You’re here for one purpose – to learn how to make the ultimate BLT Sandwich – and this recipe delivers! You’ll love everything from the toasted bread, perfectly cooked bacon, thick slices of juicy tomato, and an irresistible layer of avocado (which is optional but highly necessary).
What makes this really memorable is our famous 3-ingredient sandwich sauce that makes this the best BLT recipe you’ll try. Love at first bite!
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Watch the BLT Sandwich Video
I’m sharing all of my best tips for making your best BLT Sandwich. This is one of the most popular sandwiches in America (right up there with Grilled Cheese). Watch the video tutorial and you will be craving it (you might as well get the ingredients first).
What is a BLT?
B L T stands for Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato. Okay, okay, so we snuck in some avocado, which makes it a BALT, or maybe it’s a BLAT? Either way, the important takeaway is that once you try this iconic sandwich with avocado, there is no going back.
Everyone loves the flavor profile of a classic BLT, which is why it has been one of the most beloved sandwiches in the world. We even have a BLT Salad and a Breakfast BLT Sandwich (technically a BELT? 😅), and even a BLT Pasta Salad.
BLT Ingredients
There are 3 components to this sandwich (bread, fillings, and sauce) and the quality of your ingredients can take your sandwich from good to exceptional:
- Bread – Honestly any bread will work here, but my all-time favorite bread for a BLT is Sourdough Bread for the elevated taste and texture. If using storebought sliced bread, look for a generous 1/2″ thick slice for a heartier sandwich. You’ll also need a bit of butter for toasting the bread which adds a ton of flavor to the sandwich.
- Fillings – bacon, lettuce and tomatoes are the iconic blend, but I also can’t ignore avocados. Use thick-sliced heirloom tomatoes if you can get your hands on them; they are so meaty and satisfying. Iceberg is the classic choice but you can also use green leaf lettuce, romaine, or butter lettuce (a.k.a. Boston or Bib lettuce).
- Sauce – Traditionally, mayo is used for BLTs, and it works in a pinch, but I’m here to tell you that there’s something better (more on that below).
The Best BLT Sandwich Sauce
We fell in love with this sandwich sauce when we tried the Chicken Bacon Avocado Sandwich at a restaurant called Kneaders. I loved the spread so much that I asked for an extra side to take home so I could re-create it. My love for copycat recipes runs deep.
It has just 3 ingredients and the combination is memorable: 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 Tablespoons sour cream, and 2 teaspoons yellow mustard. The sauce also keeps well in the refrigerator if you want to make a batch to have on hand. Try it on your next BLT and you will have a new favorite.
How to Cook Bacon for a BLT
The easiest (and least messy) way to cook a big batch of bacon is to oven-baked bacon. We prefer regular thin-cut bacon for BLT’s because it’s easier to bite through, but thick-cut bacon will also work well if that is what you have on hand.
- Regular Bacon: arrange in a single layer over a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven at 400˚F for 15-20 minutes.
- Thick-Cut Bacon: Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack over the foil. Arrange bacon over the rack and bake at 400˚F for 20-28 minutes. You can omit the rack but you will need to flip the bacon halfway through so the bottom gets crisp.
- For a Single Sandwich or a smaller batch of bacon, I cook my bacon in the Air Fryer or on a skillet.
How to Make a Perfect BLT Sandwich
- Start by cooking your bacon and setting it aside to cool (instructions above) then prepare your sauce and refrigerate it until you need it. Also, butter and toast the bread on both sides.
- Spread 1 Tbsp sauce over the bottom bun then layer with lettuce, tomatoes, bacon, avocado, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Spread another 1 Tbsp sauce over the top bun and place it over the avocado.
Can I Make a BLT Ahead?
A BLT sandwich is delicious for a work or school lunch and you can prep the sandwiches a day ahead. To keep the avocados vibrant, toss the avocado slices in a little lemon juice before adding to the sandwich. To keep the bread from getting soggy, package the tomatoes and sauce separately and add them just before serving
The BLT Sauce can be made ahead, covered, and stored in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks.
Once the BLT is assembled, it should be enjoyed right away.
More Sandwich Recipes You’ll Love
Admittedly I’ve never been a sandwich person, but the BLT has my name all over it. It has to be truly special for me to love a sandwich and these never fail to impress. It’s so hard to pick just one favorite but you must try the Cheeseburger Sliders!
- Chicken Sandwiches
- Sloppy Joe
- Juicy Burgers
- Reuben Sandwich
- Philly Cheesesteak
- Smashburger
- Tuna Salad Sandwiches
BLT Sandwich with the Best Sauce
Ingredients
BLT Sandwich Ingredients:
- 8 slices of bread, cut 1/2” thick
- 1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, to toast the bread
- 12 slices bacon, regular sliced*
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, thickly sliced
- 4 green lettuce leaves, rinsed and spun dry
- 1 large avocado, or 2 small avocados pitted, peeled and sliced.
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Sauce for BLT Sandwiches:
- 1/2 cup real mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp sour cream
- 2 tsp yellow mustard
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F. Place bacon on a foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until browned and crisp then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool.
- In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Lightly butter both sides of the toast and toast on a dry griddle or skillet over medium-high heat just until golden brown.
- Arrange 4 slices of bread on a cutting board and spread 1 Tbsp of sauce over each toast. Add lettuce then tomato, bacon, avocado. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the avocado.
- Spread 1 Tbsp sauce over the remaining toasted bread and place over the sandwich, sauce side down. Cut in half if desired and serve.
Excellent!!! So yummy! I made it with turkey bacon and whole grain bread and it was still delicious! Three teenage boys devoured the sandwiches. The sauce is so simple and so good! Thank you!
Great funny video
I like your style
I’m going to make this today
In Scotland x
Hi Mandy! Thanks for watching. I hope you love the recipe!
Delicious! Grilling the bread is a must. Loved the sauce as well. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Lisa! Agree on that, glad you love it.
I was getting ready to make a BLT, with of course your crusty French bread..was looking for a flavored mayo.. and found your recipe..the toasted bread is genius.
This was great!
So glad you loved it, Connie!
Hands down the best I’ve ever had! Thank you for your delicious recipes!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Joan!
Absolutely delicious! The sauce was totally spot on!! Will be making this for rest of my life!! Thanks for sharing Natasha.
Hi Suzanne. It makes me happy to know this recipe made that much of an impact. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Excellent! The compilation and the sauce were superb. I will def make this one again, added to the roster.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Mary!
My family loves your recipes! We got creative this time, and fried green tomatoes using your zucchini breading and added them to these sandwiches. So good! Thank you 😋
That’s great! I bet they were delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Hi, this recipe looks lovely, but I have a question about the sauce. Is there a substitute for the sour cream that you think would work?
Hi Emily, I don’t know of any substitute for sour cream that I can recommend as I have not tried any substitution for it yet.
Hi Emily, plain Greek yogurt would work well in place of sour cream.
Best BLT I’ve ever made or ordered anywhere! I didn’t have avocado but otherwise made this exactly as written. I used Sarah Lee Artesano bread and thick cut bacon. I was surprised that such a simple sauce elevated the sandwich so much. My husband generally avoids mayo, but he was like your son and used extra as dip! Mmmm!
So glad to hear that! Thank you for the excellent review.
What bread do you recommend for the bacon sandwich. Hard to find thick bread where I live.
Hi Celia, any bread of your choice should be alright.
Actually the simple Sause idea was a great addition, I kicked it up a bit by adding a Tbsp of ground horseradish.
Sounds delicious!
I want to know what kind of bread for BLAT sandwich? I love eating it very much. Thanks!
Hi Judith, It was a thick-sliced artisan bread (pre-sliced and purchased at Fred Meyer in the regular bread aisle).
My favorite is Dave’s killer bread. The yellow Seed is the best, at least for me. Even good old fashioned white wonder bread, however they seem to have changed the recipe for the bread. It does not seem as soft and fluffy as before.
The simplicity of this sauce and addition of adding avocado to the sandwich takes it to a new level of yum! Natasha, you are amazing!
So good! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Consistently fantastic recipes. Thank you
Leaving a review here is a whole job :/
crispy crispy bacon yum
Thanks a lot, David. We appreciate the review!