North American

Serving

North American Kid-friendly Quick & easy

BLT Sandwich

Name: BLT Sandwich
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: North American
Ingredients: 8 slices thick-cut bacon; 4 slices sourdough or white sandwich bread; 2 large ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick; 4 large leaves crisp iceberg or romaine lettuce; 1/4 cup mayonnaise; 1/4 tsp kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

The quintessential American sandwich of crisp bacon, juicy ripe tomato, and cool lettuce on mayo-slathered toasted bread.

20 minutes

Serves 4

Lunch

9 min prep

15 min cook

Contains common allergens

Egg Wheat

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Good to know

Crispy
Ready in under 30 minutes

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: crispy recipes 30-minute meals

Instructions

5 steps

1
Lay the bacon in a cold skillet, set over medium heat, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping occasionally, until evenly crisp and rendered, then drain on paper towels.
2
Toast the bread slices until golden and firm enough to hold the fillings without going soggy.
3
Spread a generous layer of mayonnaise on one side of each toasted slice, reaching all the way to the edges.
4
Layer two slices with lettuce, then the tomato slices, sprinkling the tomatoes lightly with salt and pepper, and finally four halves of bacon each.
5
Top with the remaining toast, mayo-side down, press gently, then cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal and serve immediately.

BLT Sandwich — plated and served — Serving moment. How BLT Sandwich looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

77/100

Good fit for most families

Allergen-friendly 80

Kid-friendly 85

Weeknight-easy 96

Budget-friendly 72

Great leftovers 56

Pantry-friendly 47

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

310

Calories

12 g

Protein

17 g

Carbs

21 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

The BLT's modern form solidified in American luncheonette culture in the 1950s, when mass-produced sliced bread and refrigerated bacon made the combination easy to prepare at short-order counters. The three-letter abbreviation appears in cookbooks and menus by the mid-20th century, though the combination of cured pork, tomato, and greens on bread is far older in various European traditions. What made the BLT distinctly American was the insistence on mayonnaise and toast rather than a dressed salad leaf between plain bread.

Listahan note

This version builds around peak-summer tomatoes and properly rendered bacon, treating both as non-negotiable; the mayonnaise and toast are in service of those two ingredients.

Technique cues

Starting bacon in a cold pan and bringing the heat up gradually renders the fat slowly, giving you evenly crisp strips rather than curled, chewy ones with burnt edges.
Salting the tomato slices on a rack or paper towel for 5 minutes before assembling draws out excess moisture so the toast does not go soggy immediately.
Toast the bread until firm and golden rather than barely pale; a structural crust is what keeps the sandwich from collapsing under the weight of the filling.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Salt the tomatoes and let them drain while the bacon cooks; toast the bread just before assembly so it is warm but not steaming.
Make-ahead: Cook and drain the bacon up to 2 hours ahead and hold at room temperature on a rack; assemble just before serving.
Leftover move: Extra bacon and tomato make a fast breakfast scramble with eggs and a little of the leftover mayo stirred in at the end.
Cleanup rhythm: Pour cooled bacon fat into a jar for later use, then wipe the skillet with a paper towel while still warm before washing.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

thick-cut bacon

Main protein and flavor anchor

Purpose: Thick-cut strips stay meaty after rendering rather than crisping into brittle shards, giving the sandwich a satisfying bite.

Handling: Start in a cold skillet and cook over medium heat, flipping occasionally, until the fat is fully rendered and the strips are evenly crisp.

Adaptation: Turkey bacon can be used for a lighter option but will not render the same fat, so the sandwich will taste less rich.

ripe tomatoes

Acid and juicy contrast

Purpose: A ripe, in-season tomato provides the sweetness and acidity that make the BLT more than a bacon sandwich; underripe tomatoes flatten the whole result.

Handling: Slice 1/4 inch thick, season lightly with salt, and let sit on a paper towel for a few minutes to shed excess liquid before layering.

Adaptation: Heirloom varieties in season are the best upgrade; out of season, grape tomatoes halved lengthwise hold more flavor than large winter tomatoes.

mayonnaise

Creamy binder and richness

Purpose: Full-fat mayonnaise coats the toast surface and creates a moisture barrier that slows sogginess while adding richness.

Handling: Spread generously all the way to the edges of both interior faces so every bite gets coverage.

Adaptation: Avocado spread can replace mayonnaise for a dairy-free, less processed option with a different but complementary fat profile.

sourdough or white sandwich bread

Structural base

Purpose: The toast must be firm enough to hold wet fillings without becoming a wet sponge; sourdough adds slight tang that echoes the tomato.

Handling: Toast until golden-brown and firm; let cool for a minute before spreading mayo so the bread does not steam and soften.

Adaptation: Brioche-style white bread toasts more richly and adds sweetness; whole wheat adds nuttiness but can overwhelm the delicate tomato flavor.

Technique notes

Render the bacon low and slow; high heat cooks the outside before the fat has a chance to run out, leaving you with greasy-chewy rather than properly crisp strips.
Use two layers of bacon per sandwich stacked perpendicularly so the strips interlock and do not slide out on the first bite.
Cut the sandwich diagonally; the angled edge compresses slightly and holds the stack better than a straight cut through the center.

Ingredient swaps

Gluten-free direction: Use a firm gluten-free sandwich loaf and verify the bacon packaging, as some bacon uses wheat-based flavorings in the cure.
Lower-fat option: Turkey bacon reduces saturated fat significantly; compensate for lost richness by seasoning the tomato well and using a full layer of avocado instead of mayo.

Serve alongside

Kettle-cooked potato chips
Pasta salad with lemon-herb vinaigrette
Simple tomato soup
Dill pickle slices
Freshly squeezed lemonade
Unsweetened iced tea
Light sparkling water with cucumber

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

BLTs do not store assembled; the tomato moisture will soak through the toast within 20 minutes.
Keep cooked bacon wrapped in foil at room temperature for up to 4 hours, or refrigerate for up to 3 days and re-crisp in a dry skillet.
Sliced tomatoes can be held on a paper towel in the fridge for a few hours but are best used the day they are cut.

Equipment

Large flat skillet or cast iron pan for even bacon rendering
Wire rack over a baking sheet for draining bacon and resting tomatoes
Toaster or broiler for firm, even toast

Make this household-aware

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