This BLT sandwich recipe is made with crispy bacon, fresh lettuce, and tomato, and topped with a homemade garlic lemon basil mayo for a twist!
If you love bacon you're really going to love this BLT Sandwich with Lemon Basil Mayo!
So, I have this sister-in-law. Her name is Morgan. She's funny and quirky and unapologetically herself at all times. This is a rare trait that I find to be completely refreshing and wish there was more of in the world. Morgan has been requesting that I create a recipe using her favorite food - Bacon.
I occasionally put a call out for readers to request a recipe and/or ingredient and Morgan is usually the first one to pop in with a request for bacon. So, I officially dedicate this post to her.
When I think bacon I think BLT. A BLT is a classic sandwich made with bacon, lettuce, and tomato. It's delicious as is but it's even more delicious and decadent with a zesty sauce or spread.
To ratchet things up a notch I added a lemon basil mayo.
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What To Put On A BLT Sandwich
Every summer I grow a bunch of different herbs. Some of them are planted in pots, others are sprinkled in bare spots throughout the garden, and the rest are thrown in among the dirt patches around the porch. Some of them make it and some of them don't.
The local deer have been extra hungry this year or something because they've been treating our garden and herb pots like their own personal salad bar. I planted some chamomile earlier this summer and the deer ate the entire thing. Twice.
Basil is a hearty herb that luckily the deer don't seem to care for so I've had plenty of it. And basil is is great in just about everything. It's one of the most widely-used herbs out there and adds pop of freshness and flavor to all your dishes.
I love the bright flavor of basil paired with the richness of the bacon.
One of my favorite ways to use it is in this lemon basil mayo!
How To Make Lemon Basil Mayo
The lemon basil mayo is what makes this sandwich. It makes any sandwich, really. It's got the tanginess of the mayonnaise, brightness from the lemon, and the aromatic pop of the basil.
This sauce feels light even though it's made with mayo. It adds a brightness to the heaviness of the bacon.
This sauce is way easy to make - Simply pop a few ingredients into the food processor and you're done!
- To the food processor add 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 packed cup of fresh basil, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ cup lemon juice, ½ tsp. sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Pulse the ingredients until they are all combined.
Make sure all the garlic is incorporated so there aren't any chunks - Chunks of raw garlic can be a bit much for even the most ardent garlic-lovers.
Feel free to grate the garlic into the sauce using a Microplane if you'd like to avoid chunks of garlic. The Microplane zester helps to break it down and incorporate more evenly into the sauce.
How To Cook Bacon For A Sandwich
A BLT is one of the easiest sandwiches out there and you can't make it without the star ingredient - Bacon.
You can use any type of bacon you like. Thick cut peppered bacon, thin crispy bacon, turkey bacon - There is no wrong answer here. This recipe calls for 1 package or roughly 1 lb. of bacon but you can certainly make more for extra sandwiches.
It's best to cook bacon in batches so as not to crowd the pan and to keep the splatter level to a minimum.
Place the first batch of bacon in a cold pan on the stove top. I love to use a cast iron skillet for bacon because the grease provides a nice seasoning.
- Heat the pan to medium-low and use a tongs to flip it once the edges start to curl. I prefer to cook bacon on lower heat because, again, this cuts down on the splatter factor and it prevents the bacon from burning. It also keeps your house from filling with bacon smoke.
- Cook for roughly 5 minutes per side depending on how crispy you like your bacon. I guess I like mine somewhere in the middle.
- Remove from the pan once the bacon is finished and place on a paper towel to drain. Drain the excess grease from the pan and repeat with the remainder of the bacon.
Love sandwiches? Check out these recipes!
- Turkey Rachel Sandwich
- Corned Beef Reuben Sandwich
- Italian Grilled Cheese
- Pan Seared Walleye Sandwich
- Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwich
How To Make BLT with Lemon Basil Mayo
The other essential components of the BLT are the lettuce and tomato.
- Simply cut 1-2 large tomatoes into thick slices and tear a few pieces from a head of lettuce. You can use any type of lettuce with this sandwich - Green leaf lettuce, romaine, mixed greens, spinach. Heck, I've even used Swiss chard to make a BLT. I guess the important thing is that its green.
- The last step is to toast the bread. If you're a normal person this would happen in the toaster or a toaster oven but my toaster broke years ago and the truth is I'm too cheap to buy another one. So, I toast my bread on a flat cast iron skillet on the stove top. Toast that bread however it best works for you and get ready to assemble.
- Slather a generous amount of the lemon basil mayo onto one (or both) slices of the bread.
- Top with 3-4 pieces of bacon, a few tomato slices, and a handful of greens. Place the top on the sandwich and cut in half.
What Type Of Bread Is Best For This Sandwich?
Like all good sandwiches this BLT is messy and a little hard to eat. A good sandwich is not a dainty thing. Some of the best sandwiches I've ever had probably should have come with a bib.
This recipe is gluten free and I find that a hearty gluten free sandwich bread works great. If gluten is not an issue for you any variety of hearty sandwich bread like sourdough, Texas Toast, or white bread is perfect.
You can also go the low-carb route with this recipe by chopping all the ingredients into pieces and adding them to a gluten free low-carb wrap.
Let's be honest - the bread and the wrap are both just vessels to get the bacon into our mouth. So here's to you Morgan and all the other bacon lovers of the world!
What To Serve With A BLT Sandwich
I love dishes like this because they're great on their own or paired with a light salad or a side dish like roasted veggies.
I personally think coleslaw goes particularly well with a BLT. This Crunchy Coleslaw, Blue Cheese Coleslaw, Kohlrabi Coleslaw, or Ginger Miso Slaw are all great options.
A potato salad like this Mediterranean Potato Salad or Spanish Potato Salad are delicious.
For a lighter pairing you can't go wrong with Marinated Tomato Salad, Snap Pea Salad, Balsamic Pickled Beet Salad, or Marinated Green Bean Salad.
Roasted vegetables are a great option. I love this Mediterranean Roasted Cauliflower, Maple Dijon Brussels Sprouts, Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower, and Maple Sesame Brussels Sprouts.
Looking for more lunch recipes? Don't miss these!
- Lemon Basil Chicken Salad
- Mustard Egg Salad
- Curried Chickpea Salad
- Lemon Dill Egg Salad
- Tarragon Chicken Salad
Looking For More Unique BLT Recipes? Don't Miss These!
BLT Pizza
Vegan BLT Sandwich
BLT Grilled Chicken Tacos
BLT with Lemon Basil Mayo
Ingredients
For The Sandwich:
- 1 lb. gluten free bacon or any bacon if not gluten free
- 8 slices gluten free sandwich bread can use any bread if not gluten free
- 2 large tomatoes
- 1 bunch lettuce or greens of choice
For The Lemon Basil Mayo:
- 1 cup mayo
- 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ½ tsp. sugar
- pinch kosher salt
- pinch pepper
Instructions
For The Lemon Basil Mayo:
- Place 1 cup mayo, 1 packed cup basil leaves, the juice of 1 lemon (about ¼ cup), ½ tsp. sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until all the ingredients are completely combined, making sure there are no remaining large chunks of garlic. Place in a small bowl and set aside.Feel free to grate the garlic into the sauce using a Microplane zester in order to avoid chunks of garlic.
For The Sandwich:
- Cut 2 large tomatoes into thick slices and tear a few large pieces from a head of lettuce.
- To cook the bacon place a cast iron skillet or skillet of choice on the stove top. Add some of the bacon to the cold skillet and then bring the heat to medium-low. Cook the first batch of bacon on medium-low for roughly 5 minutes per side. Cooking times will vary depending on the desired crispness of the bacon.
- When bacon has reached desired crispiness remove with a tongs and place on a paper towel to drain.
- Drain any excess grease from the pan and repeat the process until all the bacon has cooked.
- Toast 8 slices of gluten free bread (or any bread if not gluten free) using toaster, toaster oven, or in a pan on the stove top.
- To assemble the sandwiches slather a generous amount of the lemon basil mayo onto one or both sides of bread. Top with 3-4 pieces of bacon, 2 tomato slices, and a handful of lettuce or greens. Place the top on the sandwich and cut in half.
- To make this recipe low-carb simply cut the bacon and tomatoes into smaller pieces and add to a low-carb wrap with a handful of lettuce and a drizzle of the lemon basil mayo.
Aleta
Wow! This BLT looks amazing. I love the lemon basil mayo! This is a must try for sure! And I love you photography!!!
Christine
Thanks so much! The lemon basil mayo totally makes the sandwich! 🙂
Melissa Griffiths
It's not even 8 am and my mouth is watering. That mayo sounds SOOO good! Is 8 am too early for lunch??
Christine
Never too early - It's lunchtime somewhere! 🙂
Alex
Oh my this is delicious! I just tried and I will never have a BLT any other way!
Christine
Hi Alex - I'm so glad to hear that! I definitely love this one with fresh basil during the summer months! 🙂