Mmmm bacon….We’re obsessed with it. We have bacon appetizers, bacon cocktails, and even bacon ice cream. And now, meet the bacon spinach tomato aioli sandwich, a slightly different twist on the tried-and-true BLT.
I made this with Trader Joe’s uncured bacon (which is delicious; get the bacon ends if you can and save some money). I tend to use spinach far more than lettuce, because it’s more versatile. You can cook with it, as well as use it in salads. So, I reached for that rather than lettuce.
Then, I added some mini bell peppers. The sweetness and crunch of the peppers makes a nice foil for the salty bacon.
Finally, I decided to ditch the standard mayo in favor of aioli (which is mayo with garlic, some lemon juice, olive oil, and a bit of cayenne pepper).
If you are ambitious, and want to make your own aioli from scratch you can do that. It’s delicious, and freshly made mayonnaise is far tastier than the stuff in the jar.
On the other hand, it doesn’t keep nearly as well, and making (and eating) a whole batch is a bit much for one person. Of course, you can always use the leftover aioli for french fries (like they do in Belgium) or as a dip for crudités.
I like to take the jarred mayonnaise and then add fresh ingredients to brighten the flavor so it tastes a bit more like homemade. That way, there’s no leftovers to worry about.
Bacon Spinach Tomato Aioli Sandwich
A new twist on the classic BLT. This is a bacon spinach tomato and aioli sandwich.
Ingredients
- 2 or 3 slices of bacon
- 2-3 slices of beefsteak tomato (or about five grape tomatoes, sliced in half)
- 2-3 spinach leaves
- 1 mini bell pepper (sliced)
- 2 slices of bread (I used rye)
Aioli Sauce
- 1 small clove garlic, mashed
- pinch kosher salt
- 2 T mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
- 3/4 tsp lemon juice
- pinch cayenne
Instructions
- Remove bacon from fridge about 10 minutes before cooking. Place bacon in small frying pan and cook on medium heat 4-6 minutes per side, until desired doneness. Drain on paper towel.
- While the bacon is cooking, make the aioli sauce (see below)
- Once the bacon is cooked, drain it on paper towels.
- Pile the bacon, spinach, tomato, and bell pepper on one slice of the bread. Spread the aioli on the other slice and put it on top of your sandwich.
Aioli Sauce
- Mash the garlic and salt together in a small bowl. Add the mayonnaise, then drizzle in the olive oil.
- Add the lemon juice and the cayenne. Whisk it all together thoroughly. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. I'd go easy on the salt since the bacon is salty.
Substitutions and Variations for Bacon Spinach Tomato Aioli Sandwich
- Add more heat with sriracha instead of just cayenne
- Chop some basil or cilantro and incorporate it into the aioli sauce
- Make it a bit lighter by using half mayo and half Greek yogurt
- Prepare the aioli in advance so the flavors have more time to blend
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