Loaded Bacon & Ranch Salad

Our Loaded Bacon & Ranch Salad lives up to its name: it’s loaded with bacon, herbs and the best croutons you’ll eat all summer. They’re crispy, crunchy, mini garlic breads, and they’re so good they have a tendency to disappear before you can get ‘em on the salad. Prep is straightforward and the recipe makes a LOT, so you can cut it in half if it’s just your family — or keep it as is for a backyard barbecue or summer birthday party.

Here’s the recipe:

1. Heat the oven to 350 F.

2. In a large bowl, stir together ¼ cup olive oil, 2 grated garlic cloves, and 1 Tbsp minced parsley leaves. Slice and tear 1 lb crusty bread into ½-inch pieces, toss the bread in the oil, season with salt and black pepper and spread it on a rimmed sheet pan. 

3. Lay 1 ½ lbs hickory-smoked bacon on parchment-lined sheet pans. Cook the bread and bacon in a 350 F oven for 20 minutes or until crispy, flipping both halfway through. Transfer the bacon to paper towel-lined plates. Let the bacon and bread cool for 15 minutes. 

4. Chop 1 small head green romaine lettuce and 1 small head iceberg lettuce into 1-inch pieces. Rough chop 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, mince 1 bunch chives and chop 2 Tbsp dill. Quarter 2 pints cherry tomatoes, dice the bacon and crumble 1 cup blue cheese.

5. In a large serving bowl, toss the lettuces, 2 cups baby kale spring mix, parsley, toasted bread and half the tomatoes, bacon, blue cheese and chives with 2 tsp Champagne vinegar to coat.

6. Garnish the salad with the remaining cherry tomatoes, bacon, blue cheese and chives, ½ cup ranch dressing, dill and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!