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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?
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!