The best sides to serve with BLTs include potato salad, pasta salad, coleslaw, baked beans, fresh fruit and crispy potatoes. Whether you’re planning an easy lunch or turning BLT sandwiches into dinner, these 26 side dishes will help you round out the meal.
BLTs were always a welcome sight at our dinner table when I was growing up, and I still get excited about them today. It’s hard to beat crispy bacon, fresh lettuce, juicy summer tomatoes and plenty of mayo piled between two slices of toasted bread!
One of the things I love most about BLTs is how amazingly simple they are, so I rarely serve them with anything complicated. Sometimes chips, pickles or fresh fruit are all we need. When BLTs are dinner, I’ll add potato salad, pasta salad or another hearty side to make the meal more filling.
Below you’ll find 26 of my favorite sides for BLTs, including cool and creamy salads, fresh vegetables, crispy potatoes and plenty of easy options for lunch or dinner. Enjoy!
What Goes With BLT Sandwiches?
The best side dishes for BLTs are potato salad, pasta salad, coleslaw, baked beans, fresh fruit, French fries and corn on the cob. Because a BLT is salty and savory, it pairs well with something cool, crisp or slightly tangy.
- For a classic pairing: Potato salad, pasta salad or coleslaw
- For something fresh: Fruit salad, cucumber salad or a simple green salad
- For something crunchy: Potato chips, French fries or crispy roasted potatoes
- For a summer meal: Corn on the cob, fresh fruit or grilled vegetables
- To make BLTs into dinner: Baked beans, mac and cheese or a hearty pasta salad
- For the easiest possible side: Pickles, chips or sliced fruit
At our house, I usually reach for potato salad or pasta salad when BLTs are dinner and fresh fruit or homemade chips when we’re keeping lunch simple. Dill pickle pasta salad is especially good when you want something creamy and tangy alongside the smoky bacon.
Now let’s get to the recipes! Below you’ll find 26 easy sides for BLT sandwiches, whether you’re serving them for lunch, dinner or a casual summer gathering.
Table of Contents
26 Best Side Dishes for BLTs
From creamy pasta salads and crispy potatoes to fresh summer salads and easy vegetable sides, these recipes will help you turn a classic BLT into a complete meal.
Classic Sides for BLTs
These familiar cookout and deli-style sides are easy choices when you want a classic pairing for BLT sandwiches.
Potato Salad
This creamy Instant Pot potato salad is a classic side dish for BLTs. The potatoes and eggs cook together in a single pot, making it an especially easy option for summer meals and gatherings.
Deli Macaroni Salad
Creamy, slightly sweet and loaded with crunchy vegetables, this deli macaroni salad is a dependable make-ahead side. Serve it cold alongside warm, crispy BLT sandwiches.
Coleslaw
The cool crunch and tangy flavor of homemade coleslaw balance the salty bacon and creamy mayo in a BLT. It is also easy to prepare ahead of time and store in the fridge until lunch or dinner.
Baked Beans
Baked beans add sweet and smoky flavor to the meal and are especially good when serving BLTs at a summer cookout. This is also an easy way to make the sandwiches feel more substantial for dinner.
Homemade Potato Chips
Few things go together as naturally as a sandwich and crispy potato chips. Making your own gives you a warm, crunchy side using just a few simple ingredients.
Air Fryer French Fries
Hot, crispy French fries are an easy side for BLTs that both kids and adults will love. The air fryer produces golden fries without requiring a pot of oil.
Fresh and Summery Sides
BLTs are especially delicious when tomatoes are at their peak. These colorful salads, vegetables and fruit recipes help create a fresh summer meal.
Fruit Salad
A bowl of fresh fruit provides a sweet, juicy contrast to a salty BLT. Use whatever fruit is in season for an easy side that requires very little preparation.
Broccoli Salad
Crunchy broccoli salad is a great make-ahead side for picnics, cookouts and casual dinners. Its creamy, tangy dressing makes it a natural pairing for bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches.
Chopped Salad
Serve BLTs with this fresh chopped salad when you want to add plenty of crisp vegetables to the meal. The bite-size ingredients make it easy to scoop and serve alongside sandwiches.
Corn on the Cob
Sweet corn on the cob and BLTs are a perfect match during the summer months. Prepare it on the stove, grill or in the Instant Pot and add butter and salt before serving.
Corn Edamame Salad
Corn edamame salad is colorful, fresh and hearty enough to round out a light lunch. Sweet corn complements the tomatoes in the sandwiches, while edamame adds texture and protein.
Roasted Vegetables
Roasted vegetables are a simple option when you want a warm, wholesome side. Use zucchini, broccoli, carrots, green beans or whichever vegetables you already have on hand.
Vegetable Rice Salad
This cold vegetable rice salad is a flavorful make-ahead side that offers something different from the usual potato and pasta salads. It is a particularly good choice for picnics and summer gatherings.
High-Fiber Bean Salad
A cool bean salad adds fresh flavor and makes a BLT meal more filling. It is packed with beans and vegetables and can be prepared ahead of time for an easy lunch or dinner.
Pasta Salads to Serve With BLTs
Cold pasta salads are convenient, filling and easy to prepare ahead of time. Choose a creamy, tangy or tomato-filled version to complement your sandwiches.
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Dill pickle pasta salad might be one of the best sides for BLTs. Its creamy dressing, crunchy pickles and tangy flavor contrast perfectly with smoky bacon and juicy tomatoes.
Favorite Pasta Salad
This easy pasta salad is packed with fresh ingredients and bold flavor. Make it ahead of time and keep it chilled until you are ready to serve the BLTs.
Caprese Pasta Salad
Juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella and fresh basil make caprese pasta salad an especially good summer side. It carries the fresh tomato flavor of a BLT into a cool and satisfying pasta dish.
Italian Pasta Salad
Loaded with crisp vegetables, cheese and zesty Italian dressing, this pasta salad is a fresh and flavorful side for BLTs. It can be made ahead of time and served cold, making it especially convenient for summer lunches, picnics and cookouts.
Hearty Sides for BLT Dinners
When BLTs are on the dinner menu, add one of these warm, hearty sides to make the meal more filling.
Crockpot Mac and Cheese
Creamy crockpot mac and cheese turns simple BLT sandwiches into a comforting family dinner. The slow cooker does most of the work and keeps the pasta warm until it is time to eat.
Roasted Tomato Soup
A warm bowl of roasted tomato soup makes BLTs feel like a cozy soup-and-sandwich dinner. Roasting the tomatoes gives the soup a deeper flavor than a traditional canned tomato soup.
Baked Potatoes
A simple baked potato is an easy way to make BLTs more substantial for dinner. Serve it with butter, sour cream and chives, keeping the toppings simple so they do not compete with the sandwich.
Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potato fries provide a delicious sweet-and-salty contrast to smoky bacon. Serve them hot and crispy with ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce.
More Easy Pairings
Round out your meal with pickles, deviled eggs or a crispy vegetable side. These recipes also work well when serving BLTs at a picnic, party or casual gathering.
Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are an easy make-ahead addition to a BLT lunch or summer spread. Their creamy filling and bite-size shape make them especially convenient for picnics and parties.
Refrigerator Sweet Pickles
Sweet, tangy and crunchy pickles cut through the richness of bacon and mayo. Keep a batch in the refrigerator for an incredibly easy side that can be served straight from the jar.
Dill Pickle Fries
Dill pickle fries give you the crunch of traditional fries with an extra tangy kick. Serve them hot with BLTs for a fun alternative to potato chips or French fries.
Zucchini Fritters
Zucchini fritters are crisp around the edges, tender in the center and a delicious way to add another vegetable to the meal. They make an especially good BLT side during peak zucchini season.
Whether you keep things simple with chips and pickles or add pasta salad, baked beans or mac and cheese, BLTs are easy to turn into a complete meal.
For the most classic combination, start with potato salad, coleslaw or deli macaroni salad. If you’re serving BLTs during the summer, corn on the cob, fruit salad and broccoli salad are especially good choices.
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