Firebirds Wood Fired Grill BLT Salad Recipe

This Firebirds wood fired grill BLT salad recipe is too easy not to make at home! Mixed lettuce, cherry tomatoes, chopped bacon, herbs, and avocado tossed in a homemade roasted garlic ranch. Perfect for ripe summer produce, this salad makes a great side or main dish. For a heartier salad, add grilled chicken or steak, hard boiled eggs, chopped nuts, or croutons.

Highlights of this copycat recipe:

• Full of fresh flavors
• Perfect use for ripe summer produce
• A delicious, lighter version of your favorite BLT sandwich
• Exact copycat of Firebirds BLT salad
• Customizable, add any topping desired (ideas below!)
• Homemade garlic ranch is preservative & additive free!
• This salad can be a main or side dish, add grilled chicken, steak or shrimp

Grocery List & Substitutions for the firebirds blt salad:

• Chopped head of lettuce, such as butter lettuce, bib lettuce, romaine, or iceberg
• Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
• Bacon, I used applewood-smoked bacon
• Avocado if desired
• Kosher salt
• Fresh cracked black pepper
• Sour cream
• Mayonnaise
• Fresh dill or fresh chives
• Garlic cloves
• Heavy cream

I like a mix of butter lettuce and romaine, but you could use any lettuce you desire. Arugula, iceberg, or kale. Fresh cherry tomatoes add a pop of color, you could use heirloom, beefsteak, or Roma tomatoes in addition to or as a substitute.

Like this Firebirds Wood Fired Grill BLT Salad Recipe? You’ll love these other salad ideas…

Creamy Apple Cider Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

Arugula, Apple, and Grilled Chicken Salad

Roasted Asparagus, Feta, and Orzo Salad

Easy Strawberry Spinach Salad

The BLT is an American favorite and this salad is a fun way to add some fresh vegetables into any meal. Perfect for vine-ripened tomatoes in the summer.

Variations & Serving Ideas:

• Add other toppings like mozzarella balls, croutons or cubed bread, chopped nuts, red onion, hard boiled eggs, or balsamic drizzle
• Serve with grilled steak, chicken, shrimp, or salmon for a heartier salad
• Portion into mason jars for easy weekday meal prep
• Serve buffet style with different protein options and dressings
• Could turn into more of a panzanella salad
• Add cheese like smoked cheddar cheese, herbed goat cheese, bleu cheese crumbles, shredded pepper jack cheese, or gouda
• Give the dressing a kick by adding some hot sauce!
• Serve topped with more fresh herbs like dill or fresh thyme

Or serve this delicious BLT salad recipe with…

Red Wine Braised Beef Tips with Garlic Mash

Instant Pot Apple Cider Pork Loin

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Cauliflower Mash

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

Baked Ziti

Homemade roasted garlic ranch dressing is rich, tangy, and full of flavor. Mayo, sour cream, roasted garlic, cream, and seasoning make up this easy dressing. The best part is you can customize the garlic flavor by adding more or less, and it is preservative free! The fresh dill is a must in my opinion, but you can omit it if desired. Extra dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, depending on the expiration date of your dairy products!

Tools I used for this easy BLT salad recipe:

• Serving Platter – a great neutral option for serving salads or pastas

• Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls – perfect for mixing the salad

• Pint Mason Jars – perfect for shaking up salad dressings, any extra dressing can easily be stored

Can I make my BLT salad ahead of time?

Yes! Prep the lettuce and tomatoes. Chop and cool the cooked bacon. If adding other toppings, prep them if they will stay fresh – toppings like avocados will need to be added right before serving. Prep the dressing in a mason jar or airtight container and store in the fridge until ready to dress salad. You can toss the salad and store covered in the fridge until ready for service, dress and enjoy!

What dressing is used on this BLT salad?

This BLT salad has a homemade roasted garlic dressing just like Firebirds does. It is delicious and simple to make. Regular ranch dressing would be good or any mayo based dressing. Balsamic and honey mustard would also be good. Store-bought dressing can be substituted for a short cut!

What is the best lettuce for a BLT salad?

I love using a mixture of butter or bib lettuce and crunchy romaine, sliced super thin! You could also go classic and use iceberg lettuce. Heartier greens like kale, arugula, or baby spinach will also work well. My tip would be to slice the lettuce thin so it coats evenly in dressing and is easier to eat!

Instructions:

For the roasted garlic ranch:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Take your head of garlic and slice the top off, exposing all the garlic cloves. Place the garlic on a sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons and wrap tight in foil. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes until fragrant and tender.*
• Once garlic has cooled, squeeze out cloves and give a rough chop. In a mason jar combine sour cream, heavy cream, mayo, chopped dill, roasted garlic, salt, and pepper. Shake well to combine, adjust seasoning as needed. Let chill.

For the salad:

• In a large mixing bowl combine the lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and chopped bacon. Top with garlic ranch and toss well to combine, serve with avocado or additional toppings and serve immediately!

Notes:

*See above for other topping ideas!

*I like to roast my garlic while my bacon cooks in the other, you can also just use raw minced garlic. 

*Dressing can also be made in a blender or food processor 

*This salad is best served immediately, if needed for later, prepare the salad but wait to dress until just before serving. 

Did you make this recipe?

I would love to see it! Take a picture and post to Instagram with the tag @theheartylife and the hashtag #theheartylife – You can also leave me a question or comment below! If you’ve tried this recipe, feel free to give it a star rating on the recipe above.