The Mayo Swap For Unforgettable BLTs

It's a simple sandwich. The BLT, consisting of bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes, sandwiched between two slices of bread and smeared with a healthy serving of mayonnaise to bring it all together, is an absolute classic. The BLT is an absolute staple of diners and lunchboxes alike. An easy sandwich to make, this popular meal is also infinitely customizable, including tricks like adding candied bacon to your BLT, adding a sweet slice of peach to your sandwich, or swapping lettuce for arugula. So, there is no need to feel bound to the basic (but delicious) sandwich formula. And there is one simple swap that might just take your BLT to a whole new level. Swapping out that delicious and zingy dollop of mayonnaise for creamy Italian dressing is a great trick to level up your sandwich game. 

The delicious salad dressing might just make the perfect swap to bring out all the flavors that mayonnaise does — while also adding something extra. Creamy Italian dressing consists of a base of both sour cream and mayonnaise, along with parmesan, garlic, oregano, and various other ingredients. This dressing takes mayonnaise and turns it into something much more complex, with a note of sweetness and a vinegary kick to set off the other ingredients of a BLT. The addition of parmesan and seasonings like oregano can help set off the sweetness of your tomato and the salty, rich, umami goodness of your bacon. So, next time you prepare the classic sandwich, you might want to reach for a bottle of creamy Italian over that jar of mayo.

But what makes creamy Italian dressing the perfect addition to your classic BLT? Well, for starters, the dressing has the perfect consistency to be added to a BLT. Like mayonnaise, creamy Italian dressing has a thick texture and tangy flavor that perfectly offsets the rich flavor of bacon and the sweet, acidic taste of tomatoes. And one of the key ingredients to creamy Italian dressing is actually mayonnaise. However, the dressing has a few extra ingredients that make it even more of a flavor punch than mayonnaise. Creamy Italian dressing typically includes parmesan, garlic, and oregano, all of which add extra richness to the dressing. These ingredients typically make it a great topping for most salads and a fantastic dip for crispy and delicious french fries. But it also makes the dressing a perfect swap out for mayonnaise on a BLT. 

Of course, you needn't stop the customization at just adding creamy Italian dressing to your BLT. There are other upgrades that can help to complement your new, zingy sandwich spread. Swapping your bacon for prosciutto, for example, can bring your sandwich to new, more Italian-inspired heights. Additionally, you can add onions quick-pickled in red wine vinegar to give your sandwich an Italian sub-style twist. Peperoncini can also make a tangy addition that levels up the spice of your BLT. But regardless of what other fixings you choose to add, you'll want to give creamy Italian dressing a go next time you make a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich.