Bleu Cheese BLT Salad

This BLT Salad is a fun take on the classic BLT sandwich. Chopped lettuce, heirloom baby tomatoes, plenty of salty bacon, blue cheese, and cubes of toasted bread make up delicious summertime salad recipe.

I’ve partnered with Litehouse to create this recipe for Bleu Cheese BLT Salad. I have been compensated for my time, but all opinions are my own.

Making this BLT Salad

Kevin and I just spent the last several days working on our backyard landscaping. We hired out for the sprinklers and some retaining wall type flower beds to the side of the patio, which went in last Friday.

Then, over the weekend, Kevin built a nice looking stone step coming down from our patio that fits perfectly with the other stone we have going on.

We spread a ton (ha! actually, it was probably 2+ tons) of good soil into the various beds throughout the yard, shaped the border for the grass area and started lining it with some grey landscape brick.

It is really starting to take shape now and has me SO excited for all the things that summer is going to bring, especially the entertaining aspect.

I can’t wait to entertain in our backyard, and this BLT salad will be perfect for summer dinner parties and cookouts!

Why I Love this BLT Salad

I LOVE summer food. I get into a completely different rhythm for cooking during these warm months. There is lots of grilling, so many fresh and colorful veggies (farmers markets!), fruity drinks and desserts, lighter recipes, and of course SALADS.

Tomatoes are one of my favorite summer veggies. Sure, you can get them any time. But there is nothing like a really ripe, super juicy, brightly colored summer tomato.

In the last week or so I have noticed a big difference in the tomatoes available. I started seeing deeper red tomatoes, and heirloom tomatoes were making their way into our stores.

Want to know what one of my favorite things to pair with a juicy tomato is? BACON. I love BLTs in the summer! Instead of making this classic sandwich, I decided I wanted to experiment with turning it into a salad. And I wanted to add some blue cheese crumbles and blue cheese dressing for good measure!

The flavors of a BLT packed into a salad rather than a sandwich kept things nice and light and fresh tasting, which was perfect for the warm, sunny weather we’ve suddenly had the past couple weeks after lots and lots of spring rain.

Tomatoes + Bacon + Blue Cheese = AMAZING.

Plus, look at these tomatoes. They were so juicy. And summer is just getting started!

What is in a BLT Salad?

This salad with bacon and tomatoes was inspired by the classic blt sandwich, but with the addition of blue cheese salad dressing and blue cheese crumbles. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Artisan Bread  
• Lettuce
• Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing
• Bacon
• Heirloom Tomatoes, mixed colors
• Crumbled Blue Cheese
• Easy Pickled Red Onion, optional

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

How to Make this BLT Salad

I chopped up lots of lettuce and tossed it with the dressing.

Then, I added in bacon, halved baby heirloom tomatoes, bleu cheese crumbles…and some toasted bread cubes in place of the bread on the sandwich.

For a little extra zing, I added some Easy Pickled Red Onion, but they’re totally optional if you don’t want to make them or you don’t like onions.

The above is simply a quick summary of this BLT salad recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

Tips for Making the Best BLT Salad

• For your large bowl, select one that is shallow. This way the toppings will be evenly distributed across the fresh lettuce. Alternatively, use a serving platter.
• Rinse the lettuce in cold water, dry with a salad spinner so it isn’t soggy, and then transfer to your salad bowl.
• We prefer to use thick center-cut bacon for more substantial bite-sized pieces in our salad.
• Try this tip for Perfect Homemade Bacon Bits. It is the best when you need bacon bits for a salad
• Let the bacon sit on a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess grease before adding it to the salad.

BLT Salad FAQs

Got questions about how to make this great salad recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

What kind of lettuce should I use?

I used mixed greens here, but you can use romaine lettuce, butter lettuce, or a combination of lettuce types. Just use whatever lettuce you like the best.

What kind of tomatoes should I use?

I like to use mixed baby heirloom tomatoes when I’m purchasing tomatoes from the grocery store in the summer. There is a particular mix that I like that has a variety of green striped tomatoes, yellow and orange, burgundy tomatoes, and regular red baby tomatoes.

I love to use a mix of colors! However, any cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes will do!

When we have garden fresh tomatoes on hand, I use whatever is ripe. This tomato bacon salad is a great way to use homegrown ripe tomatoes. They have the best flavor!

Can I use a different dressing?

Not a fan of blue cheese dressing (or out of it)? Substitute your favorite creamy ranch dressing instead.

What can I substitute for blue cheese?

If you don’t have the blue cheese, simply leave it off. You’ll still get some great flavor from the creamy dressing.

If you don’t like blue cheese, perhaps substitute it for small cubes of cheddar cheese if you still want cheese on your salad.

Can I add a protein to this salad?

Leftover grilled chicken would make a great addition to this salad for a delicious lunch or light dinner.

What to Serve with this BLT Salad

Here are a few main course ideas to go along with this delicious recipe:

• Sous Vide Steaks with Gremolata Sauce
• Easy Smoked Chicken
• Grilled Marinated Flank Steak
• Burgers
• Smoked Turkey

Try this Delicious BLT Salad Recipe at Home!

Next time you’re looking for a side dish that’s more exciting than a simple salad, give this BLT salad a try!

Is this your new favorite salad recipe? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this great recipe.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of this delicious salad!

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What is your favorite summer salad?

Bleu Cheese BLT Salad

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Chopped lettuce, heirloom baby tomatoes, plenty of bacon, bleu cheese, and cubes of toasted bread make up this Bleu Cheese BLT Salad, a fun take on a classic BLT.

Print

Ingredients

• 5 ounces Artisan Bread
• 6 ounces Lettuce, chopped
• 1/4 cup Litehouse Chunky Bleu Cheese Dressing
• 8 ounces (half of a 1 lb. package) Bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 3 1/2 ounces Baby Heirloom Tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup Bleu Cheese Crumbles
• Easy Pickled Red Onion, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes. Arrange on a baking sheet, making sure that they do not overlap each other. Place in the oven and bake at 300 degrees F for 5 - 10 minutes, or until warmed and lightly toasted.
3. In a large bowl, combine the lettuce with the Litehouse Chunky Bleu Cheese Dressing. Stir gently with a spatula to coat the lettuce.
4. Then, add half of the bacon, half of the tomatoes, half of the bread, and half of the bleu cheese crumbles. Toss to combine.
5. Place the salad mixture from the bowl onto a large platter. Sprinkle the top with the remaining bacon, tomatoes, bread, and bleu cheese crumbles. Arrange a few slices of Easy Pickled Red Onion on top, if desired.
6. Serve immediately.

Recommended Products

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  Baking Sheet

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 140Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 249mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 4g

GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.

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