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BLT Chopped Salad

Crisp romaine, ripe tomato, bacon, avocado, pickled onion, and bacon-fat croutons turn the classic sandwich into a creamy, crunchy chopped salad.

Chopped romaine BLT salad with tomatoes, crisp bacon, avocado, pickled red onion, croutons, and creamy herb dressing.

A BLT chopped salad works when every forkful contains the familiar elements, not just a few scattered toppings. Matching the size of the romaine, tomato, bacon, avocado, onion, and croutons makes that easy, while a creamy buttermilk-herb dressing ties the mixture together without hiding it.

The dressing stays deliberately light and savory: mayonnaise gives it body, buttermilk loosens it, and vinegar plus fresh herbs keep it fresh beside bacon and tomato. Avocado adds a cool, creamy twist, and quick-pickled onion provides the acidity that a sandwich might otherwise get from a swipe of mayo and tomato juices.

Make croutons worth keeping

Using a spoonful of rendered bacon fat alongside olive oil gives the croutons a savory BLT character without making them greasy. Bake them until the centers are dry, then cool them on the pan so they retain a proper crunch once they meet the salad.

Add brightness with pickled onion

A quick red-wine-vinegar pickle softens the onion's bite while preserving its crispness and vivid color. Its acidity cuts through the bacon, avocado, and creamy dressing more cleanly than adding extra dressing acid at the last minute.

Bacon-fat seasoned sourdough cubes bake on a sheet pan to become crunchy salad croutons. — Bacon-fat seasoned sourdough cubes bake until golden and completely crunchy for the salad.

A dressing that supports the BLT

Buttermilk thins the mayonnaise just enough for the dressing to coat chopped leaves in a light layer. Chives and dill add freshness, while a modest amount of vinegar keeps the flavor focused on bacon and ripe tomato rather than turning it sharply tangy.

Build a mixed bite

The point of chopping is distribution: tomatoes, bacon, avocado, onion, and croutons should be close enough in size to cling among the romaine. Toss gently after cutting so the avocado stays intact and the tomatoes do not flood the bowl.

A close chopped salad bite shows romaine, tomato, crisp bacon, avocado, onion, crouton, and herb dressing. — A chopped forkful shows romaine, tomato, crisp bacon, avocado, pickled onion, crouton, and herb dressing together.

Finish at the last minute

Dress the salad only when the meal is ready, then scatter the last croutons over the top. Serving the remaining dressing alongside lets the salad stay crisp and gives everyone control over the creamy finish.

BLT Chopped Salad

4 side servings

56 minutes total

Ingredients

• 6 oz crisp romaine hearts, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 8 oz thick-cut bacon
• 3 cups torn day-old sourdough bread
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, divided
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 2 tbsp chopped chives
• 1 tbsp chopped dill
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• 1 avocado
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

Quick-pickle the onion
Toss the sliced red onion with 1 tbsp red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt in a small bowl; press the slices into the liquid and set aside for at least 10 minutes.
Look for: The onion softens slightly and turns brighter pink around the edges.
Heat the oven
Set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 400 F while you line a rimmed sheet pan for the bacon.
Look for: The oven is fully preheated before the bacon goes in.
Bake the bacon crisp
Arrange the bacon in one layer on a foil-lined rimmed sheet pan and bake for 16 minutes, until deeply browned and bubbling; drain on paper towels and reserve 1 tbsp bacon fat from the pan.
Look for: The bacon is mahogany brown and firms into crisp shards as it cools.
Season the croutons
Toss the sourdough bread with the reserved bacon fat, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and a pinch of black pepper on a clean rimmed sheet pan until each piece is evenly coated.
Look for: The bread has a light sheen with seasoning distributed across every piece.
Bake crunchy croutons
Bake the croutons at 400 F for 10 minutes, turning once halfway through, until golden on multiple sides and dry through the center; cool on the pan.
Look for: The croutons sound crisp when tapped and do not feel chewy when broken.
Whisk the herb dressing
Whisk mayonnaise, buttermilk, remaining 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, chives, dill, and black pepper until creamy, loose, and herb-flecked.
Look for: The dressing flows slowly from a spoon and tastes fresh without masking the bacon or tomatoes.
Chop for every bite
Cut the tomatoes into bite-size pieces, crumble the bacon, and dice the avocado into pieces close to the size of the chopped romaine; toss the avocado with lemon juice so the toppings mix evenly rather than falling to the bottom.
Look for: The tomato, bacon, avocado, and romaine pieces are similarly bite-sized.
Dress the salad
Put the chopped romaine, tomatoes, avocado, drained pickled onion, bacon, and half the croutons in a large bowl; add about two-thirds of the dressing and toss gently until evenly coated.
Look for: Each scoop contains lettuce, tomato, bacon, avocado, onion, and crouton without pooling dressing.
Finish and serve
Transfer the salad to a chilled platter, scatter the remaining croutons over the top, and serve immediately with the remaining creamy buttermilk-herb dressing alongside.
Look for: The surface remains crunchy and colorful, with croutons and bacon still crisp.