BLT (Beet, Lettuce, Tomato) Salad with Smoky Mayonnaise
When the garden tomatoes ripen on the vine, my thoughts wander to the days of a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches. I dearly love the juicy, sweet, salty, smoky, creamy, and crunchy combination. This recipe reconstructs the sandwich into a salad retaining all those endearing qualities.
ONWARD:
This vegetarian reconstruction loses the nitrate-laden bacon. I know, I know, it’s not really a BLT without the bacon. Earthy beets and smoky mayonnaise go a long way to make this a healthy alternative. Use a sour dough-style whole grain bread for a crunchy bite. Most of all chose sweet ripe tomatoes for a truly tasty salad!
4 side salads
INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise
1 ½ teaspoons buttermilk (or 1 teaspoon milk, ½ teaspoon lemon juice)
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika or pimentón
2 small beets
3 slices hearty whole grain bread
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes, washed, halved
1 head Bibb or butter lettuce, washed, torn into bite-sized pieces
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. Thoroughly mix the mayonnaise, buttermilk, and paprika together. Reserve cold.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
3. Wash the beets. Wrap in foil. Place on a sheet pan and roast in the oven for about one hour. A paring knife should easily pierce the center of the beet when done. Peel and dice the beets (about the same size of the cherry tomatoes used). Cool at room temperature.
4. Cut the bread into large cubes. Toss with the olive oil in a baking dish. Bake until crispy and golden brown, about eight to ten minutes. Cool to room temperature.
5. Toss the lettuce with the salad dressing.
6. Place the dressed lettuce on plates. Top with the beets, tomatoes, and bread croutons. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
BLT (Beet, Lettuce, Tomato) Salad with Smoky Mayonnaise
ingredients:
- ¼ cup mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise
- 1 ½ teaspoons buttermilk (or 1 teaspoon milk, ½ teaspoon lemon juice)
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika or pimentón
- 2 small beets
- 3 slices hearty whole grain bread
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, washed, halved
- 1 head Bibb or butter lettuce, washed, torn into bite-sized pieces
- Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
instructions:
How to cook BLT (Beet, Lettuce, Tomato) Salad with Smoky Mayonnaise
- Thoroughly mix the mayonnaise, buttermilk, and paprika together. Reserve cold.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Wash the beets. Wrap in foil. Place on a sheet pan and roast in the oven for about one hour. A paring knife should easily pierce the center of the beet when done. Peel and dice the beets (about the same size of the cherry tomatoes used). Cool at room temperature.
- Cut the bread into large cubes. Toss with the olive oil in a baking dish. Bake until crispy and golden brown, about eight to ten minutes. Cool to room temperature.
- Toss the lettuce with the salad dressing.
- Place the dressed lettuce on plates. Top with the beets, tomatoes, and bread croutons. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Calories
214.69Fat (grams)
14.83Sat. Fat (grams)
2.30Carbs (grams)
16.79Fiber (grams)
3.33Net carbs
13.46Sugar (grams)
5.56Protein (grams)
4.83Sodium (milligrams)
225.32Cholesterol (grams)
5.85