This Summer Salad Is Inspired by a Classic Sandwich
When juicy, vine-ripened tomatoes reach their peak in the summer, it’s practically a challenge to see how many BLTs as you can eat. So when you need something to share for a summer gathering, take some inspiration from this single-serving favorite and turn it into a salad. This summer salad marries the BLT with an easy potato salad to become one of those recipes that everyone at the BBQ will ask you for.
Keep It Simple for Summer
The beauty of BLTs is in their simplicity. Gather the ripest tomatoes you can find, crisp lettuce, salty bacon, and the best-tasting mayonnaise, and your BLT almost makes itself. This salad version is made with the same simplicity in mind. It just swaps potatoes for bread to turn it into something shareable. Mayo has the important job of holding it all together, so we use Duke’s® Real Mayonnaise. It’s made with egg yolks—not egg whites—and cider vinegar so it has just the right amount of creamy tang.
To make this BLT potato salad, crisp up some bacon while the potatoes boil and chop up some sweet cherry tomatoes. Coat everything in an easy, creamy dressing of garlic, Dijon mustard, scallions, and Duke’s® Real Mayonnaise, and toss in a few cups of crunchy romaine lettuce right before serving. This is a potato salad to have on repeat throughout tomato season, so keep a jar of Duke’s® Real Mayonnaise—still made from the original 1917 recipe—at the ready all summer long.
BLT Potato Salad
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 40 minutes
Serves 8 to 10
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds
red potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon
plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 12 ounces
thick-cut bacon slices (5 to 7 slices), diced
- 1 cup
Duke’s® Real Mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon
Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves
garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pint
cherry tomatoes (12 ounces), halved
- 1/4 cup
thinly sliced scallions (about 3)
- 6 cups
coarsely chopped romaine lettuce (6 ounces)
Instructions
Place the potatoes and 1 tablespoon of the salt in a large pot. Cover by 1 inch with cool water, then bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside to cool completely. Meanwhile, cook the bacon.
Place the bacon in a large frying pan over medium heat and cook until the fat renders and the bacon is crisp, about 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve and slightly cool 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat (but do not let it solidify).
Whisk the Duke’s® Real Mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, pepper, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bacon fat together in a large bowl. Add the potatoes, 1/2 cup of the bacon, tomatoes, and scallions, and toss to combine.
Just before serving, add the lettuce and toss again. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle with the remaining bacon.
Recipe Notes
Storage: This salad is best served immediately after adding the lettuce. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days, though lettuce may wilt.