The One Ingredient That Makes BLTs So Much Better

There's a lot to love about a well-made BLT—it's no wonder the sandwich is a forever favorite. This classic recipe has it all: crispy bacon, toasty bread, crunchy lettuce, juicy tomatoes, plus creamy mayo to pull everything together. But what if we told you there was an easy way to take your BLT from great to greater? It all comes down to one ingredient: garlic.

Related: 12 Epic BLT Recipes

Why You Should Add Garlic to BLTs

The idea for this one-ingredient hack originally came from a recipe from Southern Living, where you're instructed to mix grated or minced garlic into mayo to make a super speedy sauce to slather on both pieces of bread.

Why does garlic make such a difference in your BLTs? As you eat the BLT, the garlic in the mayo adds its own bold flavor and also helps the flavor of the B and the L and the T to shine even brighter. The garlic mayo turns the sandwich bread into garlic bread and honestly, you can't tell us a garlic bread BLT sandwich doesn't sound enticing!

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Best Way to Prep Garlic for BLTs

If you follow Southern Living's BLT recipe, then you can grab a raw peeled clove of garlic and finely grate it with a microplane. You can also finely chop the garlic if you prefer. Both methods will give you a BLT condiment with a sharp, pungent flavor. The finely grated garlic will blend more seamlessly into the mayo than finely chopped garlic, but that textural difference is a matter of personal preference. If you have some time and prefer a softer, mellower garlic flavor, you could make a roasted garlic mayo. The slight sweetness of the roasted garlic would be great with the smoky, savory bacon.

Related: Reba McEntire's Southern-Style BLT Recipe

How to Make Garlic Mayo for BLTs

To make the super-fast garlicky mayo, mix 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise with one glove of grated garlic. Spread the garlic mayo on the bread when assembling your sandwich. See? Garlicky BLTs are as easy as ABC.

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