B.L.A.T. Sandwich (Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, and Tomato)

Forget about the traditional BLT and make this B.L.A.T. Sandwich instead! Crusty bread is layered with bacon, lettuce, avocado, and tomato, then finished with refreshing basil aioli.

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Bacon, lettuce, avocado, and tomato sandwiches​​

Want to know how to make a BLT sandwich even better? Add avocado! This B.L.A.T. Sandwich is a quick and easy lunch idea that’s too good to pass up. 

This best-every BLAT sandwich layers all of this goodness on thick slices of sourdough bread:

• Bacon
• Lettuce
• Avocado
• Tomato

Fresh basil leaves and a garlicky, herbaceous basil aioli finish it off, leaving you with an ultra-savory and irresistible sandwich.

The best thing about this bacon, lettuce, avocado, and tomato sandwich is that you can prepare the fillings days ahead of time. Just keep them in the fridge and start layering whenever you’re craving a sandwich for lunch. Serve it next to french fries, chips, tomato salad, or green beans and enjoy!

Ingredients and substitutions

The ingredients list may sound obvious, but there are a few particular items you need to make every bite of this sandwich completely irresistible: 

• Bread – Thick slices of crusty bread, like sourdough, hold all of the hearty sandwich layers in place. You can use regular sandwich bread, but make sure it’s toasted well so the sandwich doesn’t fall apart or become soggy.
• Bacon – Grab yourself some thick-cut bacon and cook it until crispy! Feel free to use turkey bacon to keep things lighter or veggie bacon to make a vegetarian BLAT sandwich.
• Lettuce – Keep it simple and stick to romaine or iceberg lettuce.
• Avocado – Creamy avocado is the best way to make any BLT sandwich even better.
• Tomato – Slice large ripe tomatoes, like beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes, and lay them in the sandwich.
• Basil – Fresh basil leaves really brighten up the sandwich but you can leave them out if you want.
• Basil aioli – This homemade aioli is so herbaceous, bright, and garlicky. It’s easy to make with mayonnaise, fresh basil, garlic, and lemon juice. Feel free to make extras and use it as a dipping sauce with air fryer artichoke hearts, crispy ranch potatoes, and shishito peppers.

How to make a B.L.A.T. sandwich

This sandwich is ready to eat after a quick 15-minute prep time. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Make the basil aioli: Mix all of the aioli ingredients together in a mason jar with a spoon or an immersion blender.
2. Cook the bacon: Air fry or pan fry the bacon slices until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
3. Assemble the sandwiches: Toast the bread slices and spread some basil aioli on each one. Add the lettuce, tomato, avocado, bacon, and basil. Top with another slice of bread, cut in half, and enjoy!

Tips and tricks

• Sandwich layering tips – Always layer lettuce or basil over the aioli-covered bread slices to protect the bread from the juicy tomatoes. This way, their juices won’t seep into the bread. Also, if the bacon slices are too big and spilling over the edges, feel free to cut them in half.
• Salt the tomatoes – Once the tomatoes are sliced, lay them on a paper towel and sprinkle salt on top. Let them sit for 10 minutes before blotting them dry. The salt will help drain the juices and make the sandwich less messy.
• Instead of basil aioli – Use regular mayonnaise, ranch dressing, or make my smoky garlic aioli instead.
• Add a spicy kick – By stirring up to 1 tablespoon of adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers into the basil aioli.

Make-ahead tips

This sandwich makes for a quick and easy weekday lunch, especially when all of the layers are ready to go ahead of time. Lucky for you, everything can be prepared in advance:

• Bacon: Cook the bacon slices ahead of time and keep them in a sealed container in the fridge until it’s time to assemble.
• Vegetables: Keep the sliced tomato and torn lettuce leaves in separate containers in the fridge. The avocado is best when it’s sliced fresh.
• Basil aioli: The sandwich sauce can be made up to 1 week ahead of time and kept in a sealed container in the fridge.

Looking for more easy lunch ideas?

• Mediterranean Toast with White Bean Spread
• Air Fryer Chicken Banh Mi
• Easy Ham and Cheese Crepes
• Pan-Seared Miso Salmon Rice Bowls
• Citrus Grilled Shrimp and Avocado Salad

Did you try this B.L.A.T. Sandwich? Let me know what you think in the comments below, or share a picture on Instagram! I love to share all of your recreations on my page.