BLT Panzanella Salad — a deconstructed BLT made with crispy bacon (or tempeh bacon), toasted biscuit pieces, chopped romaine, ripe tomatoes, and a creamy buttermilk-style dressing. Bright and satisfying, this salad is perfect for summer and can easily be made vegetarian.
If you haven’t tried using biscuits as croutons, now’s the time. Cubed and toasted biscuits add buttery crunch and soak up dressing beautifully. Not a salad person? Pile the same ingredients on a biscuit and call it a sandwich.
What makes this BLT Panzanella Salad delicious
- Romaine lettuce for crunch
- Ripe tomato for juiciness
- Toasted biscuit pieces instead of traditional croutons
- Simple vegetable oil to toast the biscuit cubes
- Crispy bacon or tempeh bacon for smoky flavor
- Plain Greek yogurt and mayonnaise for a creamy base
- Vinegar and milk to lighten the dressing
- Salt and pepper to finish
How to make this BLT Panzanella Salad
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Cut 4 prepared biscuits into cubes and spread them on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and bake for 5–10 minutes, until browned and crisp. Remove from oven and let cool.
While the biscuit pieces cool, whisk together the dressing: ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon vinegar, ¼ cup milk, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, then set aside.
Chop 1 large head of romaine and slice 1 large tomato. Roughly chop 6 slices of cooked bacon (or tempeh bacon for a vegetarian option). In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, tomato, biscuit cubes, and bacon. Just before serving, drizzle about ¼ cup of the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Add more dressing if desired.
Pro tips
- Add the dressing right before serving to keep the salad from becoming too soggy (though some like it slightly softened).
- Day-old or slightly stale biscuits absorb dressing nicely and hold their texture longer.
- Make the dressing ahead and store it in the fridge for easy assembly when you’re ready to serve.
FAQs
What can I serve with this panzanella salad?
This salad works well on its own, but pair it with grilled chicken or a plant-based burger for more substance.
How long does the salad keep?
Once dressed, the salad will soften quickly. To keep things fresh, prepare the dressing, toast the biscuits, and cook the bacon ahead of time, then assemble just before eating. Leftover dressing can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.
How many people does this serve?
As a side dish, expect 4–6 servings. As a main, plan for about 2 servings.
Money-saving tips
Buy in bulk. Purchase frequently used items like Greek yogurt, milk, and vinegar in larger sizes to save. Shop sales. Substitute ingredients based on what’s on sale—cherry tomatoes, different lettuces, or store-brand items all work well and reduce cost.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment and rating to share how it turned out!
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BLT Panzanella Salad
5 from 1 review
- Author: Emily Cooper, RDN
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2–6 servings
Description
Deconstructed BLT with biscuit croutons, crisp romaine, juicy tomatoes, and a creamy buttermilk-style dressing. Easily adapted to be vegetarian with tempeh bacon.
Ingredients
- 1 large head romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
- 1 large tomato, sliced
- 4 biscuits, cubed
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 6 slices cooked bacon (or tempeh bacon), roughly chopped
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt ranch dressing or buttermilk dressing (see below)
- Buttermilk-style dressing:
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon each salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Toss cubed biscuits with oil on a baking sheet.
- Bake 5–10 minutes, until browned and crispy.
- Remove from heat and let cool. While cooling, make the dressing by combining yogurt, mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a jar; shake until combined.
- In a large bowl, combine lettuce, tomato, biscuit cubes, and bacon.
- Just before serving, add about ¼ cup dressing and toss to coat. Add more dressing if desired.
- Store leftover dressing in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Category: Salad
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ recipe (with bacon)
- Calories: 249
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 710 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 14 mg