This easy-to-make salmon BLT is packed with perfectly cooked salmon, fresh lettuce and tomatoes, crispy bacon, and a delicious garlic mayo. It makes for the perfect lunch, but is also a dream summertime dinner.

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My husband jokes that if salmon is on a restaurant menu, I am very likely to order it. I'm also about 98% likely to order a BLT if that's an option.
So, if a salmon BLT is on the menu? I am in heaven! But why wait until we're out to eat a restaurant serving salmon BLTs when it's super easy to make your own delicious sandwich at home?
You can make a salmon BLT any time of year, but of course, they're always even more delicious when made with fresh summer tomatoes and perfectly crisp lettuce and the freshest salmon you can get your hands on.
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
Since we like to eat it at home every week, I'm forever on the hunt for new and exciting salmon recipes.
Luckily, salmon doesn't need much added to it as it's naturally so flavorful, but occasionally I like to jazz it up and combine it with other fun flavors (i.e. this salmon fettuccine in sour cream caesar sauce). And it pairs perfectly with the already flavor-packed summer fresh tomatoes, bacon, and garlic mayo in these BLTs.
If you're looking to add protein to a standard BLT or you just want to bulk your sandwich up a bit, this recipe is perfect.
Salmon BLTs are easy to make and can be served for either summer or lunch. Any salmon lover is going to be obsessed with these sandwiches!
🗒 Ingredients
This salmon BLT recipe contains the standard BLT ingredients, plus a couple salmon filets. Instead of plain mayonnaise, I like to make a garlic mayo, but you can feel free to use the spread of your choice.
Here's everything you need for these sandwiches (be sure to view the recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):
- Salmon filets: you can keep the skin on or remove it
- Salt & pepper
- Paprika
- Olive oil
- Bread: I think white or whole wheat bread work best for BLTs
- Romaine or butter lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Crispy bacon: I like to cook my bacon nice and crispy for BLTs, but you can cook it however you like best
- Garlic aioli: recipe included or you can use plain mayo
If you're making the garlic mayo, here's what you need:
- Mayonnaise
- Minced garlic
- Salt & pepper
👩🍳 How to make garlic mayo
I recommend starting with the garlic aioli if you're making it. It's easy to mix together!
Just mix together mayonnaise, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Set aside while you cook your fish and assemble the salmon BLT sandwiches.
🍣 How to cook salmon
Since the salmon is going to be added to a flavor-packed sandwich. I recommend keeping it simple when cooking it. Of course, you can feel free to use the seasonings of your choice and whatever cooking method you prefer.
I like to pat the salmon dry and season it with about ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon paprika.
And then add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat and cook salmon skin-side up (if skin is left on) for 3-5 minutes.
Flip and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, until salmon is flaky and cooked through.
Move to a plate and set aside.
🥪 How to make a salmon BLT
Now you're ready to build your salmon BLT sandwiches! This recipe provides everything you need to make two sandwiches. Because you're gonna want to share this one with a friend.
I recommend starting by toasting your bread. BLTs are SO much better when made with lightly toasted bread.
Spread the garlic mayo on one side of all 4 slices of bread.
Gather your other ingredients, including bacon, the freshest tomatoes you can find, and some green crispy lettuce.
Divide the lettuce, tomatoes, salmon, and bacon between 2 slices of the bread.
Pile it on high!
And top each with remaining bread slices.
This salmon BLT has SO much to love about it. It's packed with the freshest whole ingredients and delivers a major punch of layered flavors.
I love the juiciness of the tomatoes combined with crisp lettuce, slightly salty bacon, sharp garlic flavor, and the rich and buttery salmon.
If a restaurant served this exact sandwich, I'd order it every single time. But luckily, I don't have to seek out the restaurant because I can easily make it at home!
🎉 Variations on recipe
These salmon BLTs are absolutely perfect as is. Ten out of ten, no notes.
I don't even want to offer you other options because I really want you to make the sandwich as written. However, there really are so many ways you can make a BLT and so much you can add to them to punch up the flavor even more or to suit them to your own tastes.
So, with one more urge to make these exactly as I described, here are some additional fun ideas:
- Add avocado: often referred to as a BLAT, avocado is a naturally delicious addition to a standard BLT. And when combined with salmon, it offers even more healthy fats. If you don't like mayo, you can spread mashed avocado on the bread instead.
- Swap out the lettuce for arugula: this will add a peppery kick.
- Swap out the salmon for the fish of your choice: try swordfish steak, tuna, tilapia, haddock, halibut, or smoked trout.
- Make roasted garlic mayo: roast your garlic before adding it to the mayo mixture.
- Add lemon: mix lemon zest and juice into your garlic mayo and use lemon pepper seasoning on the salmon.
- Use heirloom tomatoes: if you're making this salmon BLT at peak summer tomato season, use pretty heirloom tomatoes to give the sandwich even more of a visual impact.
- Add cheese: cheese on BLTs is somewhat controversial and cheese with salmon is even more controversial, but if you want to add it, I think feta, goat cheese, or gruyere would be best.
- Add cucumber: add cucumber slices for some extra crunch.
- Use a mayo alternative: If you don't like mayo, you can substitute with mashed avocado, hummus, Greek yogurt spread, mustard, pesto, cream cheese, or butter.
I think BLTs are the best sandwich ever created and adding salmon only makes them more delicious.
🍽️ More salmon recipes
As I mentioned, we make salmon A LOT in our house. And though it's easy enough to grill a couple of filets, I also like to make more interesting salmon dishes on occasion. Here are some of my favorite recipes:
I also make this Sheet Pan Salmon with Chimichurri all the time!
I think these salmon BLT sandwiches are about to enter into my "make weekly" meal planning schedule during fresh tomato season.
But I also know I'm going to crave them all winter, too!
I hope you and your family love the BLTs as a delightful lunch or fun summer dinner.
Do you eat salmon often in your home?
📖 Recipe

Salmon BLT Sandwiches
Ingredients
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (from about 1 clove)
- ½ teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon pepper divided
- 2 5-oz. salmon filets (skin on or off)
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 slices bread (I think white or whole wheat work best)
- 6 leaves Romaine or butter lettuce
- 2 small tomatoes sliced
- 3 slices crispy bacon
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, minced garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
- Pat salmon dry and season with about ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon paprika.
- Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add salmon skin-side up (if skin is on salmon) and cook for 3-5 minutes. Gently flip and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, until salmon is flaky and cooked through. Move to a plate and set aside.
- Lightly toast bread if desired. Spread garlic mayo on one side of all 4 slices of bread.
- Divide lettuce, tomatoes, salmon, and bacon between 2 slices of the bread. Top each with remaining bread slices.
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