This ain’t our first BLT rodeo.
Remember these BLT Fresh Rolls? All the flavours of a classic BLT sandwich rolled up into one perfect summer bite?
Man, I miss those…and summer.
And since our love for bacon runs deep (and year round), we figured it’s time to get our BLT on again!
We’re dietitians, so of course we think you should load up on vegetables, but we also think they should taste good. We know plain ol’ boiled brussels sprouts aren’t winning any awards. But properly seasoned and roasted sprouts with bacon? You’re in business. Food should be eaten because it’s satisfying and flavourful, not only because you think you should eat it or because you’ve heard it’s ‘good for you’.
Take this Salmon BLT salad. If there’s a more satisfying and flavourful salad out there, I challenge you to show us!
I originally tested this recipe with turkey bacon while Erin tested it with real-deal pork. Pork is a no-no in my kosher household (which is probably why I load up whenever I see the real deal on a breakfast menu!). Nonetheless turkey bacon worked splendidly, and if you must leave all types of bacon out, you’ll still get a mighty fine salad. Salmon and bacon are a match made in heaven is all.
Now add crispy homemade croutons, plump cherry tomatoes, peppery arugula, creamy avocado and a drizzle of herbaceous dressing and you’ve got all the components of a BLT (upgraded!) suitable for a weeknight meal or a dinner party worthy showstopper.
And for those of you who have have kids around (us. always.), this meal also falls into the deconstructed dinner category. When I serve it up for my family, I reserve some plain croutons, tomatoes, salmon, bacon and avocado so the kids can pick and choose what they want to eat. This means we’re all eating the same thing, it may just look slightly different for each family member. This technique can make almost any meal family friendly, and bonus: it means no short-order cooking for us!
Finally, if you’re trying maximize your time for weeknight cooking with some weekend meal prep , the dressing, croutons, salmon and bacon can all be made ahead and simply assembled when it’s dinnertime. Us moms…we’re always scheming.
Do you have a favourite meal-worthy salad? Do tell!
Dara
Salmon BLT Salad
Print recipeIngredients
- 1lb salmon filet
- 1/2lb bacon (about 6 strips)
- 2 slices whole grain bread (cubed)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (divided)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (divided)
- 5 ounce container baby arugula
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 avocado (thinly sliced)
Salad Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon, juiced)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped basil (or 2 tsp dried)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon each, salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
| 1. | Preheat oven to 400F. Season Salmon with 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. In a small bowl, drizzle bread cubes with oil, add remaining 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/8 tsp pepper and toss to coat. |
| 2. | Add Salmon to one side of a lined baking sheet and and bread cubes to the opposite side. Add bacon to a separate aluminum foil lined baking sheet. |
| 3. | Bake Salmon, bread and bacon together. Remove crouton after 8-10 minutes. Continue cooking the salmon and bacon for an additional 7-8 minutes, until salmon just cooked through and bacon a deep brown around the edges. Crumble bacon into large pieces once cooled. |
| 4. | In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredient for the dressings. |
| 5. | Once salmon, bacon and croutons slightly cooled, crumble bacon and layer salad ingredients on a large plate or dish. Drizzle dressing over top just before serving. |
Elaine @ Flavour and Savour says
Love those flavours and love how you deconstruct the salad and let kids choose what they like. I’ve found this strategy super successful, too!
Erin & Dara says
It is the best way to give kids control when it comes to their food and makes family dinners so much more enjoyable!
Shareba says
“You should eat food that is satisfying and flavourful, not just because you think you should eat it because it’s so-called “good for you.” – YES!!! I agree with this so much!! I would happily eat this 🙂
Erin & Dara says
Thanks Shareba! You can come over for dinner anytime! 🙂
Shareba says
“You should eat food that is satisfying and flavourful, not just because you think you should eat it because it’s so-called “good for you.” – YES!!! I agree with this so much!!
Justine | JustineCelina.com says
How smart to infuse BLT flavours into a salad — and jazz things up with salmon! This looks like a beautiful, hearty, flavourful salad — perfect for autumn. Great recipe!
Erin & Dara says
Thanks so much! It is totally our new favourite salad!
Erin & Dara says
Thanks so much! We are totally loving on this salad!