggestions

Here are some tips for serving blue cheese wedge salad:

  • Pair it with a light entree like grilled chicken or fish to make it a lower calorie meal.
  • Share it as an appetizer for 2-3 people to control portions.
  • Eat it alongside a reduced calorie soup or veggies to add volume and nutrients.
  • Use it as a side instead of fries or other high calorie options.
  • Ask for dressing on the side and use sparingly to control calories.

With mindful portions and smart pairings, a blue cheese wedge can be incorporated into a healthy diet.

Healthy Blue Cheese Wedge Salad Recipe

Try this lighter version of blue cheese wedge salad:

Ingredients

  • 1 head iceberg lettuce, cut into 4 wedges
  • 3 Tbsp low-fat blue cheese dressing
  • 2 Tbsp crumbled reduced-fat blue cheese
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 Tbsp chopped red onion
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp chopped walnuts
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Place each wedge of lettuce on its own plate.
  2. Drizzle each wedge with 1 Tbsp of low-fat blue cheese dressing.
  3. Top each with 2 teaspoons of reduced-fat blue cheese crumbles.
  4. Divide tomatoes and sprinkle over each salad.
  5. Sprinkle onions over top.
  6. Drizzle each salad with 1/4 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.
  7. Garnish salads with chopped walnuts and freshly ground black pepper.

This lightened up blue cheese wedge has approximately 185 calories per salad when made with the ingredients above. It cuts calories by using reduced-fat dressings and cheeses, eliminating bacon, and reducing calorie-dense toppings while still delivering on flavor.

Conclusion

A blue cheese wedge salad contains approximately 426 calories in a typical restaurant-style portion. This is based on the calories in iceberg lettuce, blue cheese dressing, blue cheese crumbles, bacon, tomatoes, red onion, ranch dressing, and chives. There are a number of simple substitutions you can make to reduce the calories while still enjoying the flavor. Pair it with light proteins or sides and use mindful portions to keep your meal balanced. While higher in calories, the blue cheese wedge salad does deliver important nutrients like protein, calcium, vitamin C, and fiber. With some modifications and smart pairing, it can be included as part of a healthy diet.

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