The Simple Step That Transforms Any BLT Into A Restaurant-Worthy Sandwich

Ever find that your BLT sandwich tastes a little dry or bland? While you can certainly slather on the mayo to add some moisture and flavor, it's not the only way to take your sandwich to the next level. Treating the lettuce in your BLT like a salad by adding some dressing can help you create a sandwich that's less run-of-the-mill and more of a flavor bomb.

It makes sense when you think about how much better a salad is with dressing — a BLT is basically a bacon-heavy salad loaded up between two pieces of toast. When you add dressed lettuce to the mix alongside the juicy tomato and the savory bacon, you get the perfect combination of flavors and textures. The vinegar in salad dressing stands up against the sweetness of the tomatoes and the flavor lets the lettuce take on a starring role in your sandwich, rather than blending into the background. You can even throw on a few of your favorite salad toppers — like French fried onions or sunflower seeds — to add more crunch and flavor (consider adding cheese, too — it's a topping that absolutely belongs on your next BLT sandwich). Of course, there are a few things you'll want to keep in mind to level down the mess factor as you ramp up the flavor by adding dressing to the lettuce in your BLT.

If you've decided to go ahead and dress up the lettuce in your BLT, you'll need to decide what type of dressing is the right fit. Store-bought options work just fine, but you can also go with a quick, simple homemade dressing to pack an extra punch of freshness. When you're mixing up a homemade salad dressing, you'll want to start with a 3-to-1 oil to vinegar ratio. This ratio helps make sure your dressing sticks well to your lettuce, but you certainly have wiggle room to customize it to suit your tastes. Once you've got the basics mixed up, add seasonings. A little bit of smoked sea salt can work nicely with the smokiness of the bacon, and a bit of lemon juice can add some brightness that won't overpower your tomatoes.

One more important note: the way you stack your sandwich matters, especially when you add dressing to your lettuce, as you're introducing a new component that could potentially cause a soggy end result. Be sure to stack your tomatoes between the bacon and the dressed lettuce to avoid soggy bread, rather than placing them between the bread and the lettuce, and take care not to overdress the lettuce. Toasting your bread can also give the sandwich a bit more structure. No matter how you decide to jazz up your lettuce, be sure to serve a little cup of dressing on the side with your BLT for dipping.