Chopped BLT Salad Recipe - Turn a BLT into a salad! (2024)

If you love a BLT sandwich, you need to try this Chopped BLT Salad recipe. Turn the bread into croutons and toss bacon, lettuce and tomatoes in a creamy dressing for the perfect flavorful bite!

turn your favorite summer sandwich into a delicious chopped salad

There is nothing I love more in the summer than BLT with crispy bacon, fresh lettuce and a juicy, ripe tomato. This BLT salad takes all of the best parts of the sandwich and combines them in a fresh and delicious salad.

Start by cooking strips of thick cut bacon. Then, toast cubes of hearty bread in the bacon grease to make the most delicious croutons.

Chop lettuce and fresh tomatoes. Then, toss it all in a creamy dressing made from mayonnaise and a few other simple ingredients.

If you love a BLT sandwich, I promise you will love this hearty, chopped salad even more!

• Frying pan
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Measuring spoons and liquid measuring cup
• Small bowl and whisk for dressing
• Large bowl and tongs for tossing

Serving suggestions

This bright and flavorful salad is a hearty meal on its own OR can be a delicious side dish. It is a wonderful thing to serve at a summer barbecue with other salads.

If you want to serve this BLT salad recipe as the main dish, you can add extra protein to this dish. I like to make some grilled chicken to slice and toss into the salad.

Some of my favorite grilled chicken recipes

• Balsamic Grilled Chicken
• Grilled Ginger Lime Chicken
• Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs

If you want to make this for meal prep, make a batch of cast iron chicken, cut it into strips and toss it with the other ingredients. Then, wait to toss the salad in the dressing until just before you are ready to serve.

Salad Ingredients

• Thick cut bacon
• Hearty bread like sourdough
• Ripe tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
• Romaine lettuce or iceberg lettuce

BLT Salad Dressing Ingredients

• Mayonnaise
• Olive oil
• Apple cider vinegar
• Sugar
• Black pepper

Salad variations

There are many different ways to change up this BLT salad recipe! You can easily turn this into a delicious BLT pasta salad.

Skip the croutons and toss the ingredients with 8oz of your favorite pasta! You may want to double the amount of BLT salad dressing because the pasta really soaks up liquid.

Make this salad gluten free by using your favorite gluten free bread in place of the sourdough for the croutons. Keep the salad low carb or keto by omitting the croutons.

Not a fan of bacon? You can use turkey bacon instead. Turkey bacon does not leave grease behind when cooked so you will need to use some oil to toast the bread cubes into croutons for the salad.

A traditional BLT does not include any cheese, but I think it would be a delicious addition to this salad. I would personally use cubed cheddar cheese or crumbled goat cheese to compliment the other ingredients.

Feel free to add any extra vegetables that you like to make the salad a little heartier. I like to add things like fresh chopped cucumber, bell pepper or red onion.

Lastly, if you do not want to use the simple dressing written here, ranch dressing tastes amazing with this salad. Try this homemade ranch dressing recipe for a super flavorful option.

How to make a chopped BLT Salad

Step 1: Cook bacon strips and toast croutons

To begin, heat a frying pan over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook bacon until crispy.

Then, using a slotted spoon, remove bacon from the skillet. Leave the bacon grease behind.

While the bacon is cooking, cut the bread into cubes. After cooking the bacon, reduce heat to low and toast the bread cubes in the bacon grease until golden brown.

Step 2: Chop other ingredients

Then, dice the tomatoes and sprinkle with a little kosher salt, chop the bacon and cut the romaine lettuce into shreds.

Place tomatoes, toasted breast, bacon, and lettuce in a large mixing bowl.

Step 3: prepare salad dressing and toss it all together

To prepare the salad dressing, whisk together the mayo, olive oil apple cider, vinegar and sugar. Pour over salad and toss to coat completely.

Top with fresh cracked black pepper and either finely chopped chives, dill or fresh parsley.

make ahead tips and storage

This salad is best enjoyed as soon as it is made to ensure that the bacon and the croutons remain crispy.

To make this chopped BLT salad ahead of time, I recommend making it as written here, but do not toss in the dressing. Store in the

Toss the salad with the

Although I find that this salad tastes best when enjoyed within 24 hours of cooking, you can save the leftovers. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Check out these other summer salad recipes

• Mango Salad
• Peach Burrata Salad
• Sourdough Panzanella Salad
• Grilled Watermelon Salad
• Cucumber Pasta Salad