BLT Shredded Kale Salad with Greek Yogurt Ranch.
I’m going to tell you a secret.
Almost all the time, like almost 98% of the time, I take the T off of my BLT. Meaning I’m really only eating a BL. With sometimes an A for avocado.
When you look at it this way, it sounds like a heart attack in a sandwich. It sort of is.
Actually, last year I ordered the BLT at Bakn and wasn’t paying attention to the fact that it came with a POUND of bacon on the BLT. Just a tad excessive. Just a bit.
When we got in the car, I nearly had a panic attack because I was telling Eddie that I HAD to be having a heart attack after eating that bacon. And I barely ate half of it.
So why do I always end up removing the T? Ugh. It’s so hard to find great tomatoes here nine months out of the year. We have these things that resemble orange rocks at the grocery store that are cleverly labeled “tomatoes,” but I’m pretty sure someone is just playing a cruel joke.
The summer months? You will find me keeping the T in the BLT. Especially if it’s my own, although I’m more prone to growing little baby cherry tomatoes. They are just so sweet!
For a long time, almost my entire childhood, I wanted to love BLTs because I loved bacon. I wanted to love them like I wanted to love coffee. And I ended up succeeding after discovering the joy of seasoning the home grown, super ripe tomatoes and spreading on a small layer of mayo.
That’s another thing! BLTs are solely responsible for getting me to enjoy mayonnaise.
I have so much to thank them for.
Since we’re currently in orange-rock season, BLT sandwiches can’t really happen. But thankfully I can always find good cherry tomatoes. And I don’t need an entire POUND of bacon for a hearty BLT salad.
One of my favorite – and yours, because it’s a super popular recipe here on the blog – is my BLT chopped salad with feta and corn. I’ve wanted to make a kale version of it FOR.EV.ER. Sandlot style.
And this can even be a leftover salad. If you have leftover bacon from brunch and dinner (I know, what a joke) – throw it in the fridge and toss it in your kale salad.
Okay now. THE DRESSING.
In what probably makes me one of the weirdest people on the planet, I do not care for ranch dressing. I don’t put it on salads, I don’t dip my pizza crust in it. I don’t go near it with celery since celery ruins everything and I have a slightly similar feeling about carrots. I don’t dip any raw veggies in it at all and I don’t want to eat it on sandwiches.
UNLESS.
Unless it’s a greek yogurt version that I first made back with these BBQ salmon salads. I love it as a little drizzle. I think I can handle it because it’s more tangy with the yogurt instead of thick and creamy and mayo-y with, well… mayo.
And on a kale salad? Kale salad has kind of changed the dressing game for me. At least, in a way. There isn’t much that I won’t massage into green kale and let sit for a few minutes. It makes dressings that I often wouldn’t touch more palatable. I’m assuming that’s because the kale itself is heartier and slightly bitter, unlike my other greens love, butter lettuce.
So! This is it! Your Monday salad. Giving you permission to eat bacon, so the week is going to be great.
Ingredients:
- 1 large head of kale, removed from stems and sliced/shredded
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- optional: sliced avocado, feta/blue cheese, sweet corn
greek yogurt ranch dressing
- 1/3 cup greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon freshly chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon freshly chopped dill
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Directions:
Place the kale in a large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Add the salt and pepper. Use your hands to massage the oil into the kale for a few minutes. Set the bowl aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the bacon. Cook until it’s totally crispy, stirring occasionally, and the fat is rendered.
greek yogurt ranch dressing
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until combined. This can be stored for a day or two in the fridge.
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I appreciate you so much!
The kale totally cancels it out. Thumbs up.
28 Comments on “BLT Shredded Kale Salad with Greek Yogurt Ranch.”
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i am TOTALLY with you on the bla train…hard tomatoes are the actual worst. can’t wait to try your greek yogurt ranch – it sounds fab!
I was about 40 years old before I’d eat a tomato on my BLT and I agree with you about the orange rocks. Yuck! I was looking for a homemade ranch dressing recipe this weekend and never found one, so this is going on my list to make tonight. Thanks!
Hmm this looks delicious, especially around this time of year!
x Annabelle
travelsandtea.com
Oh my goodness, this all sounds so good. If this can’t get my husband to eat kale I might just give up the fight. :P
I often have to take the tomato off of my BLT too – but when I do, I like to say the T stands for Toast ;)
Kristina does the Internets
i feel the same way about ranch. i love me shredded kale + chickpea situation with avocado.
I finally gave into kale last year, and now I put it in everything! I’m with you on the tomatoes– half the time they look great and taste like cotton balls. The cherry heirloom ones are also my favorite kind in the cold months and seem to be the only kind that has flavor (plus they’re really cute!)
This looks so good – sounds funny but I am not actually the biggest fan of tomatoes!
Izzy |http://www.pinchofdelight.com
man, i wish i ever had leftover bacon…
this salad sounds SO delish and that greek yogurt ranch? YUM. i totally agree with you on the tomatoes – it’s a bit easier to find good ones out here in LA but i still to heirloom or splurge for organic just because otherwise they don’t seem to have any flavor!
This looks so good. I am not much of a fan of ranch dressing, either. I don’t get the fascination with it — this is coming from a honey mustard and thousand island fan, though! ?
Your greek yogurt ranch sounds amazing! Can’t wait to try it!
this looks so good and what a genius idea! have you ever tried the yogurt based bolthouse ranch???
I am 110% behind the removal of the L from the BLT, and adding the A. But this salad could make me change that rule.
If you can find Campari tomatoes in a plastic box they are the real tomato ticket! Never let me down. :)
hey girl- this looks amazing! My Mom makes a great BLT!
I love this blog! I love this salad, omg! Looks yummy!
I’m really into putting a poached egg on top of a kale cesar salad right now. MMMM
while I don’t hate ranch, it’s at best a neutral, so thank you for the yogurt addition idea, love it and will use it with this since I too have a tomato ripeness conundrum, yep a great plan B is cherry tomatoes and then why not a salad, can even skip all of the bread in a blt, very creative!
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I also prefer BLAs!
This was delicious by the way. I wasn’t sure about the raw kale, because I usually have it warmed or in cooked dishes, but it was delicious.
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I make this salad all the time and have become famous for it. Thank you for that. Dates! Add dates to the recipe and cover with parmesan cheese.
Was something changed on this recipe? I made this a few weeks ago, but now I can’t see the ingredient list??