BLT Salad Recipe with the Best Dressing
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There’s an interesting story behind this BLT Salad Recipe! Anyone can make a BLT salad (the name is a dead giveaway of the ingredients and it’s basically a deconstructed sandwich) but not every BLT dressing is created equal! A few years ago, we attended my husbands’ cousin’s wedding and their reception was in a fancy hotel in Washington state.
There was a salad on the menu and the dressing tasted just like a favorite salad of ours (Creamy Cucumber and Tomato Salad) except it was served over a bed of greens and I thought – “YAAAASSSS! This is brilliant!” Why not put the same tasty dressing on every salad possible? Why not put it on a BLT salad loaded with fresh lettuce, crispy bacon, bright tomatoes and of course croutons (and these were homemade by the way!).
The dressing for this salad is spot on and my Mom mmm’d her way through her bowl. It was an instant win because it has the same familiar family-favorite dressing but it’s served in a really exciting way. I venture to call this our new house salad; ‘Natasha’s House Salad.’ I won’t lie – I kinda like the sound of that! 😉
Ingredients for BLT Salad:
12 oz sliced cooked bacon*
1 to 2 cups croutons (click here for croutons recipe)
1 lb (3 cups) tomatoes (any kind)
1 medium/large head of lettuce,** chopped, rinsed and spun dry
* I baked ‘ma bacon on a foil lined baking sheet for about 14-15 min at 400˚F. Thick cut bacon can take closer to 20 min.
**Photographed is a Boston lettuce (also known as bibb or butter lettuce). You can also use romaine, or green leaf.
For the Creamy BLT Salad Dressing:
3 Tbsp mayo
4 Tbsp sour cream
1 large garlic clove, pressed
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1 to 2 Tbsp milk, or add to desired consistency
How to Make the Best BLT Salad:
1. Make the dressing first to allow the flavors to meld. In a small bowl, combine 3 Tbsp mayo, 4 Tbsp sour cream, 1 pressed garlic clove, 1/4 cup chives, 1/8 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp salt (or season to taste). Stir together with a fork then add 1 to 2 Tbsp milk, or add milk to desired consistency. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, bacon and croutons. Just before serving, drizzle with dressing (adding it to taste) and toss to combine. You may or may not use all of the dressing depending on how large your head of lettuce was. I had a tablespoon or so left over.
This BLT Salad is easy peasy and you have one ridiculously tasty salad! Enjoy this my friends! 🙂
BLT Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for the BLT Salad:
- 12 oz sliced cooked bacon*
- 1 to 2 cups croutons
- 1 lb 3 cups tomatoes (any kind), sliced
- 1 medium/large head of lettuce, ** chopped, rinsed, dried
Instructions
- Make the dressing first to allow the flavors to meld. In a small bowl, combine 3 Tbsp mayo, 4 Tbsp sour cream, pressed garlic clove, 1/4 cup chives, 1/8 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp salt (or season to taste). Stir together then add 1 to 2 Tbsp milk, or add milk to desired consistency. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, bacon and croutons. Just before serving, drizzle with dressing (adding it to taste) and toss to combine.
Notes
**Great lettuce options: Boston/bibb/butter lettuce, romaine, or green leaf lettuce.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
What is your families all-time favorite salad? We get into grooves where we make the same salad all the time for an entire season because we love it so much! Are you the same way?
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Very tasty salad, especially with local summer tomatoes in right now. The dressing complemented the salad well. I made it just as written and found it slightly on the salty side as mayo also contains salt. I might suggest initially reducing the amount of salt in the dressing, and then adjusting to taste depending on the saltiness of your bacon and croutons. Thank you for sharing your recipe, this is a summer recipe keeper!
Hi Clarissa! I’m glad you loved it! That’s a great tip. Thanks for sharing.
Hi, do you have dairy free alternatives for the dressing? I would really like to try to make the dessert but I am dairy free.
Hi Sheri! I have not tested any alternatives but you could try using a dairy-free yogurt in place of sour cream and a dairy-free milk to reach the consistency you’d like. Let us know how it turns out.
That easy dressing was so tasty! Made it for lunch and made it again for dinner. Even the “I hate veggies” teenager ate two bowls.
I didn’t have time to make the croutons but definitely going to the next time.
That’s great, Lori! So glad to hear that.
OMG, the best salad. I’m not a big salad as main course for dinner but this salad is fantastic and yes the dressing is fantastic. It’s perfect as is but my husband now adds hard boiled eggs on his hand and I add avocado. Thanks sooo much for sharing this recipe.
Hi Maureen! I’m so glad you loved the recipe. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Alone. Maybe a portion???
Maybe lunch and supper.
BLT Salad and delicious!
The salad is amazing but the dressing!!!! I make (double) it every week and we love it. Great as a veggie dip or salad dressing. Sometimes I add more herbs.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Kay!
I wanted to try a BLT salad to go with a potato, corn and bacon chowder and I can’t fault the recipe. Just for me however, I’m not crazy about bacon strips in my salad – I prefer it crumbled on top, so I’d do that next time.
The BLT salad is meant as a full meal, so makes no sense to have it with chowder. Just make a simple green salad and sprinkle some bacon on it.
We started ordering this salad at a pub that has really good food. They also add dill pickles ….its really good !
Yum! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I had made this salad once last year and found it ok, nothing special. A few weeks ago I thought I’ll make it again, expecting nothing special, but I decided to add some grated cheese this time. And it made all the difference for us! It was soooo good!!! I’m obsessed🤤 thanks Natasha for the great recipe!
Nice, thanks for sharing that with us. Great to hear that loved it more after adding some grated cheese.
I, too, loved the dressing but made some substitutions:
1. Used basil + poppy seeds since I had no chives.
2. Added a cut up baked chicken filet since I had leftover
Recommendations: Less salt(I thought 1/4 t made it a little too salty so added some sugar and more pepper)
But it was delicious!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Darcy!
Wow, I signed up just so that I could leave this comment.
This dressing is the bomb. It is the PERFECT creamy dressing for almost any salad and as a base, can be taken in a million directions.
I am so grateful, because I make a lot of dressings, but this one is so quick and easy that I’ve already doubled it, tweaked it and written it down for next time!
Thank you, Natasha!
BTW, we are having the BLT Salad tonight with fresh garden tomatoes…it’s August, after all! That’s how I found your site, and I’m so excited to see your other recipes.
I did have to do a sub (had no fresh chives), maybe this is helpful for someone else: I used 1 tsp of dried chives and used 2-3 T of finely sliced green onion tops for the freshness. It worked great.
For a keto tweak: I replaced the milk with a dash of heavy cream (2 t) and since I still wanted it a bit more pourable, I added water until the consistency was perfect for us. It is very rich, even with the water! I also added 1/2 packet of True Lemon powder and a good pinch of cayenne, but that’s just personal taste…’cuz we’re chili heads and can’t help ourselves.
Today, I am grateful for Natasha’s dressing!
Hello Mary, thanks for the effort in sharing this review with us, that is so appreciated! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe and I was happy to see you keto suggestions. That is so helpful!
This was awesome! Used fresh summer garden tomatoes. Added thinly sliced green onions and skipped the croutons since we’re low carbers. Wonderful. And that dressing? Ah-mazing!!
Thank you for your lovely comment! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
the ingredient list says 3 tbsp mayo but the direction say 4 tbsp mayo.
Thank you for catching that. 3 is correct but it still would have been tasty with 4. I fixed it.
Can I replace Mayo with miracle Whip
Hello Beth, I think that will work, If you try that, please share with u how it turns out!
Do you have the nutritional info for this?
Hi Daidy, we are slowly working through all of our recipes to add nutrition info, but it is a time-consuming process as they have to be added one at a time. Thank you for being patient! 🙂
Can’t wait to try this as my favorite sandwich is a BLT! So if I don’t have a garlic press will it work to just smash a clove with a knife?
Hi Marlene! BLTs are so good! I hope you love this recipe! I bet that could work, and you can smash it and then chop it really small to help it get to the same consistency.
This is by far my favorite salad EVER! The dressing is amazing and absolutely crave-able! Can’t wait to try some more of your recipes!
Great to hear that, Amanda! I hope you’ll love all the other recipes that you will try from my website.
Absolutely delicious! Made per recipe. Kept dressing on the side so lettuce wouldn’t get wilt overnight. Guests are it up. No leftovers! Yummy. Thank you!!!
You’re welcome, Portia! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Hi there! – haven’t tried this salad yet (but I’m gonna!) but I was wondering how long the dressing will last if you want to make enough for several uses and use it later in the week(s)?
Hi Vonnie, we usually make enough to use for the salad, but it should keep well for 3-5 days covered in the refrigerator if the green onions are pretty fresh and not wilted to begin with since that is the most perishable ingredient in the dressing.
HI! The picture for the dressing shows green onions, but the recipe doesn’t have them and just has chives… can you clarify? Thank you!
Hi Fran, chives and green onion are interchangeable here since they have the same flavor profile. I have used both and both will work.
First of all I hate when people comment on a recipe sharing all the changes they made to any given recipe. That being said I made this exactly as stated and this has to be the most delicious salad we have ever had. The chives freshly picked from my garden wow! Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing this keeper of a fantastic recipe
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
sometimes people do not have all ingredients so they substitute what they have for similarities. Good for you to have a garden.
I tried this salad at my friends daughters birthday party, and I loved it SO much I asked where she got the recipe. She said Natasha’s kitchen! So, here I am, and I’m going to make it for a potluck at my work in a few days, but I think I’ll add avocado as well. LOVE the dressing so much that I could make extra and keep it in the fridge for daily use!
That’s just awesome, Shelby! Thank you for sharing that awesome review with me!
Loved, loved this salad. Made it as per recipe for a main dish summer supper. Light and delish! I highly recommend it.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Sandy. Thank you for that feedback!
We loved this salad, and the dressing is spectacular. I added a chopped avocado because I had one. I also cut my bacon into pieces and fried on stove and drained on paper towels. So quick and we just loved it!
That’s so awesome Janet! Thank you for that awesome review!
A big Thank you to Natasha from Natasha’s Kitchen. Tonight Dave and I made her blt salad and baked Salmon with lemon. Beyond Delicious. We use her recipes often. Her Ukranian influence has added new taste combinations and variety to our meals.
https://natashaskitchen.com/baked-salmon-with-garlic-and-d…/
https://natashaskitchen.com/blt-salad-recipe/
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Stephanie!
Sounds yummy, I bake bacon on my broiler pan so the grease drips to the bottom off the bacon..
That’s a great idea! Thank you for sharing that Millie!
I am Ukrainian and we love garlic. I love all your recipes. So glad I found your site.
I’m so happy you discovered our blog, Helen! Welcome! 🙂
Would adding chicken be okay?
Hi Lily, yes absolutely! I love the idea of adding chicken.
Was excited to try this because it sounded like it would be a hit, but unfortunately for me the chives and garlic overpowered the dressing big time. I tried to fix it by adding more mayo and sour cream and a pinch of sugar, but it didn’t help. I think the chives could be cut back to 1-2 tablespoons at most. I’m sorry to report back negatively…Just disappointing because of the time spent to make and the $ spent on the ingredients. 🙁
Hi Taylor, I’m sorry it didn’t work out the way you hoped. We do love garlic, but if you aren’t a fan, it’s definitely ok to scale back. Also, the size of the clove matters – some cloves are significantly larger. It also helps to let the garlic meld a little bit in the dressing which will tone down the stronger garlic flavors.
Looking forward to making this for my friends daughters reception set-up. Do you have any measurement suggestions for the lettuce? What I think of as a head of lettuce would usually serve at least 10 people.
Hi Janmelle, it depends on if this is the main salad or a side salad. As a main salad, this serves 4. As a side salad, it serves 6. We have a handy tool for that so you don’t have to calculate. If you scroll down to the bottom of the recipe card and hover over the “4” next to Servings, you can adjust the recipe for how many servings you need and it will automatically display the amount of ingredients you need for that many servings. I hope that helps!
Thanks for your reply. That tool will be great. But what I was looking for was an idea how many cups of lettuce you might use for this recipe.
You’re welcome Janelle, I haven’t measured that in cups so I wouldn’t have an exact answer for you. I know that a head of
torn lettuce usually makes about 10 cups loosely filled. I hope this helps.
Thanks for the tip on adjusting the serving size on the recipe card! Guess I’m a newb. Making this for 20 this evening!
You’re welcome! I’m glad that was helpful!
Would I double for 17 people
Hi Theresa, if it is being served as a side salad, yes double but if it is the main salad, I would triple.
Your whole blog is FANTASTIC ,! Those speedy videos are the BEST ,!! thank you!!
You’re so welcome! I’m happy you are enjoying our recipes!
That dressing would make a flip flop taste good
Was perfect as a late dinner.
I was worried it wasn’t enough dressing but it mixed well and was just right.
I’m glad you enjoy the recipe! Thanks so much for sharing!
This recipe looks so fresh and delicious
It really is! I hope you love it Colleen!
Oh my! My stepson just remarked that if you diced up some turkey, ham and cheese that it could also be a club salad! Will have to try that out too!
Hi Natasha, I made this tonight it was so delicious. My 8 year old daughter love it. Thank you very much for the recipie. The dressing was so simple but very good.
You’re welcome! I am so glad you enjoy the recipe!
I was craving a salad after a weekend of Thanksgiving leftovers. This BLT salad was just the ticket! So easy and delicious. It was a big hit with my husband, too! I love your blog, Natasha!
I’m so glad to hear that you liked this salad Patty 😬. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Natasha,
I’m trying to make the dressing for this salad for tomorrow but don’t have milk on hand. But..I do have buttermilk. Do you think it will be ok if I use that to thin the dressing?
Hi Lulu,nI haven’t tried buttermilk, but you might try this method which I used for my other BLT salad recipe: In a medium bowl, combine chopped tomatoes with all of your salad ingredients, minus the milk. Stir to combine and set aside for 10 minutes allowing the tomatoes to release their juiciness. This scrumptious and easy concoction is your dressing. You could even just leave the milk out. It will be a little harder to stir it all together but it will coat the salad well even without the milk.
Hi Natasha, I made this salad for my book club meeting last night. I just returned from a vacation to Serbia, Bosnia and Montenegro, so going grocery-shopping jet-lagged is never a good idea. I kept forgetting things! and had to substitute green onion for the chives and wanted to make your croutons but ran out of time, so store-bought it was. 11 people, huge bowl of romaine with cocktail tomatoes and heaps of cooked bacon – GONE! It was a huge hit, as have been all your recipes. Thanks again, it was good to get out of my usual Caesar salad mode too. 🙂
I’m all smiles reading your comment! Thank you for sharing your amazing review! 🙂
Hi Natasha, Can you recommend a brand of mayo for this recipe. Thanks! Kandy
Kandy, we usually buy Kirkland mayo from Costco, but “Best Foods” or your favorite regular mayo brand would work fine.
FYI: Best Foods Real Mayonnaise west of the Mississippi; but it is known as Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise, east of the river.
Very yummy salad!! It’s on my list for my son’s bday party:)
I love this mess less way of cooking bacon👍
Thank you Alina, bacon makes everything taste better 😋. Happy Birthday wishes to your son 🎉.
This salad is so good i loved it so much. This is something that i’ll continue to make often. Thanks so much for sharing this with us.
You are welcome Rosa, thank you for sharing that with us 😀.
I was wondering if once you have it all combined with dressing and all and you serve it but there is still some left over can you refrigerate the salad? How long does it typically last?
Hi Rosa, this salad is really best eaten after it’s made. The croutons readily absorb moisture and will become mushy overnight and the lettuce will start to wilt. Also, the bacon will soften from moisture and will lose it’s crispy appeal. I would definitely suggest dressing only as much as you want to eat and leave the remaining salad refrigerated without dressing. Also, I would personally keep the bacon and croutons in separate zip-loc bags and leave croutons at room temperature since they can absorb moisture from the refrigerator.
Hey Natasha!
I was wondering if you happen to have any weekly meal plans? I recently got married and trying to make a routine to go shopping all at one time to make it much easier than going to the store everyday if I don’t have something for the recipe or need to do something else. Just curious if you might have something like that (:
Hi! I don’t have anything like that currently. I was doing them in my newsletters for awhile but not on my blog, but it’s a great suggestion! thank you! 🙂
Wow this looks so awesome, like all of your recipes, btw!! I love the fresh ingredients and will try to make this salad on the weekend. 🙂
I love that you are a Christian! If you are interested, please read my testimony of how God healed me from cancer, I´d be very happy 🙂
https://thatchristiangirl.com/2016/09/09/my-testimony/
Thank you for that great complement! I did just read through your testimony and that is amazing! God is so good! Praise the Lord! Thank you so much for boldly sharing that with others. 🙂
The salad looks really good. I just love the tomatoes you used. I think this salad would be perfect For me and my daughters diet.
Thank you Vicki, let me know how you like it 😀
Now, I will not be having a headache on thinking my next salad routine!
Hi, Natasha! On your link to your cousin’s wedding, there is picture from desert table. A backing sheet cake with poppy seed layer cought my eye. Would you happen to have a receipe?
Thank you so much!
Love your site!
Natalie
Hi Natalie, I had no part in making the desserts for the wedding so I really don’t. I am visiting those same relatives next month so I will try to remember to ask 🙂
I made this salad for a big party, and this salad was gone so fast I didn’t even get a chance to try it!
Ha!! That’s awesome!! Well, maybe not so awesome for you. lol. 😉
Thank you for this recipe. I make something similar but this is an upgraded version. One of my “must try” this week !
I hope you LOVE it!! 🙂
You are welcome, let me know how it turns out 😄.
I have a question, will it be too soggy if I mix it all together and will want to eat leftovers the next day?
Irene, yes it would turn soggy, especially with croutons in there. Salads with lettuce and croutons are best eaten shortly after being mixed with the dressing.
This looks soooo good, Natasha! I have always wanted to make a BLT salad as well instead of the usual sandwich. Simple, yet makes so much sense!. I love all the components in this salad with the creamy dressing. Great job! 😉
Oh you should definitely try it!! I think it’s more enjoyable than eating a sandwich and you definitely get alot more greens and tomatoes this way 🙂 Enjoy!!
Looks delicious. Yummy. Great salad. Thank you for all your work on the website.
Thank you so much for your wonderful and encouraging feedback 🙂
Love the dressing I tried it and it was so amazing. 👌🏼👍🏼
Oh that’s awesome!! I’m so happy you liked it 🙂