These Easy Salmon BLT Sandwiches are made with flakey salmon, crisp bacon, juicy tomatoes, and crispy lettuce all piled high on a ciabatta bun dripping with a delicious garlic aioli.
When it’s hotter than blazes outside and you’re craving an easy dinner, you can’t beat these Easy Salmon BLT Sandwiches With Garlic Aioli sauce. They come together super fast, require minimal cooking (all done on the stovetop or grill), and taste delicious when served with a tall cool beverage and a side of chips or fries. (And if you're looking for another, easy weeknight sandwich, try this Egg Salad Sandwich!)
It’s the perfect way to elevate your basic BLT sandwich and makes for a delicious meal for lunch or dinner (or breakfast, who am I kidding!). This salmon sandwich recipe is one of my favorite things to make and I can't wait to share it with you!
In This Post
Why This Recipe Works
Sure, the classic BLT is great, but adding salmon takes this classic sandwich to the next level.
- Quick and easy. These don’t take long at all to make and can even be made all on the grill if you don’t feel like heating up your house with the stove. (Hello 100 degree days!)
- Can be made ahead of time. While these are great served warm, they’re just as tasty served cold and can be stored in the fridge for up to a day in advance.
- Crispy bacon. Doesn’t it just make everything better?
- The sauce! The garlic aioli sauce for these salmon BLTs is the best. A tiny bit spicy (although you can omit the spice if you want), it completely elevates the sandwich and is such a step up from your basic mayo.
- Perfect for a light lunch or dinner. These easy sandwiches are great when you're looking for a simple lunch or dinner. They pair perfectly with a light salad, like this easy Cucumber And Feta Salad, or this delicious Quinoa Chickpea Salad.
Ingredients
The ingredients for this sandwich shouldn’t come as a huge surprise given that half of them are in the name of the recipe! Here are the key ingredients you’ll need for this salmon blt.
- Salmon. I used fresh salmon filets for this recipe. You can ask your butcher to cut the filets to size for the perfect fit with whatever type of bread you are using. You can also totally switch out the fresh salmon with smoked, canned or leftover salmon - whatever you have and is easiest for you!
- Bacon. A thick cut of salty bacon that doesn’t shrink down too much is best for these salmon BLTs. Plan on using a couple of slices per sandwich.
- Lettuce. I used Romain lettuce here but some nice pieces of butter lettuce, red or green lettuce would also work well. Just make sure you use a crisp lettuce to add a bit of crunch to the sandwich.
- Tomatoes. Larger tomatoes work well for this sandwich and the fresher the better! Be sure to salt them lightly before placing them on the sandwich to really bring out their delicious flavor.
- Good bread. I love a ciabatta roll for these sandwiches since it’s sturdy enough to hold all of these elements (which can get tricky depending on how thick your filets are and how your sandwich stacks!). It has a great outer crust to help contain everything, but a soft interior that’s perfect for larger sandwiches like this one.
- Garlic Aioli. This is really more of a cheater’s aioli since I used mayo to make it and not straight-up egg yolks. However, it does the trick and is totally delicious. You’ll need mayo, garlic cloves, and some simple spices (cumin and chili powder) to give it a little kick. Delish!
How To Make These Easy Salmon BLTs With Garlic Aioli
Making these salmon BLT sandwiches is super easy. Here’s how to do it.
- Start by making your bacon. I usually cook my bacon in the oven on a large baking sheet, but for this recipe, I pan-fried the slices of bacon since I was going to be using the pan for the salmon anyway. Cover your hot pan with foil to prevent splatters and just keep an eye on the bacon to prevent it from burning. Place a paper towel on a large plate and, once the bacon has finished cooking remove it from the pan and transfer it to the towel-lined plate to cool.
- Cook the salmon. Once your bacon has finished cooking, wipe the frying pan clean and then add the salmon (seasoned with salt and black pepper) with a small bit of oil. Start with the skin side down, and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side over medium-high heat. (Note - time will vary a bit depending on how well you like your salmon cooked and how thick your filets are). Use the foil-over-the-pan trick again to keep the splatters at bay.
After the salmon has cooked, allow it to cool slightly before gently removing the skin (it should peel off easily once cooked). - Make the garlic aioli while your salmon is cooking. Simply add all the ingredients for it to a small bowl and stir well to combine.
- Prepare the tomatoes. Slice your tomatoes and sprinkle a bit of salt over the tops of them. Salting your tomatoes helps to draw out some of the moisture from them (keeps the sandwich from becoming a soggy mess) and also intensifies the flavor.
- Assemble your sandwiches! Spread the garlic aioli across both sides of your bun or bread, then add the fresh lettuce, tomato slices, salmon, and bacon strips to the bottom of the bun. Top with the remaining half and serve!
Variations and substitutions
These salmon sandwiches with bacon are so good but there are loads of ways you can change them up and customize them depending on what you’re in the mood for or what you have on hand. Give these variations a try:
- Make it a Salmon BLT salad. Omit the bread, add a bit more chopped lettuce, and chop up the salmon, bacon and tomato to make this a delicious salad. This would be great wih a spicy ranch or a red pepper dressing.
- Add avocado. Add some avocado slices to make a SBLAT (salmon bacon lettuce avocado tomato!). A slice of red onion would also add some zip.
- Cajun-style. Add some cajun seasoning to the salmon before cooking to make this a cajun salmon blt sandwich.
- Change up the bread. I love a sturdy bun for these but you could also try a good brioche bun or go for a sandwich bread like rye or multi-grain for a different flavor and texture.
- Make it a wrap. These salmon blts work great as wraps too! You could even take it a step further and turn them into lettuce wraps.
- Use a different type of salmon. No fresh salmon on hand? No problem! These sandwiches work great with leftover salmon, smoked salmon or even canned salmon in a pinch.
- Change the cooking method. Blackened salmon BTLs are delicious, and for warmer months, try grilling the salmon for some great flavor.
- Use a different sauce. Garlic aioli is a perfect match for these salmon sandwiches but if you don’t feel like making it, a classic mayonnaise, honey mustard, or even ranch would work well. I also love this sandwich with this homemade buffalo wild wings garlic parmesan sauce.
- Add some cheese! A mild cheese, like Havarti, Provolone or a light Cheddar works really well with these sandwiches.
- Add a fried egg. For an extra delicious sandwich.
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically the salmon skin is edible (and is even very tasty when it becomes crispy as it does when cooking it in a pan). But for this sandwich, I prefer the texture with the skin off. It should peel off very easily once the salmon has been cooked.
I tend to judge this by the size of the bread I’m using. The buns used here are on the smaller side so I chose smaller-sized filets. Your butcher can actually help you get the perfect size. Remember that a thicker piece of salmon will take a little longer to cook than a thinner piece. Additionally, try to make sure your salmon pieces are equal in thickness - this will probably require you to purchase individual portions rather than a whole salmon filet since filets tend to get thinner toward the tail.
Sure can! These taste great cold and will store well in the fridge for about a day (longer than that and your bread may start to become a bit soggy.) Alternatively, you could cook the salmon and bacon and store them separately for about 3 days in the refrigerator, then just assemble everything once you’re ready to serve them. (Learn how long your salmon will last in the fridge here.)
Yes! In fact, we often grill these during the summer months to avoid having to turn the stove on at all (and we make the bacon in a skillet over the grill too!).
I made the bacon in the pan for this recipe since I was going to use it for the salmon anyway, but you could also make the bacon in the oven with a bit less mess (this is usually my preferred way of cooking bacon!).
What to serve with Salmon BLTs
There are so many great side dishes that can go with these delicious sandwiches. Here are a few options:
- Garden Salad
- Louisiana Voodoo Fries
- Yukon Gold Homemade Potato Chips
- Cherry Burrata Salad
- Potato Salad
- Coleslaw
If you make these Easy Salmon BLT Sandwiches With Garlic Aioli let me know what you think in the comments below. And don’t forget to tag me on @frontrangefed on Instagram with a pic. I love to see your creations!
More Easy Sandwiches!
- Hot Honey Fried Chicken Sandwich
- Sweet & Spicy Bacon Smash Burger
- Crispy Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Tik Tok Grinder Salad Sandwiches
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Wraps
- Rotisserie Chicken Banh Mi Sandwiches
- Chicken Parm Sandwich Recipe
- Sloppy Joe Sliders
Recipe
Easy Salmon BLT Sandwiches With Garlic Aioli
Ingredients
For The Salmon BLT
- 4 ciabatta buns
- 8 thick slices of bacon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 pieces fresh salmon
- 1 large tomato, sliced
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 pieces romaine lettuce or butter lettuce
For The Garlic Aioli
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in the oven, or cook it in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Wipe the skillet clean.
- Rinse the salmon in cold water, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring the skillet back to heat and add the olive oil. Add the salmon to the skillet and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes on each side.
- While the salmon is cooking, make the garlic aioli by mixing all ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Remove the salmon from the skillet and assemble the sandwiches. Spread the garlic aioli over both inside halves of the buns. Layer the lettuce, tomato, bacon, and cooked salmon fillet onto each bun.
- Serve!
Notes
- Ask your butcher to cut the salmon to match the size of bread you're using. Make sure the pieces are of even thickness.
- Use canned, leftover, or even smoked salmon as a substitute for fresh.
- Make these sandwiches ahead of time (up to 1 day!).
- Remove the salmon skin after the salmon has cooked. It should easily peel off once cooked.
Margho Dealdera says
So good - it's like the best parts of the BLT with also ... awesome grilled salmon! We like to fry up the skin and eat it with a bit of that mixed in with the bacon too. Yum.
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks Margho!
Allie says
This was such a tasty lunch! I loveeeed that aioli with it too.
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks Allie!
Sharina says
This is such a satisfying sandwich! It tasted so amazing and satisfying. I added chopped avocado on some and they are also incredibly delicious and tasty!
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks!
Jessica says
I'm not sure I ever would have picked this recipe out on my own, but I had these sandwiches at a friends house and loved them. Now when I make them myself at home I like to be extra generous with the aioli-- it's so good!
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks Jessica!!!
Julianne says
This salmon blt was out of this world delicious! I really love the garlic aioli, I will be using that on other sandwiches too. This one is a definite keeper!
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks Julianne! So glad you liked it!
Jane says
This recipe is so easy, and it's so good! I made it last night and the whole family loved it. My kids kept asking me to make them more sandwiches.
Sarah Jenkins says
Thank you Jane! LOL - I have that problem with my kids and this sandwich too!