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Best BLAT Sandwich Recipe

This BLAT sandwich recipe is a fresh take on the BLT with crispy toasted bread piled high with juicy sliced tomatoes, crisp lettuce, creamy ripe avocado and plenty of crunchy bacon. A special Ranch Balsamic Mayo elevates the flavors to a whole new level.

Bacon, lettuce and tomato on crispy toast is a classic sandwich combination, and you’ll love the addition of ripe avocado slices and a flavorful sandwich spread.

A bacon lettuce avocado and tomato sandwich on toasted white bread.
Bacon Lettuce Tomato Sandwich with Avocado and Ranch Balsamic Mayo

If you love B.L.T.s, be sure to check out our Mini BLT Sliders and BLT Crostini Appetizers. And for more sandwiches, 30 favorite bacon lunch ideas and our roundup of best turkey and bacon sandwiches.

Why These Deluxe BLTs are Worth Making

  • The recipe is super easy, and you can make BLATs in less than an hour.
  • Avocado is the perfect addition to the classic BLT. You’ll love how the creamy texture compliments the bacon, lettuce and tomato!
  • You can customize the BLAT sandwich recipe to suit your tastes. See below for recipe substitutions and additional ingredients you can add.
  • These tasty sandwiches are easy to eat, with no utensils needed! They’re perfect for a picnic or tailgating party.
  • You can cook the bacon ahead of time and prep the lettuce, tomato and Ranch Balsamic Mayo.

Ingredients Needed

A ripe avocado, a medium tomato, four butter lettuce leaves, ranch balsamic sauce, two pieces of toast and four pieces of bacon,

For each giant sandwich you’ll need:

  • Sliced avocado
  • Tomato slices
  • Lettuce leaves
  • 2 slices of toasted bread
  • 4 cooked bacon strips
  • and our delicious Ranch Balsamic Mayo (recipe below).

The Best Bacon for Sandwich Making

For bacon that cooks up nice and crispy, we prefer traditional sliced bacon for this sandwich. It’ll be a little easier to eat and not as chewy as thick sliced bacon.

Of course, if thick sliced bacon is what you have on hand, then by all means use that! You may wish to cook it on the crispy side. (For extra crunchy texture, try our flour coated bacon.)

We like to cook bacon in the oven for this recipe, but you can use your favorite method.

The Best Bread for Toasting

Two pieces of toasted bread popping out of a toaster in a kitchen.

Each type of bread has different flavor and texture profiles that will elevate your sandwich to World Class status! Some of our favorites include:

  • Sourdough bread
  • Whole wheat bread
  • Multigrain bread
  • White bread
  • Potato bread
  • Challah
  • Brioche

For the sandwich in the photograph, we used sliced potato bread. It makes the most perfect toast – crispy on the outside and soft inside. Plus, the mild potato flavor pairs really well with all the other tasty sandwich ingredients.

The Crispiest Lettuce

Butter lettuce, also known as Bibb lettuce or Boston lettuce, has tender leaves and a mild flavor.

Iceburg lettuce is a classic choice with mild flavor and lots of crispy crunch.

Romaine lettuce has long leaves and a slightly bitter flavor.

Leaf lettuce includes red, green and oak varieties. Red and green leaf lettuce have a mild flavor, while oak leaf lettuce has a slightly nutty flavor.

The Perfect Tomatoes for Slicing

A ripe tomato being sliced by a knife on a green cutting board.

Naturally, if you have garden-fresh summer tomatoes those will have the most delicious flavor. Or stop at your favorite farmer’s market for just-harvested ripe tomatoes.

Fresh-grown Beefsteak or Brandywine tomatoes are both a very flavorful choice for this sandwich, but any tomato will work.

If you’re using grocery store tomatoes, look for hothouse varieties like tomatoes on the vine. Smaller varieties like Roma tomatoes are generally picked a little riper since they’re not as prone to bruising.

If the tomatoes you buy are on the hard side, they may ripen if you let them sit in an open wire basket in the kitchen for a few days.

The Tastiest Avocado

While there are many avocado varieties, two types are commonly found in U.S. grocery stores.

Haas avocados (sometimes called California avocados) are smaller with pebbly skin, and have a rich flavor due to their high fat content.

Florida avocados are larger with smooth skin, and have a lower fat content and fewer calories.

If you buy an avocado that’s not quite ripe, store it in a paper bag with an apple or banana to speed the ripening process.

Conversely, if you have a perfectly ripe avocado but want to make sandwiches in a day or two, store the unpeeled avocado in the refrigerator to slow the ripening.

Fun fact: Did you know there’s a Bacon Avocado variety?

Step by Step Instructions

Cutting board with two pieces of toast topped with mayo and tomato slices
  1. Cook and drain the bacon.
  2. Make the ranch Balsamic mayo.
  3. Toast the bread.
  4. Slice the tomatoes and drain on paper towels.
  5. Separate the lettuce leaves and tear in smaller pieces, if necessary.
  6. Peel, pit and slice the avocado. (An avocado slicer makes the task super easy.)
  7. Spread the Ranch Balsamic mayo on the toast.
  8. Layer the ingredients on the sandwich.
  9. Cut, serve and bliss out!

Ranch Balsamic Mayo Directions

whisking ingredients for ranch balsamic mayo in a small white bowl, with Hellman's mayonnaise behind.

In a small bowl, combine:

  • 4 tablespoons real mayonnaise (we love Hellmann’s)
  • 1 teaspoon Balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ranch dip mix from a 1 ounce package

Stir until well blended. Cover and reserve. You can make the spread up to 3 days in advance and store it, covered, in the refrigerator.

Assembling the Sandwiches

One piece of toast with basil mayonnaise and avocado, and one piece of toast with tomato and lettuce.

You can layer the ingredients however you like. For the final photo, this is how we layered ours starting from the bottom up:

  1. Toasted bread slice spread with Ranch Balsamic Mayo
  2. Lettuce leaves
  3. Tomato slices
  4. Crispy bacon strips
  5. Lettuce leaves
  6. Avocado slices
  7. Toasted bread slice spread with Ranch Balsamic Mayo
  8. Hold everything together with a toothpick!
bacon lettuce avocado tomato sandwich skewered with pig toothpick.

What Can You Add to a BLT?

Feel free to experiment and get as creative as you like with these bacon lettuce tomato and avocado sandwiches. For variety you can layer in additions like these:

Thinly sliced cucumbers – English cucumbers and regular cucumbers are both delicious.

Sprouts – tender alfalfa sprouts, radish sprouts or bean sprouts add fresh flavor and crunch!

Sliced peppers – try bell peppers, drained pepperoncini or chopped, drained sweet Italian peppers.

Spinach leaves – add nutrients and flavor with raw spinach. Plus, you can then call your sandwich a B.L.A.S.T.!

Thinly sliced radishes – add a spicy crunch with sliced regular or white icicle radishes.

Turkey – honey turkey or smoked turkey are both delicious in this sandwich, and with this addition your sandwich will become a B.L.A.T.T.!

Bacon aioli – instead of mayonnaise you can substitute our delicious, creamy bacon aioli spread. Use it as a base for the ranch mayo with balsamic, or use it as is for a garlicky, lemony bacon flavor!

How to Make Cute Pig Sandwich Picks

Making a pig sandwich pick with a small pig eraser and a bamboo cocktail pick.

To make the decorative toothpicks that hold these sandwiches together, I purchased some cute pink pig erasers (that’s an affiliate link in case you want to buy similar ones).

I used a sharp paring knife to cut a hole in the bottom of the eraser. Then I pushed wood picks (another affiliate link) in the opening, about 1/3 inch of the way in.

FAQs

What can I use instead of mayo on a BLT?

You might be out of mayonnaise, or perhaps you’re wondering, “Can I use sour cream instead of mayo?” The answer is that you can definitely change up the sandwich spread to suit your tastes. Thousand Island dressing, Ranch dressing or a drizzle of Italian viniagrette are all delicious on this sandwich. Sour cream or onion dip will do in a pinch, too. Or add a “schmear” of chive and onion cream cheese spread!

Is a BLT a healthy lunch?

A bacon lettuce tomato and avocado sandwich can be nutritious! Here are some tips:
1. Use a smaller slice of bread, and go for a nutritious loaf like Dave’s Thin Sliced Sprouted Whole Grain bread, which is just 70 calories a slice.
2. Use nitrate-free bacon and blot it well to remove extra fat.
3. Halve the amount of mayo, or skip it altogether.

What can I substitute for lettuce in a BLT?

Spinach, kale, watercress, sprouts, or arugula will all add a little crunch to your sandwich. Or substitute thinly sliced raw cabbage, or even a handful of bagged cole slaw mix.

More Great Bacon Recipes

If you like these tasty sandwiches, you might also like these popular recipes:

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bacon lettuce avocado tomato sandwich skewered with pig toothpick

BLAT Sandwich

Eliza Cross
This BLAT sandwich recipe features luscious layers of bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato! Ranch balsamic mayonnaise adds extra flavor.
4.95 from 17 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Sandwiches
Cuisine American
Servings 2
Calories 788 kcal

Equipment

  • Cutting board
  • serrated knife
  • avocado slicer
  • wooden sandwich picks
  • spreading knife
  • paper towels for blotting

Ingredients
  

  • 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon ranch dip or dressing mix
  • 1 teaspoon Balsamic vinegar
  • 4 slices bread toasted
  • 1 large tomato cut in 1/4 inch slices and patted dry
  • 4 lettuce leaves washed and dried
  • 8 strips regular sliced bacon crisply cooked and drained
  • 1 medium avocado peeled, pitted and cut in 1/3 inch slices

Instructions
 

  • Make the Ranch Balsamic Mayo: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ranch dip powder and Balsamic vinegar. Whisk to combine and reserve.
  • Lay out two slices of toast on a work surface. Spread each piece with 1/4 of the ranch balsamic mayo.
  • Top each with lettuce leaves.
  • Arrange 2 tomato slices on each sandwich.
  • Top each with 4 strips of bacon, breaking to fit as needed.
  • Top with another lettuce leaf.
  • Layer with avocado slices. 
  • Top with remaining toast slices, with the mayo spread side down. Press down lightly and secure with a sandwich pick if desired.

Notes

To make ahead: The Ranch Balsamic Mayo can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. The bacon can be prepared up to 2 days in advance, drained, cooled and refrigerated in a covered container. The sliced tomatoes and lettuce leaves can be prepped and stored, loosely covered, up to 8 hours in advance. About 20 minutes before serving, prep the avocados, make the toast, and assemble the sandwiches. 

ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES

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Nutrition

Serving: 2sandwichesCalories: 788kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 23gFat: 61gSaturated Fat: 12gMonounsaturated Fat: 46gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 1348mgFiber: 10gSugar: 8g
Nutritional Information Disclosure
Keyword bacon, BLAT, BLT, sandwich
Did you make this recipe? We love seeing what you made! Be sure to leave a review, and show us your bacon creations on Instagram! Tag us at @BensaBaconLovers!

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Bacon lettuce avocado and tomato sandwich with ranch balsamic mayo, held together with a pig topped pick.
eliza cross

About Eliza & BENSA

BENSA was founded by bacon enthusiast Eliza Cross, author of more than a dozen cookbooks. She has written three bacon cookbooks including the award-winning Bacon Beans and Beer, the bestselling 101 Things to Do With Bacon, and the popular sequel 101 More Things to Do With Bacon. Learn more about BENSA...

12 thoughts on “Best BLAT Sandwich Recipe”

  1. 5 stars
    I love the addition of avocado to the traditional BLT combo! This is such a delicious sandwich!

    Reply
    • 5 stars
      Delicious, but then anything with bacon is delicious. I really like the step to drain the tomato slices on paper towels as opposed to wiping up the tomato juice off the plate.
      Thanks

      Reply
  2. 5 stars
    Ooooo, the ranch balsamic on this BLAT makes this sandwich so good! Such great tips (as usual) Eliza, you are my favorite bacon blog — by far!

    Reply
4.95 from 17 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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