Zesty Lime BLT Salad with Avocado

Here’s my go-to BLT salad recipe, with crispy bacon pieces, fresh lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and creamy avocado, all tossed together with a simple homemade ranch dressing.

This salad has become my lunchtime favorite, especially during warm summer days. I often make a big batch for family dinners, and any leftovers disappear by noon the next day. Because let’s be honest – who doesn’t love a good BLT, especially when it’s in salad form?

What Kind of Lettuce Should I Use?

While this recipe calls for butter lettuce and arugula, you’ve got plenty of options when it comes to your greens. Butter lettuce (also called Boston or Bibb lettuce) brings a tender, sweet flavor with delicate leaves that won’t overwhelm the other ingredients. If you can’t find butter lettuce, green leaf or red leaf lettuce make great substitutes since they have a similar mild taste and soft texture. The peppery kick from arugula adds a nice contrast, but you could swap it for baby spinach or watercress if that’s what you have on hand. Just make sure your lettuce is fresh and crisp – nobody likes wilted greens in their salad!

Options for Substitutions

This fresh salad recipe is super adaptable and you can make several easy swaps:

• Butter lettuce and arugula: You can switch up the greens based on what you have. Try romaine for extra crunch, baby spinach for more nutrients, or mixed spring greens. If arugula is too peppery for you, swap it with mild green leaf lettuce.
• Grape tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes work just the same, or you can dice regular tomatoes. Just make sure to remove extra seeds and juice to keep your salad from getting soggy.
• Bacon: Turkey bacon makes a lighter option, or try coconut bacon for a vegetarian twist. You could also use pre-made bacon bits in a pinch, though the flavor won’t be quite as good.
• Feta cheese: Feel free to use crumbled goat cheese, blue cheese, or even shredded cheddar instead. For a dairy-free version, try adding extra avocado or some crushed nuts.
• Lime juice: Lemon juice works perfectly fine here, or try 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar for a different tang.
• Sweet corn: You can skip the corn entirely, or replace it with diced cucumber or jicama for crunch. Both canned (drained) or frozen corn (thawed) work well too.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Making

The biggest challenge when making a BLT salad is timing – chopping the lettuce and arugula too far in advance can lead to wilted, sad-looking greens, so it’s best to prep these ingredients right before serving. The second common mistake is not properly draining your bacon after cooking, which can result in an overly greasy salad – make sure to let it rest on paper towels for a few minutes to absorb excess fat. To keep your avocado from browning, toss it in a bit of the lime juice before adding it to the salad, and always dress your salad just before serving to maintain the perfect crisp texture. For the best flavor balance, make sure to season your tomatoes separately with a pinch of salt before adding them to the salad – this brings out their natural sweetness and makes every bite more flavorful.

What to Serve With BLT Salad?

This hearty BLT salad works great as a main dish, but it’s even better with some crusty bread on the side to round out the meal. A warm piece of garlic bread or some toasted sourdough helps capture that classic BLT sandwich feeling while keeping things fresh and light. For a more filling meal, try adding some grilled chicken breast or seared shrimp on top – they pair perfectly with the bacon and avocado. If you’re serving this for lunch, a cup of chilled gazpacho or corn chowder would make a nice addition, especially during summer months.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This BLT salad is best enjoyed right after it’s made, but if you need to prep ahead, store the dressed lettuce and toppings separately. Keep them in airtight containers in the fridge, and they’ll stay good for about 2 days. The avocado might brown a bit, so it’s best to add that just before serving.

Prep Ahead: Want to make this salad ahead for lunch tomorrow? Store your prepped ingredients separately – keep the bacon, corn, and feta in one container, and the lettuce and arugula in another. Mix up the dressing in a small jar and add the fresh avocado and tomatoes right before serving. This way, everything stays crisp and fresh!

Pack: If you’re taking this salad to work or a picnic, layer the ingredients in a jar or container with the dressing at the bottom, followed by the hardy ingredients (bacon, corn, tomatoes), and the greens on top. Keep the avocado separate until you’re ready to eat. This prevents everything from getting soggy!

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	0-5 minutes
Total Time	10-20 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 600-700
• Protein: 15-20 g
• Fat: 45-50 g
• Carbohydrates: 40-50 g

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped butter lettuce
• 2 cups chopped arugula leaves
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, cut into quarters
• 1 cup sweet corn kernels
• 1 avocado, diced
• 4 oz crumbled feta cheese
• 4 slices thick bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of 1 lime
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp black pepper

Step 1: Chop the Lettuce and Arugula

• 2 cups chopped butter lettuce
• 2 cups chopped arugula leaves

Lay the butter lettuce and arugula leaves out on a large cutting board.

Use a sharp knife to chop them roughly, running your knife through the greens in multiple directions until they reach your desired texture.

I find this method gives a really nice, uniform chop to the greens.

Step 2: Prepare the Salad Base

• chopped butter lettuce from Step 1
• chopped arugula leaves from Step 1
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, cut into quarters
• 1 cup sweet corn kernels
• 1 avocado, diced

In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped butter lettuce and chopped arugula from Step 1 with the quartered grape tomatoes, sweet corn kernels, and diced avocado.

Toss gently to mix all the vegetables together.

Step 3: Season and Dress the Salad

• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• juice of 1 lime

Add the salt, black pepper, olive oil, and freshly squeezed lime juice to the salad in the bowl.

Toss everything well to evenly coat all of the vegetables with the dressing.

I like to give it an extra toss so the lime and olive oil reach every bite.

Step 4: Add Bacon and Feta, Then Serve

• 4 slices thick bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 4 oz crumbled feta cheese

Gently fold in the cooked and crumbled bacon and crumbled feta cheese to the dressed salad.

Divide the salad evenly between two plates and serve immediately for the freshest flavor.