Grilled Avocado BLT Salad Recipe
Grilling makes everything better, including salads
There's almost nothing we love more than an old-school BLT, but sometimes—say, in the heart of summer—it can easily feel like a bit too much. That's where this recipe comes in.
First, sub the dense bread with heads of grilled romaine lettuce, and you have a lighter base that's just as satisfying as the original. Continue over at the grill: Crisp up strips of thick-cut bacon and char hefty slices of California Avocados. Toss on slices of raw sugar snap peas, vine-ripened heirloom cherry tomatoes—which both offer a satisfying crunch and great acid—and a handful of smoked blue cheese. Finally, dress your stunner with a tahini-avocado dressing for a creamy yet guilt-free final note.
Recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen
Grilled Avocado BLT Salad
Top grilled romaine with bacon, blue cheese, veggies and California Avocados for a salad you'll crave.
Ingredients
- For the Dressing
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 medium California Avocado
- ¾ cup cold water
- Kosher salt, to taste
- For the Grilled Avocado BLT Salad
- 3 heads (22 ounces) romaine lettuce, sliced in half lengthwise
- 1 pound thick–cut bacon
- 2 medium California avocados—halved, pitted, peeled and cut into ½-inch slices
- Dressing, for drizzling1½ cups (8 ounces) cherry tomatoes, halved1 cup sugar snap peas, ends and fibrous strings removed, thinly sliced on a bias½ cup (3 ounces) smoked blue cheese, crumbled
Directions
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
- Make the dressing: In a food processor, combine all of the dressing ingredients, except for the water and salt. While the motor is running, thin out the mixture by streaming in the water until the mixture is a smooth dressing consistency. If the dressing is too thick, thin it out with more water. Season the dressing with salt, transfer to a small bowl and reserve for later.
- On the whole grill, add the romaine halves cut-sides down, bacon strips and California Avocado slices. Allow the ingredients to form dark grill marks and don't over flip. After 3 minutes, flip the ingredients to the other side. After 2 minutes, remove the romaine and set on a cutting board to cool. After 2 more minutes, take the California Avocado slices off the grill. Cook the bacon until the fat has rendered and the strips are golden brown, 2 minutes more. Transfer the grilled bacon to a plate and allow to cool. When it's cool enough to handle, crumble it with your hands into 1-inch pieces.
- Slice the romaine in half on a deep bias, and transfer and shingle the leaves onto a large rectangular serving platter. Drizzle the romaine with the desired amount of dressing and shingle the cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas, smoked blue cheese, bacon and California Avocado on top of the greens in a divergent pattern. Serve right away with a side of more dressing.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 540 |
| Total Fat | 48.4 g |
| Saturated Fat | 13.0 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.1 g |
| Cholesterol | 51.5 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 15.6 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 9.7 g |
| Total Sugars | 3.5 g |
| Sodium | 796.4 mg |
| Protein | 14.9 g |
