BLT Bruschetta
Make BLT Bruschetta for an appetizer for your party! This fun twist on traditional bruschetta features all of the goodness of bacon-lettuce-tomato sandwich and a finger-licking good garlicky sauce. Perfect for baby and bridal showers, tailgating and a regular ‘ol meal, this versatile BLT Bruschetta is great for a crowd!
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Today, a few blog friends and I are throwing a surprise virtual baby shower for our friend, Stephanie… complete with the recipes we can make and share from our own kitchens!
Naturally, I am bringing BLT bruschetta to the party because I’m a little obsessed with bruschetta and crostini in all their forms. (Ahem. I’ve made traditional bruschetta. Soup-turned-into-bruschetta. Dessert-y bruschetta…)
This version takes everything I love about a classic BLT sandwich and turns it into a bite-sized party appetizer. We’re talking crispy toasted bread, smoky crunchy bacon, fresh lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and a garlicky sauce that ties it all together.
It’s familiar, fun and perfect for feeding a crowd.
Why I love this recipe:
This BLT bruschetta recipe is one of those appetizers that feels fancy but actually comes together super easily.
The key with this recipe is prepping all the components ahead of time.
Bake the bacon with the garlic cloves so they soak up that smoky flavor. Whip up the quick garlicky aioli. Toast your bread. And then wait until it’s go time.
Assemble everything right before serving so the bread (and bacon!) stay crispy, the lettuce stays fresh, and those tomatoes don’t go mushy.
This is perfect for baby showers, bridal showers, tailgates, cocktail parties, or honestly anytime you need a crowd-pleasing appetizer that disappears quickly.
Looking for more baby shower recipes to make and share? Start the party off with Spinach Artichoke Phyllo Bites. Serve Strawberry Watermelon Slushies and Limoncello Lemonade to sip. And then finish the day with Blackberry Peach Shortcake Stacks with Mint Whipped Cream and Mini Lemon Cheesecake Bites.
What you need to make this recipe:
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- Rimmed sheet pan
- Aluminum foil or parchment paper
- Serrated knife
- Toaster oven
- Large mixing bowl
- Tongs
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here is what you need to get from the store:
- Multigrain baguette — or your favorite baguette for making crostini or bruschetta.
- Butter lettuce — I just love butter lettuce for this recipe because it is tender, beautiful and delicious. Tear it into bite-sized pieces so that it can fit well onto the individual slices of bread. You may use a different type of lettuce if you prefer, but make sure that you tear it into a bite-sized piece.
- Heirloom tomatoes — or your favorite fresh tomatoes, be they Roma, beefsteak or something else.
- Thick cut bacon — I love thick-cut bacon for this because it has more texture and a bite. You will need to cut it into individual pieces to fit onto the slices of bread.
- Garlic cloves — these actually roast with the bacon, so they have the best flavor, and then we toss them into the sauce.
- Black pepper — freshly ground pepper is the best, in my opinion.
- Mayonnaise — this is the base of our creamy sauce. Use your favorite brand. I am partial to Duke’s Mayonnaise, but you do you.
- Grainy dijon mustard — this adds both texture and flavor to the sauce. Use your favorite brand.
How to make BLT Bruschetta
Cook the bacon. You may do this in a skillet on the stovetop. You can bake the bacon with the garlic cloves. Once crisp, place on a paper towel-lined plate and let cool.
Make the sauce. Mince the cooked garlic. Combine the mayonnaise and mustard. Add the minced garlic. Stir until combined, and set aside.
Make the bruschetta. Toast the sliced baguette pieces in the oven or a toaster oven. Slather the warm toast slices with the sauce. Layer with butter lettuce, chopped tomatoes, crispy bacon.
Serve immediately. Enjoy!
how to store:
This bruschetta does not store well because it will become soggy if it is already assembled.
If you are able to store the different ingredients and elements of this separately, that is best.Store them in individual airtight containers in the refrigerator for one to two days and assemble when ready.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
Spill the tea, bruschetta would be perfect for sharing at a party, be it a dinner party, a baby shower or a bridal shower, because it is the perfect kind of finger food.
If I were serving this to share, here are a few things I might do…
- Prepare everything in advance. Bake the bacon. Tear the butter lettuce into beautiful pieces. Make the sauce. Store everything separately in the refrigerator until it is time to assemble it. Do not slice the tomatoes early. If you slice the bread, keep it at room temp.
- Double or triple the recipe for a crowd!
- Customize it to your group’s tastebuds. If your people prefer turkey bacon, use that. Swap out butter lettuce for a different type of lettuce if you prefer. Use your favorite bread for bruschetta or crostini.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes… kind of. Prep the components in advance — cook the bacon, make the sauce, chop the lettuce and toast the bread. Store everything separately, then assemble right before serving. Don’t refrigerate the assembled bruschetta or the bread will become soggy and the lettuce will wilt.
I chose to use a baguette, but ciabatta and sourdough also work well. Just be sure to cut the bread into bite-sized pieces. This is a party appetizer, after all, so it needs to be easy to pick up and eat in one or two bites.
Bake the bacon in the oven instead of pan-frying it. This way, it will cook more evenly and stay crispy. You should also bake it a little bit longer than you normally would so that it is not soggy or floppy.
Who’s ready to make some BLT Bruschetta for an upcoming event? (Yes, lunch can be considered an event. I won’t judge.)
Learn how to make this goodness yourself in the recipe card below!
BLT Bruschetta
EQUIPMENT
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- Serrated knife
Ingredients
Bruschetta
- 5 slices thick cut bacon cut into 15 bite-sized pieces
- 3 large garlic cloves smashed and halved
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 multigrain baguette sliced into 15 equal slices
- 1 head butter lettuce torn into bite-sized pieces to fit on top of the baguette slices
- 2-3 heirloom tomatoes sliced
Garlicky Sauce
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 ½ teaspoons grainy dijon mustard
- 3 roasted garlic cloves from above
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We’ll email a link directly to you so you can come back to it later! Plus, you’ll receive new recipes delivered to your inbox each week.
Instructions
- Mise en place. Cut the 5 slices thick cut bacon into bite-sized pieces with a sharp knife. Slice the 1 multigrain baguette into 15 slices. Tear 1 head butter lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Slice 2-3 heirloom tomatoes into bite-sized pieces.
Bake the Bacon
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Place the bite-sized pieces of bacon onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Scatter 3 large garlic cloves around the bacon.
- Season the bacon with Freshly ground black pepper.
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven, and bake 20-25 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp.
- Remove the bacon from the oven. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and cool.
Make the Sauce
- Remove the garlic cloves from the bacon pan, and let cool completely.
- Once cooled, mince those 3 roasted garlic cloves with a very sharp knife.
- In a glass mixing bowl, combine 3 tablespoons mayonnaise and 1 ½ teaspoons grainy dijon mustard. Add the minced garlic, and stir until combined.
- Set aside for later. (If making in advance, chill in the fridge.)
Make the Bruschetta
- Toast the sliced baguette pieces in the oven or a toaster oven.
- Once toasted, remove and slather with the sauce.
- Layer the butter lettuce pieces, tomatoes, then bacon onto the toasted bread.
- Serve immediately, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
You clever thing you!! This sounds delicious (I mean, classic!) and they are adorable too!