Cherry tomatoes, crispy bacon, fresh basil and saltine crackers are tossed in a savory mayonnaise mixture in this amazing summer salad that will remind you of your favorite BLT sandwich.
If I had to choose a favorite sandwich, it would have to be a classic BLT, so it’s not surprising that this BLT Cracker Salad is my new favorite way to enjoy all the flavors of a BLT.
This salad is especially perfect for summer barbecues and holidays, because it features in-season cherry tomatoes and fresh basil, which are two of the things I’m reasonably capable of growing in my backyard garden.
Of course, cherry tomatoes are ready available at most grocery stores, but if you can find them at the farmer’s market or in your own backyard, this salad will be even more amazing than it already is.
The saltine crackers, of course, are a stand-in for the bread in this recipe, and they add a wonderful, salty crunch to this unique and delicious salad.
And don’t forget the bacon–make sure it’s cooked until crisp for the best results when making this recipe.
This definitely isn’t a make-ahead salad, because the crackers will obviously get soggy, and the bacon will lose it’s crunch.
But you could certainly prep your tomatoes and basil ahead of time, as well as mix up the mayo and lemon juice dressing and keep it refrigerated until serving.
You’ll want to add your crispy bacon and gently fold in your broken crackers just before serving. You probably won’t have to worry about anything getting soggy at that point, because this salad is going to disappear in no time.
Made with fresh, in-season produce and a handful of pantry staples, this simple salad takes minutes to make and is proof that the best food is almost always made with high-quality, seasonal ingredients.
I know I’ll be making this BLT Cracker Salad on a regular basis this summer. It’s my new go-to for using the abundance of cherry tomatoes from my backyard garden.
Be sure to save this BLT Cracker Salad recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Tips for Choosing and Storing Tomatoes
Appearance: Look for plump, heavy tomatoes with smooth skins. Avoid bruises, blemishes, or deep cracks, although fine cracks at the stem ends of ripe tomatoes shouldn’t affect flavor.
Are they ripe? Ripe tomatoes should be fragrant. If they have no aroma at all, the tomatoes were probably picked too soon and will never ripen.
Storing: Fully ripe tomatoes are soft and yield to the touch–you should plan use them immediately. Cold damages tomatoes and stops ripening, so as a rule, don’t refrigerate them, and don’t buy tomatoes from a refrigerated case.
Here’s what you’ll need to make BLT Cracker Salad
- Mayonnaise
- Produce: basil, cherry tomatoes, lemons
- Salt and pepper
- Saltine crackers
- Bacon
BLT Cracker Salad
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12 oz. cherry tomatoes halved (2-3 cups)
- 20 saltine crackers broken into bite-size pieces
- 6 slices bacon cooked crisp and coarsely choppped
Equipment
- Wooden Spoons
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together mayonnaise, basil, lemon juice and salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and toss to coat. Just before serving, fold in the broken crackers and chopped bacon.
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Nutrition
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Who Dished It Up First: Adapted from Taste of the South
