Healthy BLT Salad Recipe

There is nothing better than a cool, crisp salad on a hot summer day. It is family-friendly and great for summer feasts and gatherings. With gardens and farmers markets overflowing with produce, summer is the perfect time to eat salads.

Since we don’t make a lot of bread in our neighborhood, I wanted to recreate the classic BLT sandwich flavor in the form of a salad full of vegetables. Crispy bacon, sweet cherry tomatoes, and salad greens topped with a tangy lemon mustard vinaigrette… it doesn’t get any fresher than that!

BLT Salad: A Classic Reborn

What would a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich taste like? It’s so simple, but it always suits my taste. What if you put a thin slice of tomato and a bunch of healthy vegetables on it instead of lettuce leaves?

Throwing together a BLT salad for dinner is a great way to use up some produce from your garden. You can use whatever greens you like. I like a little arugula and baby spinach for the B vitamins and iron, and romaine lettuce for the crunch.

Not yet a confident gardener? The cherry tomatoes in this recipe are a garden treasure that kids will love and are super easy to grow. All you need is a nice big pot, some soil, stakes and string, and some sunlight! Kids love watching the tomatoes ripen, and their natural sweetness is perfect for this salad. Even if you don’t have much of a yard, they make great potted plants for your balcony or porch.

BLT Toppings

Top your salad with sliced ​​avocado and creamy goat cheese to mimic the mayonnaise of a traditional BLT. This salad gives you the flavor of a BLT without the bread, and it’ll leave you feeling refreshed and satisfied!

If you want your bacon to be crispy, choose regular or thin slices. But if you want more bacon flavor, try thick slices instead! Here are some topping ideas:

• Chopped fresh green onions

• Cheddar cheese (instead of goat cheese)

• Chopped red onion

• Homemade Grain-Free Croutons

Lunch box

Salads are usually quick and easy to make, making them a perfect dinner for busy days. Add some thinly sliced ​​chicken for an easy meal packed with protein. Or, grill some meat and serve this BLT salad as a side dish.

I like to make these in advance in mason jars (another handy use for them) and use them as portable salad containers. Just place your wet ingredients (tomatoes, dressing, avocado) on the bottom. Place your salad greens on top and cover. When you’re ready to eat, just shake the jar to mix everything up or pour it into a plate.

You’ll notice in the instructions that it says to divide everything evenly between four different plates. If you want, you can just throw everything in a large bowl and serve it as is. But not everyone gets exactly the same amount of toppings this way!

BLT with avocado?

Of course! Avocados are delicious and healthy.

Avocados are one of the most versatile ingredients. They are delicious on their own, but are also mild enough to easily blend with other flavors. They are usually mashed into guacamole, but they are also delicious in soups and salads. I love them in this eggless mayonnaise or in smoothies!

Avocados are nutritious and creamy, making them a great substitute for eggs or dairy in some recipes. They’re also loaded with fiber, potassium, B vitamins, and healthy fats.

dressing

Store-bought salad dressings often contain highly refined oils and artificial additives. By making it at home, I know my family is getting plenty of healthy fats and real food ingredients.

Also, it’s cheaper to make your own salad dressing since you probably already have most of the common ingredients on hand. These include olive oil, various vinegars, and herbs.

Instead of making the dressing from scratch each time you need it, save time by doubling or tripling it. (Tip: Using dried herbs keeps them fresh the longest.) Store them in a covered mason jar and use them right away when you need them.

The vinaigrette for this salad is a combination of lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, and a little salt and pepper. It’s quite tart and would also work well as a marinade for chicken or fish. Shake it in a mason jar and store any leftovers in the fridge for the next day.

If you’d like to see other salad dressing recipes, check out this post.

Homemade Ranch Dressing

I used to be pretty obsessed with store-bought ranch dressing. I like this salad with a tangy vinaigrette, but it’s also delicious with ranch dressing. Instead of buttermilk or sour cream, my version uses Greek yogurt for extra protein. If you don’t like vinaigrette, try ranch dressing instead!

Other Summer Salad Recipes

Looking for some more delicious salad combinations? Here are some of our favorites.

What’s your family’s favorite summer salad? Let us know below!