Turn the classic BLT into a heartier, more satisfying meal with this recipe for Salmon BLT Sandwiches. Not only does a salmon BLT have more protein than a regular one, it’s arguably much more delicious with hardly any added work. Our recipe for Salmon BLT Sandwiches is easy and efficient while offering an elegant and creative take on the classic sandwich.
We love when an interesting dinner comes together on a sheet pan in less than 45 minutes. Even better when you don’t have to cook bacon on the stove top! Yes, everything, even the bacon for these Salmon BLT sandwiches is cooked in the oven. Easy prep, easy cooking, easy clean up.
Plus, instead of simply slathering the bread with mayo, we whip up a flavorful sauce that gets cooked on top of the salmon which keeps it moist during cooking.
The order of events is what makes this recipe a winner. Heat up the oven and get the bacon cooking while the topping for the salmon is prepped. Once that’s ready, the salmon joins the bacon for a short stint in the oven until they’re both cooked through. While those two components rest, the bread gets popped under the broiler and toasted.
Then it’s time to assemble and dinner is served. Easy, delicious and very satisfying!
How Big of a Piece of Salmon to Use
When buying salmon, we usually recommend seeking out the thickest piece of salmon you can find (the thicker the piece of salmon, the harder it is to over cook, especially if you’re pan-searing salmon or broiling salmon). However, when it comes to making a Salmon BLT we recommend using a wild-caught fillet which tends to be much thinner than farm-raised.
To make 4 sandwiches, you’ll need one 1-pound fillet of skin-on wild caught salmon.
How to Cook the Salmon
BLTs are meant to be simple, and just because you add salmon to the mix doesn’t mean they can’t remain simple. Here’s how to cook salmon for salmon BLT sandwiches:
- Place salmon fillet on a baking sheet, skin-side down.
- Combine mayonnaise, dill, shallot, and lemon zest; season with salt and pepper.
- Pat the salmon dry with paper towels then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spread the mayo sauce evenly over the salmon and bake at 425ºF until salmon easily flakes with a fork and a thermometer inserted in the center registers 125ºF (51ºC), 7–10 minutes.
test kitchen Tips
- Most ovens run at least 25-degrees hotter or cooler than they specify. To ensure you’re cooking at the correct temperature, use an oven thermometer and adjust the temperature as needed.
- The salmon skin should stick to the sheet pan (which makes for easy assembly). If you don’t want to mess with clean up, line the baking sheet with foil.
- The mayonnaise mixture can be made and stored in the refrigerator up to 3 days ahead of time.
How to Cook Perfect Bacon
For the most evenly cooked, crispy bacon, cook it in the oven!
To do this you’ll first need to preheat the oven to 425ºf. Then arrange thick-cut slices of bacon on a baking sheet. Cook the bacon until it’s browned and the edges start to ripple. This will take about 30 minutes. Be sure to flip the slices halfway through to encourage even cooking.
FAQs
This recipe calls for using the boiler function on your oven to toast the bread right before assembling. If you don’t have a broiler setting on your oven, you can also use a toaster to toast the bread. So yes, whether you follow the recipe or you use a toaster, we recommend toasting bread for this BLT.
We think these are best enjoyed right after assembling. If made too far in advance the bread becomes soggy and the the sandwich itself becomes weepy.
We recommend purchasing a 1 to 1.25-pound fillet of frozen wild-caught skin-on salmon. Most salmon you find at the fish counter is previously frozen, which is why we recommend buying it still frozen—this way you know and can dictate how long it’s thawed. Check out our guide to buying salmon.
Fill your sink with room temperature water and submerge the packaged fillet. Let it soak for about 15 minutes, changing out water if it gets too cold. It’s important that the fillet is still packaged, if you’ve removed it from the package, transfer it to a resealable zipper-lock bag and submerge the bag.
What to Serve with Salmon BLT Sandwiches
Any green salad such as this Butter Lettuce Salad or Garden Salad pairs wonderfully with these sandwiches.
Potato chips are classic, but we also like to serve this sandwich with this Caesar Cauliflower Potato Salad.
If you’re a dill pickle lover, then pair this sandwich with our popular Dill Pickle Pasta Salad.
Salmon BLT Recipe
Description
Ingredients
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1 lemon, zested
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 (1-pound) skin-on wild-caught salmon fillet
- 8 slices sourdough bread or whole-grain sourdough
- Green leaf lettuce leaves
- 1 tomato, sliced
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425ºF (218ºC) with racks set in upper third and lower third positions.
- Arrange bacon in an even layer on rimmed baking sheet. Transfer sheet to upper rack and bake until it’s browned and starts to ripple, 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway through with tongs, (or to desired crispness).
- Meanwhile, zest lemon then cut lemon into wedges and set aside. In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon lemon zest, mayonnaise, dill, shallot, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Arrange salmon, skin-side down, on second sheet; pat dry with paper towels. Season salmon with ½ teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper. Spread mayonnaise mixture evenly over salmon.
- Transfer sheet with salmon to middle rack and roast salmon (while bacon continues to roast) until it easily flakes with a fork and a thermometer inserted in the center registers 125ºF (51ºC), 7–10 minutes.
- Let salmon rest 5 minutes.
- Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate; drain off and reserve drippings in a small heatproof bowl. Arrange bread in an even layer on now-empty baking sheet and lightly brush top sides of bread with drippings.
- Turn oven to broil and broil bread, on top rack, until golden brown, 2–4 minutes.
- To build the sandwich, arrange a bread slice, toasted side down, on a plate. Top with a few leaves of lettuce and a couple slices of tomato. Cut salmon into 4 equal pieces. Remove the skin from a piece of salmon (it should stick to the pan) and place over tomato slices. Top with two pieces of bacon then place a second piece of toasted bread, toasted side up, on top. Serve with lemon wedges.
Equipment
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Another winner from Zestful Kitchen! The salmon and the sauce really takes your basic BLT to the next level…when I make this again, I will try it with a thinner piece of salmon…I used a cut of salmon that was too thick and it kind of fell apart when I bit into it…a little messy, but still very delicious…I ate every bite! Thanks Lauren!
Hi Kelly, thanks for the comment! Such a great note on thickness of salmon filet—this is helpful for other readers. So glad you enjoyed this!!