This is the best BLT recipe in the world, with firm toasted bread, crispy bacon, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy lettuce in every bite. When fresh tomatoes are in season, this simple recipe is the greatest way to make the most of them.

A BLT sandwich is a perfect lunch on its own, but chips are always welcome alongside a sandwich. I think a handful of crispy potato chips or maybe old-school Fritos would be delightful. A pile of sweet potato fries or a scoop of French potato salad would also be ideal!

If you want to get creative with your BLT, do keep reading — below are suggestions for lots of easy add-ins if you want to accessorize your BLT. But make one plain first, and enjoy its simple perfection.

The Ultimate BLT Sandwich recipe: The platonic ideal of one of the greatest sandwiches ever (including a surprising second use for mayo!).

Classic BLT Sandwich Ingredients

A run-of-the-mill BLT is self-explanatory — the ingredients simply include bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes with toasted bread and mayo. But, a bit of discussion about the ingredients is needed if you want to make the Best BLT Sandwich. It’s all about flavor and texure!

• Bacon – Thick-cut bacon vs. regular (at least that’s where I head most of the time), cooked to the perfect degree of crispness. Buying good bacon vs. everyday bacon is worth the extra few bucks here. You can make the bacon a few hours ahead of time, but it’s best not to refrigerate it before using it in the sandwich. Or, if you do refrigerate it, warm it slightly in a pan or in a low (300 degrees or so) oven so it regains its crispness.
• Mayonnaise – You will use mayonnaise not only in the sandwich but also in the griddling of the bread instead of butter (again, pick a good mayo! You can never go wrong with Hellman’s or Duke’s). I like full-fat mayo, but you can use reduced fat if preferred. And yes, some people use Miracle Whip, and that’s a personal choice. As Amy Poehler says, “Good. for you! Not for me.”
• Tomatoes – Then, of course, you need to make sure you are using the most perfect, ripe tomatoes you can find. Nestle the tomato directly against the bread so that the toasted bread can absorb all of those lovely juices from the sliced tomato.
• Bread – Speaking of the bread, the best bread for a BLT has some density and some presence after it’s toasted. A good, fairly thick-sliced Pullman loaf or country white bread is perfect. 
• Lettuce – Fresh, super crisp, big-leaf lettuce is best for a BLT. I like to use either romaine or iceberg for the crunch, but you can also use leafy red or green lettuce or even butter lettuce. This is no place for mesclun.

But then you can keep going if you like; potentially adding a number of optional ingredients (just below) means that you will have a BLT that’s showing off a little.

How to Make the Best BLT

1. Cook the bacon: You can bake your bacon (add 4 to 6 extra minutes to the cooking time for a thick cut). Or, you can heat a skillet over medium heat and fry the bacon for about 6 to 8 minutes, turning it every few minutes until it is nicely crisp but still pliable. Another option is to cook bacon in your air fryer. Remove the bacon to paper towels to drain, then cut each slice in half crosswise.

2. Toast the bread: Spread about 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise on 1 side of each piece of bread. Place as many slices of bread as will fit, mayo side down, in a large skillet and griddle them up until the mayo side of the bread is nicely browned, about 1 minute. Remove the bread from the skillet, let rest browned side up, and griddle up any remaining slices.

3. Add tomatoes and season: Place 4 of the slices of toast browned side down on a cutting board. Place some tomato slices on each piece. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

4. Add bacon and lettuce: Place 3 half slices of bacon on each slice of tomato. Top with a couple of pieces of lettuce.

5. Finish the sandwich: Generously spread the rest of the mayo on the non-browned side of the remaining slices of bread, and top the sandwiches with them browned side up. You now have a perfect BLT.

What to Serve With a BLT

The short answer is that a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich is the perfect meal unto itself. But we do love our side dishes! Think about pairing your BLT with a potato salad like Classic Potato Salad with Celery and Fresh Thyme or a heap of classic cole slaw.

Classic Macaroni Salad

Watermelon Feta Salad

Chickpea Salad

BLT Variations and Substitutions

And even though this sandwich is near perfect on its own…there are plenty of ways to change it up. (Purists, look away. You don’t need to be here.) Here’s what you can add to your BLT!

• Add grilled or caramelized onions or a thin slice of raw onion.
• You can include a sautéed thin chicken cutlet or a piece of broiled or grilled salmon fillet (this kind of makes me think of a Cobb salad sandwich).
• Change out the bacon for pancetta, or try turkey bacon. There is some vegan bacon on the market now — worth a shot if you are a vegan craving this classic sandwich!
• Add a slice of avocado or guacamole, or make a quick guac-ish mash: smash up some avocado with lime juice and maybe some minced scallion or minced cilantro.
• Mix the mayo with some smoked paprika (pimenton), pureed chipotle in adobo sauce, harissa, minced fresh basil, cilantro, or another fresh herb of your choice.
• Make a spicy BLT using Chipotle Mayo and a bit of guacamole. Or try Sriracha mayo!
• Add a bit of Dijon or brown mustard.
• Slide on a fried egg.
• When you’re browning the bread, you could add a slice or a smear of cheese on half the slices (on the top as you brown the bottom). Try cheddar, Monterey jack, brie, or goat cheese. Cover the pan for 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese melts slightly, and then assemble the BLTs (lightly mayo the non-browned side of the remaining 4 slices of bread).

More Classic Sandwich Recipes

• Club Sandwich
• Meatball Sub
• Grilled Cheese
• Tuna Melt
• Grinder Sandwich