The Veggie You Need To Start Slicing Up For Better BLTs

BLT sandwiches are already a well-balanced melody of ingredients — you have the salty flavor of crispy bacon combined with juicy tomato, fresh lettuce, and creamy mayo. This short list of ingredients allows for each component to shine through individually, while simultaneously complementing each other. 

Straying away from this iconic combo may seem unnecessary, but as we have seen with the BLAT (bacon, lettuce, avocado, and tomato), something extra can elevate the classic sandwich from tasty to crave-worthy. There are a lot of ways to build a better BLT sandwich, but one surprising ingredient you should try in your next BLT is fresh cucumber. 

Cucumber doesn't immediately seem like an obvious choice for this sandwich. However, while the traditional BLT includes elements of juiciness, crispiness, and freshness, there is no source of crunchiness. A few slices of fresh cucumber bring in this new element, plus an extra dose of fresh, cool flavor. Cucumber and tomato are both in season during summer, so this is a great time to use the best type of tomato for a BLT combined with the freshest cucumber. Whether you're a vegetable lover or are trying to increase your veggie intake, this trick is a good way to up the fresh produce content in your sandwich. Also, cucumber and avocado go great together, so why not try a BLACT? 

There are many varieties of cucumber to choose from, but the most common types found in grocery stores are the long, green ones called English cucumbers, and the stout, deep-green garden cucumbers. Both of these varieties will work great in a BLT. If you want to switch it up, try Persian cucumber; these are super crunchy and a little sweet. 

Peeling the cucumber before slicing and adding it to your sandwich is up to your personal preference. If using a standard garden cucumber, consider peeling first; these tend to have a thicker, bitter peel that can take a long time to chew. Other varieties — like English or Persian — have thinner peels that are much easier to chew. 

To prevent this addition from overwhelming the other sandwich ingredients, slice the cucumber lengthwise and thinly. The lengthwise cut will help the slices stay on the sandwich as you bite into it. Finally, add only a thin layer of this veggie to the sandwich; too many cucumbers may turn your bread soggy, or overpower the other flavors.