BLT Salad with Aged Cheddar

Turn a classic summer sandwich into a dinner-worthy salad with this BLT Salad with Aged Cheddar. Drizzle with easy homemade buttermilk-chive dressing!

Did I ever tell you about the teenage/young adult phase I went through where I hated bacon? There was no rhyme or reason to it. I just woke up one morning and had an aversion to bacon.

When my mom made BLTs for dinner with the freshest summer tomatoes, I would make myself a big ol’ LT (which honestly, was still pretty good).

Luckily, all phases come to an end (and I’ve heard that taste buds change every 7 years or so), so the B is back in my BLTs, friends. And for good measure, I added cheese to this BLT Salad with Aged Cheddar, just to show my taste buds who is really boss.

About this BLT Salad with Aged Cheddar:

• While this salad would be good all year ’round, it’s best in the summer because tomatoes are best then! I hit up my farmer’s market for a variety of different sizes/shapes/colors of local heirloom tomatoes.
• I made this salad with whole leaves of butter lettuce (call me crazy, but I kind of like salads where you need a fork and knife). You could certainly tear the butter lettuce into bite size pieces, and also use romaine or any other type of lettuce you prefer.
• What salad isn’t better with a little bit of cheese? Black Creek Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese is naturally aged for two years, giving it a complex and nutty flavor that will really amp up your salad (and it’s amazing simply cut up for a snack, too). This cheese has a firm texture that is slightly crumbly, which makes it excellent for shaving over a salad!
• While a classic BLT sandwich would be finished with a slather of mayonnaise, the buttermilk-chive dressing I’ve made for this salad has tangy buttermilk as it’s leading lady (use extra buttermilk for my buttermilk chicken marinade, Black Forest cupcakes or blueberry buttermilk muffin recipe). The mayonnaise is still there, in a smaller amount. All you need to round out this dressing is red wine vinegar, some fresh chives and salt and pepper.

Enjoy your salad, and be sure to connect with Black Creek Cheese on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

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BLT Salad with Aged Cheddar

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Turn a classic summer sandwich into a dinner-worthy salad with this BLT Salad with Aged Cheddar. Drizzle with easy homemade buttermilk-chive dressing!

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Ingredients

For the Buttermilk-Chive Dressing:

• 5 tablespoons buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1-1/2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

For the Salad:

• 2 medium heads butter lettuce, leaves separated
• 1 pound heirloom tomatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces if necessary
• 4 ounces Black Creek Extra Sharp 2 Year Aged Cheddar Cheese, shaved
• 4 slices oven baked bacon, coarsely chopped

For Serving:

• Toasted baguette slices or croutons (optional)

Instructions

1. Make the Buttermilk-Chive Dressing: In small bowl, whisk buttermilk, mayonnaise, chives, vinegar, salt and pepper until smooth. Makes about 1/2 cup dressing.
2. Make the Salad: Arrange lettuce leaves in large bowl. Top with tomatoes, cheese and bacon. Serve with Buttermilk-Chive Dressing and baguette slices, if desired.

Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know what you think! Rate the recipe above, leave a comment below, and/or share a photo to Instagram using the tag #foxeslovelemons.

More great summer salad recipes:

• Chopped Broccoli Salad with Cheese Tortellini – this one is a crowd pleaser!
• Heirloom Tomato & Beet Salad – for when tomatoes are at their peak.
• Great Green Salad with Miso Vinaigrette – simple and perfect.
• Watermelon & Avocado Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing – the best combo of sweet and salty!
• Apple Cider Vinegar Coleslaw Recipe – great with barbecue chicken or ribs.
• Israeli Couscous Salad with Summer Vegetables from Green Valley Kitchen
• Rosemary Chicken, Bacon and Avocado Salad from How Sweet Eats

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Saputo Cheese USA Inc. Sponsored posts help me pay for the costs associated with this blog (groceries…lots of groceries), and help support me as I pursue a career in recipe development and food photography. All opinions are 100% my own.