If you know me, and I hope by now you do, I’m never one to even waste precious chewing energy on a boring salad. I have friends who will enjoy even the most plain salad consisting of one variety of lettuce and a glop of salad dressing from a gallon sized vessel bought at a warehouse store, meant for school cafeteria use.
But this BLT salad, with joyful bacon confetti, is one that I could probably eat several times a week. If you don’t make the homemade buttermilk dressing yourself, there are only really five ingredients: lettuce, bacon, tomatoes, bread and dressing.
Oh, and another great thing (as if you needed another) – the bacon and the croutons bake together in harmony on the same baking sheet.
Secretly, I could have gone even without a dressing — a secret drizzle of bacon drippings all over the salad and a a squeeze of lemon would have been just fine. But the homemade buttermilk dressing, which came together in less than 15 seconds, really made this salad over the top.
BLT Salad with Buttermilk Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon
- half baguette (8 ounces), sliced into 3/4 inch cubes about 4 cups
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 green onion, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 pound romaine hearts, coarsely chopped (or other salad greens)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Arrange bacon in a single layer on 1/2 of a rimmed baking sheet. On the other side of the baking sheet, add the bread cubes and toss with the olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes, tossing the bread cubes halfway through. The bacon should be crisp and the bread cubes are toasted. Crumble the bacon into large pieces.
- In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, and green onions. Season with salt and pepper. Add in lettuce, tomatoes bacon and croutons; toss to coat with dressing. Serve immediately.
Notes
from Fresh Flavors Fast Cookbook from Martha Stewart Everyday Food
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comment section! I always appreciate your feedback and I know other readers do, too!
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Great recipe!!! Love the dressing.
I agree, a great summer meal. I like how the salad has the same ingredients as a BLT, no more and no less, including the toast.
http://sundaydinnerfortwo.blogspot.com/2012/06/inspirations-for-menu.html
Great summer meal!
I made this for dinner tonight and my 9 year old ate FOUR helpings! She asked to take the leftovers in her lunch tomorrow but there were no leftovers. Thanks for the great recipe!
This salad is to die for! Will make it again and again and again! Easy to fix, delicious and nutrious! Yum!
Wow, this salad was awesome. I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious, hit the spot. Thanks for a great recipe, fabulous dressing and a light meal.
This salad looks amazing! Thanks!
Raspberry chicken caesar salad is really good and not like other boring salads.
Now this is a salad even my boys would eat!
Lovely blog btw. I’m here via Big2Beautiful.
This salad looks like a keeper….YUM! The buttermilk dressing sounds amazing!
I would have loved this for lunch! Can’t wait till my garden lettuces are ready to eat. YUMMMY!
Well, now, I popped over to say (on a totally unrelated note) that I ordered the book a few weeks back and we gave the broccoli beef a go tonight, and darned if it didn’t give my Ken Hom standby a run for it’s money. Delicious!
But now I’ve got BLT salad on my brain, and am wondering whether I’ve got a pound of Niman Ranch in the freezer…
Jaden, thanks a lot for your tips on buttermilk. I’ll have a try this weekend!!
This looks great! I’m not officially craving a salad!
This sounds and looks great! I’m making it tonight with some chicken/bacon wraps. Bacon, it’s a good thing!
Great job on the beautiful picture! How do you not want to try and make this and eat it?
Honestly, I think the greatest appeal of a BLT– the wonderful feeling as your teeth crash through the crispy, crunchy, juicy, and salty layers– is lost here. The only reason I could see making this is if I wanted the same flavors in a lighter package (assuming I went easy on the dressing).
I bet the mayo adds great richness to the buttermilk. Have to try this one. Usually stick to whisking buttermilk with green chili paste and some curry leaves as it is called here (actual name is weird sounding :-), Murraya koenigii leaves).
Hi Jaden!! Made this last night with fresh romaine lettuce from Sunday’s Farmer’s market. I couldn’t believe that bacon could get crisp enough in the oven (I like mine burnt), so I made it in my Lodge cast iron skillet. While the bacon drippings and some lemon juice probably would have been enough for the dressing, I’m a sucker for buttermilk dressing. Have been craving buttermilk biscuits from scratch, so now I know what I’m doing with the leftover buttermilk!
Thanks for the great idea! Really fresh and tasty and only a tiny bit of bread – makes the other flavors pop!
I meant to say not “just” oil and vinegar.
You’ve convinced me to try a salad that is not made with oil and vinegar. Such a picture and I have the same salad bowl. Makes everything so appetizing.
Beautiful salad. I actually can’t live without bacon. I always wonder why buttermilk is not available here but better try and make that homemade butter soon.
I have been stockpiling salad recipes here lately. So ready for warmer weather!
I was in that danger zone of I’m tired and nothing sounds good… until I saw this BLT salad!! I really want to be having this for dinner right now, swooon.
I really like veg with smoky bacon! Wondering if unsweetened yogurt drink works as an alternative when buttermilk isn’t available… There’s no buttermilk in Japan.
Hey there – you can make your own buttermilk – super easy (or you can use unsweetened yogurt drink too)
Here’s instructions! ~Jaden
This sounds wonderful!!
this is truly an interesting recipe, simple and yet different! 🙂
Even dietitians love bacon. I’ve been buying the applewood smoked bacon from Trader Joe’s and my whole family really enjoys it. Your salad looks wonderful. I love how a little bit of bacon can make a whole lot veggies taste great.
A good addition to the “five-a-day plus bacon” plan. I always fry an extra strip to share with my cat.
I have been craving a good salad so badly! the produce is just not the same in the winter up here. I spend so much more for medicore greens and tomatoes.
this salad looks great but the best part is how easy it looks to put it together. Plus no dressing that has been hanging out in a bottle forever!
you got me on the B as in bacon… and i think i will go for the bacon drippings and lemon… but then again you i gotta try the buttermilk dressing as well… maybe i might as well combine both? hmmm yummy!
mmmm… bacon! BLT! i, too, cook my bacon in the oven. but i put an aluminum foil to cover it, and poke some holes with a small fork to let the steam out.
that is a good late dinner for us, after hubby gets home from his classes. but i will have to substitute the buttermilk dressing with blue cheese, perhaps. only because, buttermilk doesn’t agree with hubby’s tummy. that’s the only dairy item that he has problems with. everything else is fine with him.
Looks delicious and reminds me of Jim Gaffigan – “add bacon to a boring salad and it becomes a treasure hunt!”
That looks so delicious. I can only eat buttermilk dressing if its homemade. This recipe looks amazing.
Bacon confetti. I love that phrase. What wouldn’t taste good with a bit of bacon confetti?
Oooops…I meant to say I’ve been wanting to try a BLT salad for so long! That’s what I get for rushing and not proof reading before hitting submit! Thanks again, Jaden!
Oh, Jaden! I have wanting to try a BLT salad for so long (I don’t know why I haven’t). I will try your recipe tonight! Thanks for sharing! 🙂