There is a time and place for big chunky croutons with their chewy-crunchy texture, and then there is right now, when we want to see showers of crisp bacon-y panko fall all over every last corner of our salad. It stays wondrously crunchy (even when riding on top of tomatoes) and brings the rich flavor of bacon with it, pairing supremely well with creamy buttermilk and dill-packed dressing. The key here is layering the lettuces and tomatoes to ensure every bite is well-seasoned and coated with seasoned panko and cool dressing. Call it a BLT salad, call it ranch salad; it’s got just enough going on for us to call it dinner. Thanks to BA’s VP of video programming, June Kim, for inspiring this recipe. —Chris Morocco
All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
What you’ll need
Salad Spinner
$60 $44 At Amazon
Whisk
$12 At Amazon
Medium Skillet
$70 $40 At Amazon
Citrus Juicer
$15 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Vigorously whisk buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, and ¼ cup dill in a medium bowl to combine; season dressing with salt and pepper. Set aside for serving.
Step 2
Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring often as it begins to crisp, until browned and mostly crisp, 6–8 minutes. Keep bacon in pan and spoon out all but 2 Tbsp. fat into a small bowl.
Step 3
Add panko to skillet and return to medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until panko is golden and crisp, about 2 minutes (don’t walk away; panko will toast slowly at first but can easily burn around edges of skillet). Add up to 1 Tbsp. fat in bowl back to pan if breadcrumbs look dry. Remove from heat, add remaining ¼ cup dill, and toss to combine. Season breadcrumb mixture with salt and pepper and transfer to a medium bowl.
Step 4
Arrange one third of lettuce on a platter and top with one third of tomatoes; season with salt. Generously drizzle some reserved dressing over and scatter some breadcrumb mixture on top. Repeat layers 2 more times. Top salad with an extra shower of breadcrumb mixture, then lemon zest.
