Made with bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and a creamy dressing, this BLT Salad is a delicious spin on a classic BLT sandwich.
This Bacon Lettuce Tomato Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing is the perfect accompaniment to entrees like Steak, Skillet Chicken, London Broil, or Maple Glazed Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin.
Is there anything much better than the combination of bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes?
Whether served in a classic BLT sandwich, a BLT Pasta Salad, or in this simple BLT salad, the combination of crunchy lettuce, salty bacon, and fresh tomatoes is truly magical.
why you'll love this BLT salad
- Bacon. Lettuce. Tomato. That may be all that needs to be said to convince you to try this salad😉
- Everyone Loves It. Just as you find yourself drawn to this epic combination, so do many, many others! This salad will ALWAYS be a hit at a dinner party!
- Kid-Friendly. Between the bacon and ranch dressing, your picky eaters may even ask for seconds.
Ingredients Needed
- Bacon: Because the bacon is the star of this salad, I suggest using high-quality thick-cut pork bacon that is nitrate-free. If you would like to lighten this salad up and use turkey or chicken bacon, that is fine, but the salad will not be as flavorful.
- Lettuce: For this salad, you want to select lettuce that is a lighter green and has some crunch. Romaine, Iceberg, and even Bibb Lettuce are all great options.
- Tomatoes: Choose any ripe, fresh tomato you like. In the summer months, I love to use chopped fresh vine-ripened tomatoes. Cherry or grape tomatoes are great options to use year-round with consistently good flavor.
- Homemade Ranch Seasoning: The dressing is made with a blend of common dried spices that you likely have on hand and replicates the flavor of a ranch seasoning packet without added MSG or excessive sodium.
- Milk & Vinegar: Instead of needing to purchase buttermilk for this recipe, simply mix milk and vinegar for the same results. If you have buttermilk on hand, use that in place of both the milk and vinegar.
- Sour Cream: I prefer using sour cream in the dressing instead of mayonnaise, as it gives the salad a bit more tang and creates a slightly thinner dressing. However, feel free to substitute mayonnaise for the sour cream, as mayo is always a great pair for anything BLT.
- Croutons: The croutons are optional, but do add a nice crunch and flavor. I prefer to use homemade croutons, but lightly seasoned or garlic and herb croutons work well in this recipe.
How to Make A BLT Salad
BLT Salad is an easy salad recipe, but you do need to account for cooking the bacon and preparing the dressing. Both of these steps take minimal prep on your end and can be done up to 3 days in advance if desired.
Step One: Prepare Bacon
I find the best way to make the bacon is to bake the bacon. This allows the process to be hands-off and the bacon will cook much more evenly in the oven than it does in a skillet. Plus this method is MUCH less messy!
- Line a sheet pan fitted with a wire rack with foil for easy clean-up.
- Lay the bacon on the rack, equally spaced apart, and bake until browned and crispy.
- Once baked, crumble or chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces.
Kristen's Tip
This recipe only requires 8 slices of bacon and uses half of the dressing. Freeze the leftover bacon by stacking the slices between parchment paper and placing them in a freezer-safe bag. Remove bacon strip by strip as needed from the freezer. Or prepare the full package of bacon and use the leftovers for recipes like Instant Pot Egg Bites, Bacon Ranch Potato Salad, or in place of the sausage in Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole.
Step Two: Prepare the Dressing
While you can use store-bought ranch dressing, homemade ranch dressing comes together in minutes, and the flavor rivals that of a restaurant!
- In a small bowl or glass jar, whisk together the milk, sour cream, vinegar, and spices for the ranch seasoning until well combined. This is a thicker dressing, but feel free to add a tablespoon of milk to thin it out if desired.
Step Three: Assemble Salad
Once your bacon is baked and your dressing is prepared, this salad comes together super quickly.
- Wash and chop lettuce. Drain well--this is important so that the salad is not watered down and the dressing can adhere to the lettuce.
- Prepare tomatoes by cutting them into bite-size pieces. If using fresh vine-ripened tomatoes, it is best to deseed the tomatoes.
- Toss together the lettuce with a small amount of the dressing. Add in the tomatoes, and bacon and toss again gently.
- Top with croutons and chopped chives and serve immediately with additional dressing on the side.
Recipe FAQs
This BLT salad is best served immediately after preparation. The croutons and bacon will lose their crunch if stored in the refrigerator once tossed in the dressing.
If you would like to prepare this salad in advance, it is best to prepare the dressing, bake the bacon, chop washed and dried lettuce, and store the components separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Do not chop or slice tomatoes until ready to serve the salad. When ready to serve, toss the lettuce, dressing, and chopped bacon together with freshly sliced tomatoes, croutons, and chives.
More Easy Salad Recipes
- Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Spinach Bacon Salad
- Tossed Greek Salad
- Mandarin Orange Salad
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
I hope you enjoy this BLT Salad and be sure to leave a comment and review below after you give it a try! I love to hear from you!
BLT Salad
Ingredients
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1 large head romaine or iceberg lettuce
- 1 pint grape tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 cup croutons
- 2 tablespoons chives minced
For the Creamy Dressing
- ¾ cup sour cream or mayonnaise
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon dried basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire cooking rack on the baking sheet. Evenly space out the bacon out on the prepared pan and bake for 15-18 minutes or until the bacon is crispy and browned.
- While the bacon is baking, mix together the milk and vinegar and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Add in the sour cream, parsley, dill, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper and mix well, adding in additional milk, 1 tablespoon of milk at a time, if needed to thin.
- Wash and dry the lettuce well and then chop into bite-size pieces. Slice the tomatoes in half. Chop the cooked bacon into small pieces as well.
- Toss together the lettuce, tomatoes, bacon, and ½ cup of the dressing together and place in a serving dish.
- Top the salad with croutons and chopped chives.
- Serve the salad immediately with additional dressing on the side.
Beth
I made this salad for dinner yesterday and it was a hit!
I'll be making it again. Thank you for the recipe!
Ann
This was sooo good although I ended up making the dressing too watery, but the taste was amazing!!
Jenni
This salad is so good! Easy to make, filling, and the kids loved it! We will definitely make this again!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY! I love to hear your kids enjoyed as well Jenni!
Lisalia
This was the perfect lunch salad for my monthly girlfriends lunch. So filling and full of healthy goodies. They all asked for the recipe! Thanks.
Kristen Chidsey
You know it is a winner when people ask for the recipe 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to share your review Lisalia!