Avocado BLT Salad with Ranch Onion Rings
This Avocado BLT Salad features crispy thick-cut bacon, heirloom tomatoes, baby spinach, and bibb lettuce dressed in a Honey Dijon Dressing and topped with baked Ranch Onion Rings.
Equipment
- 2 13x18" baking sheets
Ingredients
Honey Dijon Dressing
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard heaping
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ lemon juiced
Avocado BLT Salad
- 1 large sweet onion cut into 1" slices, seperated into rings
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 4 large eggs beaten
- 1½ cups whole-wheat breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp ranch seasoning** either storebought or homemade
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon
- 2 heads bibb lettuce*** washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces
- 142g (5oz) baby spinach
- 4 small heirloom tomatoes cut into half-moons
- 2 avocados pitted and cut into wedges
- wild violets for serving, optional
Instructions
For the Dressing
- Place all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and whisk to combine. Cover and transfer to the fridge. Chill until ready to serve.
For the Salad
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two 13x18" baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
- Place the flour and cornstarch in a wide, shallow bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside. Beat the eggs in a seperated bowl and set aside. And in another bowl, whisk to combine the breadcrumbs and ranch seasoning.
- Dip an onion ring into the flour and cornstarch mixture before coating it in the egg. Return the ring to the flour/cornstarch mixture and once again dip in the egg. Toss the onion ring in the breadcrumb mixture and transfer to one of the baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining onion rings. And drizzle the breaded rings with olive oil.
- Place the bacon in an even layer on the second baking sheet. Place both the bacon and the onion rings in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip the onion rings and bake for 10 minutes more. You don't have to flip the bacon - it should be crisp after 20 minutes.
- Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towel and let cool slightly. When cool enough to handle rip the bacon into bite-sized pieces.
- Place the lettuce and spinach in a large bowl. Add the Honey Dijon dressing and toss to coat. Top the salad with the bacon, tomatoes, avocado, onion rings, and wild violets, if using. Serve immediately.
Notes
** If you would like to make your own Ranch seasoning, I highly recommend this recipe. But storebought works perfectly fine as well.
*** When making any salad recipe, I like to wash my greens before I do anything. This gives them as much time to dry as possible.