Blackened Salmon BLT with a Garlic Aioli
Blackened salmon BLT with a garlic aioli is the perfect sandwich for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Made with a tender and flaky cut of blackened salmon, and all of the fixings of a traditional BLT.
Since you are here be sure to check out this Creamy Chicken Salad Sandwich and these Cheesesteak Sandwiches.
This sandwich is absolutely delicious. It is your basic BLT, but amped-up on steroids! The addition of the garlic aioli, along with the blackened salmon; it just does not get any better.
Feel free to omit the fried egg, if eggs are not your thing! They are highly recommended though. Serve these sandwiches as a delicious alternative to your ordinary breakfast, an amazing addition to your brunch menu, or enjoy them for dinner.
How to cook the perfect Blackened Salmon:
Pat the salmon dry, and season it liberally with the seasonings. Ensure that the seasoning is spread evenly. If there is skin on the salmon, there is no need to season that part, as it will be removed.
Heat the cast iron skillet to medium high and pour the olive oil into it. Once the olive oil heats up, place the salmon into the pan skin side down. Cook on that side for 5 minutes and flip it over. Cook on the “pink” side for 5-7 minutes, depending on the thickness.
Remove the salmon from the skillet and set it aside. Once it cools, gently peel the silver skin off of the salmon. Discard the skin, as it does not taste very good! Get a full, detailed tutorial on cooking blackened salmon here.
How big of a piece of salmon do I need for the sandwich?
The size of the salmon is mostly dependent on what is available at your local grocery store. For the sake of this BLT sandwich, a 5-7 ounce piece of salmon, on the thinner side, is ideal.
Thicker cuts of salmon will require additional cooking time, and will change the texture of the sandwich. With that said, the type of bread you use for your sandwich should be able to stand-up to all of the toppings added!
What to add to the BLT instead of regular mayo: GARLIC AIOLI!
Believe me when I say, the star of this sandwich is the garlic aioli! It adds such an AMAZING flavor to the BLT. Just mince up some garlic; or get a fancy zester and zest a couple cloves. Add the garlic to mayo, a splash of lemon juice, and a few seasonings.
Mix this up, and slather it all over the bread! One thing about a great BLT is the layers of flavor with the toppings. So with this garlic aioli addition, it takes it to a whole different level!
Do I need to toast the bread for the BLT?
It is recommended to toast the bread that you are using for the sandwich; but it is optional. Toasting the bread will make it a bit more sturdy so that it will hold up to all of the toppings, and the mayo.
For this particular sandwich, we lightly toasted the bread. So there is a slight crust formed on the top side of each slice. There is nothing worse than biting into a hard piece of toast that cuts up the roof of your mouth!
How to cook bacon to perfection:
Cook the bacon in the oven! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Get a sheet tray (cookie sheet), line it with aluminum foil, or parchment paper. Lay each slice of bacon down in a single layer.
Place the bacon in the oven and cook for seven minutes. Remove it from the oven, and flip it over. Cook for an additional five minutes. If the bacon is cooked through (no longer pink), take it off of the pan and transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess grease.
Can I make the sandwiches ahead of time?
Yes, the sandwiches can be made ahead of time. If they are not going to be eaten right away, keep all of the ingredients separated. Store the sliced tomatoes, lettuce, bacon, and salmon all in separate containers or ziploc bags.
Once you are ready to enjoy the sandwich, just add all of the ingredients in layers. Putting the sandwich together ahead of time may result in soggy bread. Nobody wants soggy bread!
Building the BLT:
This is the where all the fun begins! “If you build it, they will come,” -name that movie! Field of Dreams, a classic! Okay I digress. We all love pictures, so here is a depiction of exactly how this amazing BLT is built:
Blackened Salmon BLT with a Garlic Aioli
Ingredients
- 2 filets Salmon, 6-8 ounces
- 1/2 tablespoon Seasoned salt
- 1/2 tablespoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- 6 slices Bacon, cooked
- 4 slices Tomotoes
- 2 leaves Lettuce
- 2 large Eggs, fried (optional)
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 4 slices Bread, (sourdough used for this one)
Garlic Aioli
- 1 cup Mayonnaise
- 2 cloves Garlic, grated or finely minced
- 2 teaspoons Lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Place the bacon on the sheet in one single layer.
- Cook the bacon in the oven for 7 minutes, take it out and flip the bacon, then cook it an additional 5-7 minutes, until it is no longer pink. Remove it form the baking sheet and place a a paper towel lined plate.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Combine all of the seasonings in a small bowl. Sprinkle the seasoning over the salmon to ensure it is covered evenly. No need to season the skin side (if the filet has skin).
Pour the olive oil in the skillet. Gently place the salmon in the skillet, SKIN SIDE DOWN first. Cook for 3 minutes.- Flip the salmon to the other side, and cook an additional 7 minutes. Gently remove the skin off of the salmon and discard it. Now remove the salmon from the skillet and set it aside.
- If adding an egg, spray the skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Crack the eggs directly into the skillet. Fry for 3 minutes on each side, and remove it from the skillet.
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, grated or minced garlic, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Mix well and set aside.
- Toast your bread if desired. Schmear the mayonnaise liberally on each side.
- Begin layering the sandwich with the salmon, bacon, fried egg (if desired), lettuce, and tomato.
- Serve immediately, Enjoy!
Perfect! These were such a delicious idea to use up some salmon I had. The garlic aoili was my favorite part of the sandwich. I will be making them again soon!
This was perfect for lunch. The fried egg is something I wouldn’t have thought to add if not for your recipe but it’s the only way to go now. Thank you!
This was perfect for lunch. The fried egg is something I wouldn’t have thought to add if not for your recipe but it’s the only way to go now. Thank you!
This was the perfect lunch for me today! The aioli was incredible!!
This was an EPIC lunch for me today! I had it with the fried egg, and it was so incredible! The garlic aioli took it way over the top! I can’t wait to make this again.
This blackened salmon sandwich is the best salmon sandwich I’ve ever had!! The salmon, with the bacon, and garlic aioli is such a delicious combination! I’ll definitely be making this again and again!
I made these for my sister and i to have after our cycling sesh and it was the best part of our day together. The aioli was my faaaaaaavorite part about this and really made this extra delicious! Can’t wait to make this again!
I made this sandwich with a leftover salmon filet and it was BOMB. The garlic aioli and bacon combination with the salmon was perfect. I also added avocado to mine. I also love that you cook your bacon in the oven. That’s how I always do it too!
Just when I thought a BLT couldn’t get any better! I loved the addition of salmon and the egg! I had no problem getting my somewhat-picky kids to devour this sandwich!
You’re so right – the garlic aioli was everything! The whole thing was heavenly!
First of all, I will NOT omit the fried egg— lol!! I am gonna have the whole deal! I have legit never had bacon with salmon before so this will be a new protein collabo for my senses!!!
Sandwiches shouldn’t excite me this much but everything from the flavor of the salmon to that garlic aioli made me giddy with foodie happiness. This will definitely be a repeat.