California Blt Recipe

Cook the bacon

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top if available. Arrange 8 slices of bacon in a single layer on the rack. Bake 15–20 minutes until crisp to your liking. Remove and transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Reserve bacon fat on the foil to discard when cool.

Toast the bread

While bacon finishes, butter one side of each bread slice (about 2 tbs total). Heat a large skillet over medium heat or use a toaster/oven. Toast buttered side down 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp; flip briefly if you prefer both sides toasted. Keep toasted slices warm.

Slice tomato and season

Slice the large tomato into 1/4-inch thick slices (about 6–8 slices). Lay on a paper towel and lightly sprinkle with 1/4 tsp kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper; set aside to drain excess moisture for 5 minutes.

Prepare avocado

Halve the avocado, remove pit, and scoop flesh into a small bowl. Add 1/2 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp olive oil, a pinch (about 1/8 tsp) kosher salt and a few turns of black pepper. Mash lightly with a fork so it’s spreadable but still a bit chunky. If you prefer slices, thinly slice and season similarly.

Mix mayo spread

In a small bowl combine 4 tbs mayonnaise, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika (optional), remaining 3/4 tsp kosher salt and the remaining black pepper to taste. Stir until smooth.

Prepare lettuce

Rinse and pat dry 4 large lettuce leaves. Trim any tough stem so leaves lay flat on the bread.

Spread mayonnaise mixture on the non-buttered sides of all 8 toasted bread slices (approximately 1 tablespoon per slice).

On 4 slices (bottom halves) layer in this order: lettuce leaf, 2 slices of cheese (if using), 2 slices of bacon, 2–3 tomato slices (pat dry first), then a generous tablespoon of mashed avocado (or 4–5 avocado slices). Season the tomato/avocado layers lightly with remaining smoked paprika or a pinch of salt and pepper if desired.

Top each sandwich with the remaining bread slice, buttered side out. Press gently to compact.

If you like a warm, melty sandwich, return assembled sandwiches to a skillet over medium-low heat, cover, and cook 1–2 minutes per side just until cheese softens. Otherwise serve immediately.

Cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal. Serve with optional hot sauce on the side or drizzle 1 tsp hot sauce over the avocado before topping. Optional: serve with kettle chips or a small salad.

Estimated plating: 1 sandwich per serving. Store leftover components separately (bacon refrigerated up to 3 days; mashed avocado best used immediately).