This BLT salad with peaches, heirloom tomatoes, bacon, homemade croutons, and creamy lemon herb mayo dressing is the best of the garden.
BLTs are one of my favorite things to love in late summer, and I’m always scheming ways I can work these glorious summer flavors into other dishes. Case in point? My BLT corn salad, BLT panzanella, and BLT pasta salad. This BLT salad recipe is my latest iteration. It features all of the awesome flavors you love from a BLT sandwich, only in salad form (plus, juicy peaches come to the party!). The salad starts with a bed of butter lettuce and is studded with crispy bacon, ripe heirloom tomatoes, sweet peaches, and homemade croutons (we’ll toast those up in our bacon fat for maximum savory deliciousness). Then, it’s all drizzled with an addictive, creamy, ranch-adjacent mayo dressing spiked with lemon, chives, and basil. It’s peak summer goodness.
In This Post
Why You’ll Love It
- This BLT salad has it all—it’s full of fresh, colorful, juicy summer produce, great textures, and amazingly sweet, tangy, savory flavors
- You can make individual servings or plate it up on a platter for some gorgeous presentation (perfect for hosting)
- It’s a lighter way to enjoy all of the flavors you love from a classic BLT sandwich
BLT Salad Ingredients
- Bacon—I love thick-cut applewood smoked bacon
- Sourdough bread—for making the croutons
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper—for seasoning the croutons
- Lettuce—Butter/Bibb/Boston lettuce is my preferred lettuce for this salad, but you could also use Romaine, arugula, baby kale, or a mix of any of these
- Tomatoes—I love heirloom tomatoes for this, but cherry tomatoes/sungolds also work great
Dressing Ingredients:
- Mayonnaise—I prefer Duke’s or Hellman’s brand
- Lemon zest and juice—The flavors of the lemon complement the other ingredients in the salad so well and also brighten up the dressing nicely
- Kosher salt—always, for flavor
- Basil—for a nice herbaceousness
- Chives—fresh chives make this salad reminiscent of ranch dressing, which I love
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make This BLT Salad
- Fry the bacon. Cook the bacon in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat until it’s reached your desired texture
- Make the croutons. Add the sourdough cubes to the same pan used to cook the bacon in, along with the salt, and toss to coat them in the grease. Toast the bread cubes on all sides until golden.
- Make the creamy dressing. Add all of the ingredients to a jar or a small bowl and shake or whisk well to thoroughly combine. Taste and add more salt if desired.
- Assemble the salad. To assemble the salad, divide the lettuce among 4 large bowls or plates. Layer with the bacon, croutons, tomatoes, and peaches. Use a spoon to drizzle the dressing overtop. Top with some freshly ground black pepper if desired.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- For easy meal prep, make the dressing and croutons ahead of time (you can reheat the croutons gently in a skillet, just to warm them)
- Mix up your greens—Romaine, arugula, baby kale, little gem, and/or leaf lettuce would all be great options
- Add some crumbled blue cheese for a creamy, sharp, and tangy bite (goat cheese would also be tasty)
- Fresh corn off the cob would be a yummy addition (no need to cook it)
- Add some slices of avocado for some creaminess and healthy fats
- If you’re vegetarian, you can skip the bacon and just follow this homemade crouton recipe of mine (toasted in olive oil)
Storage Tips
I do not recommend making this salad ahead of time (the juices from the peaches and tomatoes will make everything soggy). The BLT salad dressing will keep stored in a jar or airtight tupperware container in the fridge for about 5-7 days or so. The bacon fat croutons can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat, bake the frozen croutons on a baking sheet at 300°F until thawed and crisp.
More Salads You’ll Love
- Panzanella
- Caprese Salad
- Summer Melon Salad
- Strawberry Burrata Salad
- Grilled Corn Salad with Tomato and Avocado
- Strawberry Arugula Salad with Watermelon and Feta
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
BLT Salad with Peaches
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon , about 12 ounces or ⅔ of a pound
- 4 cups bread cubes , about 8 ounces cut into ¾ inch squares from a sturdy bread like sourdough
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 heads Boston/bibb/butter lettuce , chopped or torn
- 1 ¼ pound heirloom tomatoes , cut into chunks, or you could use cherry tomatoes
- 1 pound about 3 medium peaches, cut into slices or chunks
- Freshly ground black pepper , for serving (optional)
For the dressing
- ¼ cup Duke’s or Hellman’s mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- 1 tablespoon chopped basil leaves
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons milk or buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Fry the bacon in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat until it's reached your desired level of doneness (about 5 minutes or so, flipping halfway). Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool, then tear it into pieces. Add the sourdough cubes to the same pan used to cook the bacon in, along with the salt, and toss to coat them in the grease. Toast the bread cubes on all sides until golden, about 5-6 minutes or so. Transfer to a plate or bowl to cool while you prep the rest of the salad.
- Make the dressing. Add all of the ingredients to a jar or a small bowl and shake or whisk well to thoroughly combine. Taste and add more salt if desired.
- To assemble the salad, divide the lettuce among 4 large bowls or plates. Layer with the bacon, croutons, tomatoes, and peaches. Use a spoon to drizzle the dressing overtop. Top with some freshly ground black pepper if desired.
Notes
- The dressing makes about ½ cup.
- The croutons can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat, bake the frozen croutons on a baking sheet at 300°F until thawed and crisp.
Nutrition
More BLT, Peach, and Bacon Recipes to Try
- BLT Sandwich
- BLT Panzanella
- BLT Corn Salad
- Peach & Tomato Bruschetta
- BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado
- Peach Panzanella Salad with Burrata and Bacon
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