Garden Fresh BLT
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This is less of a recipe and more of your summer reminder that you should go make this sandwich (with lots of Sloth Shortcuts so you can make this Garden Fresh BLT whenever you want).
This sandwich, for me, signals the peak of summer. It’s hot hot hot outside, fresh produce is easy to find, and you need a quick, easy, summer meal. Your new best friend – the perfect BLT – juicy, ripe, red tomatoes, crispy bacon, fresh green lettuce, creamy mayo, and some toasted sourdough bread.
Like I said, this is not really a recipe, and more a PSA to go make this sandwich. Here’s my tips on making a mind blowing BLT. You need…
Bacon– thick
Lettuce– crisp
Tomatoes– summery
Mayonnaise– tangy
Bread– toasted
Bread
First, let’s talk about the bread. I love sourdough bread for a BLT. It’s firm enough to hold up to a hefty sandwich, and also…. it’s yummy. I buy a big loaf, pre-sliced (Costco or the grocery store) and freeze it in dinner-sized portions. It freezes really well.
Always, always, toast that bread for a BLT! I toast it directly from frozen- it works great! Straight from the freezer to the toaster. I promise this works.
Bacon
Obviously, the MVP here. I recommend buying thick bacon. Costco has lots of good options – I always buy this one and keep a pack in the freezer for emergency BLTs.
I’m a big fan of cooking bacon in the oven – no splatter, no mess, and you can cook a large quantity at once without watching it.
Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up. Lay out that bacon. Pop it it in the oven (425 degrees) for 15-25 minutes, depending on how thick your bacon is.
Pull it out onto a paper towel lined plate. Use the parchment paper to save the bacon grease in a little mason jar like this with a lid for future delicious recipes. This is liquid gold.
Lettuce
Any kind will do- romaine, iceberg, spring mix. This is probably not the star of the show, just being honest. You absolutely need it for some fresh crispiness, but most greens will work.
I usually pack a ton onto my sandwich and tell myself it’s a salad. Very healthy.
Tomato
Use the freshest tomatoes you can find! Please don’t make this sandwich in the winter with the sad, pale tomatoes at the grocery store. It might make you cry. It would make me cry. This is a SUMMER sandwich. Use tomatoes from your garden, your neighbor’s garden, your friend’s garden. Or tomatoes from the farmer’s market. Or fresh, happy summer tomatoes from the grocery store. Any kind works, as long as they’re fresh! Roma tomatoes have less juice, so they’ll make less of a mess, but I use any kind of large tomato.
PRO TIP. Slice up that tomato with a serrated knife. It will help you not squish your beautiful, perfect tomato.
Mayo
Use your favorite, good quality mayonnaise. I like this avocado oil mayonnaise – lots of fresh, real, ingredients.
Garden Fresh BLT
Slather some mayo on both slices of the toasted sourdough bread, and go to town, layering slices of bacon, lettuce, and tomato.
Enjoy with a side of fresh, summer fruit and veggies or some chips! I always serve this on a plate lined with a paper towel – this is a juicy sandwich!
Serve this on repeat all summer.
Sloth Shortcuts
Sloth Shortcut #1: Keep sliced sourdough bread in the freezer – portioned in dinner-sized packages, so you can pull out a package anytime for these Garden Fresh BLT’s.
Sloth Shortcut #2: Cook your bacon in the oven! Hands off and no mess.
Sloth Shortcut #3: Befriend your local suburban gardener for maximum amazing, home-grown tomatoes. Or hey, come to my house!
Garden Fresh BLT
Ingredients
- 4 slices sourdough bread or 2 large slices, halved
- 8 slices thick bacon
- 2 handfuls lettuce or spring mix
- 2 large fresh tomatoes sliced
- 2 T Mayonnaise
Instructions
- Cook bacon in oven at 425 degrees for 15-25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the bacon. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
- Use a serrated knife to slice tomatoes in 1/2” thick slices.
- Toast bread and assemble sandwiches. Slather both slices of bread with mayonnaise and add bacon, lettuce, and tomato.
- Serve on a paper towel lined plate so the bread stays crispy. Serve with fruit or veggies or chips.