Description
The iconic summer sandwich, reimagined into a salad! This BLT salad recipe takes all the flavors & textures of the classic sandwich, but pulls them together in the form of a hearty, fresh salad. It’s the perfect summer dish!
One of the fun things about this recipe is that the oven does double duty, roasting up perfectly crispy bacon & garlicky sourdough croutons at the same time for especially fast & easy prep. While the bacon & croutons are in the oven, you’ll have the perfect window of time to chop up some crunchy veggies, slice a handful of juicy-sweet cherry tomatoes, & whisk together a quick buttermilk dressing.
The resulting salad is smoky, crispy, juicy, crunchy, & creamy, just like a top-notch summer BLT with a little more freshness. So easy to make, so fun to eat – I hope you love this recipe just as much as we do! ♡
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon (approx. 12 ounces)
- sourdough croutons, below
- creamy buttermilk dressing, below
- 2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped into bite-sized pieces (approx. 10 cups)
- 4 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered (approx. 1 cup)
- ½ English cucumber, diced or finely sliced (approx. 2 cups)
- 1 avocado, diced or finely sliced
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
for the sourdough croutons:
- 8 ounces sourdough bread, diced into 1-inch cubes (approx. 3 heaping cups)
- 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
for the creamy buttermilk dressing:
- ¼ cup buttermilk (see Recipe Notes)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ lemon, juiced (approx. 1 tablespoon)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives (can sub 1 teaspoon dried chives or 1 clove garlic)
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, ensuring racks are positioned in the center & upper third positions. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange the sliced bacon in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Set aside.
- Prepare the croutons: If desired, line a second smaller baking sheet with aluminum foil/parchment paper for easy clean up. Place the diced sourdough bread on the baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over top, then season with garlic powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, & ground black pepper as desired. Toss well, coating the cubed bread with seasoning evenly. Set aside.
- Bake the bacon & sourdough croutons: Transfer the bacon & croutons to the oven, placing the croutons on the center rack & the bacon on the top rack. Bake 10 minutes. Remove both the bacon & croutons from the oven – flip the bacon & shake/toss the croutons for even cooking. Return to the oven for 8-10 minutes longer, until the bacon is rendered & crisp and the croutons are golden & toasty. Set the croutons aside to cool. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Once cool enough to handle, break into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
- Prepare the buttermilk dressing: Meanwhile, as the bacon & croutons bake, prepare the BLT salad dressing. Combine all listed ingredients in a small bowl. Season with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Whisk to combine well. Taste & adjust seasoning as needed. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- BLT salad assembly: Place the lettuce in a large bowl or on a serving platter. Drizzle some of the buttermilk dressing over top. Toss to coat well. Top with the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, & avocado. Finish with the bacon & sourdough croutons. Serve immediately, with additional dressing as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Jess’ Salad Tips:
- Buttermilk substitutes: If you do not have buttermilk on hand, you can make a quick substitute for the BLT salad dressing by adding 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or vinegar to a scant ¼ cup of low-fat milk. Stir to combine & let the mixture sit for a minute to thicken slightly.
- Season well! One of the secrets to a restaurant-worthy salad is ensuring every component is seasoned. Sprinkle the lettuce with a quick pinch of salt & ground black pepper before you dress it. Before I add them to the salad, I also like to arrange all the chopped veggies on a cutting board, seasoning them with a little salt, ground black pepper, & freshly squeezed lemon juice (use the ½ lemon leftover from the buttermilk dressing!).
- Spice it up! This BLT salad recipe is great as-is, but feel free to play with the flavors a little bit. When my herb garden is growing like crazy, I’ll often tear a handful of fresh basil leaves into the lettuce. The creamy buttermilk dressing can also handle a little bit of heat – feel free to mix in a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce or a finely chopped chipotle pepper.
- Storage: This BLT salad is best enjoyed fresh, the day it’s prepared, though the bacon, sourdough croutons, creamy buttermilk dressing, & hearty vegetables can be prepared 2-3 days in advance. Transfer everything to separate airtight containers. Store the croutons at room temperature & the rest in the refrigerator until you’re ready to prepare your BLT salad.