![BLT pizza for bacon lovers](https://southernrootsandrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/img_3797.jpg)
Yes, this recipe combines ingredients you love in an unexpected way, but trust us, if ever there was a BLT pizza for bacon lovers, this is it! BLT goodness transformed into pizza delivers all the traditional flavors and crispness you expect in a BLT sandwich, and then some.
Today I was craving a BLT. I had the bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes, but no bread. Hmmm. What if...
For me, this is exactly how a lot of new recipes get their start.
BLT Goodness Transformed into Pizza is Genius
I always have ingredients to make pizza dough. The thin-crust dough we love takes practically no time to make, and it's reliable. It always stands up to whatever I put on top, which is usually a little red sauce, mozzarella cheese, and whatever vegetables I have in the fridge.
Making BLT Pizza for Bacon Lovers is Quick and Easy
So, I get busy. The first thing I do is pull the bacon out of the fridge. You may already know that bacon is one of those things that cooks better after it warms up. Getting it up to room temperature takes 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, I make the pizza dough in under five minutes and let it rest for the recommended 30 minutes. When I cook bacon in the oven, I never wait for the oven to preheat. I just put the bacon in, set the oven to 400 degrees F, and set the timer. It takes the bacon 19–20 minutes, more or less, to get crispy the way I like it. I didn't cook it that long today. That's because it will cook for another 8–9 minutes on top of the pizza. So, today I set the timer for 9 minutes.
While the bacon cooks, I make a white sauce from another pizza recipe I saw online that uses cream cheese, which I love. I cook the sauce on medium heat for the recommended 5 minutes, whisking occasionally to make the sure the sauce is creamy.
I finish the sauce at about the same time as the timer goes off for the bacon. I transfer the bacon to a wire rack lined with paper towels to absorb the grease and use additional paper towels to blot it from the bacon's top side.
Easy BLT Pizza at Home
Next, I chop the bacon and sample a couple of chunks before I set it aside. So, sue me! You must know that the reason I created a BLT pizza for bacon lovers is because I am one! You're reading this, so you or someone you cook for must be a bacon lover, too. Here is an excellent video by the way, about the different ways you can cook it.
It's time to top the pizza. I spoon the luscious cheese sauce on the dough and spread it evenly across the top. Next, I sprinkle the bacon on top, slide the pizza in the oven, and set the timer for 6 minutes in case the crust gets done quicker than the 8-9 minutes stated in the directions. It's a thin crust; it's better to be safe than sorry!
One Down, Two to Go
Of course, a BLT wouldn't be a BLT without lettuce and tomato. While the pizza cooks, I shred a cup and a half of iceberg lettuce. Then I slice three vine-ripened Campari tomatoes into bite-size pieces and sprinkle them with salt to enhance their flavor. Feel free to substitute six cherry tomatoes if you prefer the taste of them or if you cannot find Campari tomatoes.
When the timer goes off for the pizza, I check the bottom and see that it's brown and crisp—just right. I pull it out of the oven and transfer it to a serving platter.
BLT Bliss on a Pizza Crust
Now for the test. I slice a piece and take a bite. Lord, have mercy. It tastes better than the BLT I get at my favorite deli. Probably because the deli BLT doesn't come with cheese. Now I think it should.
I'd love to hear from you!
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Till next time ...
Have fun cooking, and don't forget that good food is meant to be shared.
Recipe
BLT Pizza for Bacon Lovers
Equipment
- parchment paper
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Tongs
- paper towels
- platter
- Pizza stone
Ingredients
Meat
- 6 slices bacon
Pizza Dough
- ⅔ cup water lukewarm
- 1½ tsp. instant yeast or active dry yeast
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
White Sauce
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup cream cheese 2 ounces
- 6 tbsp. milk
- ⅛ tsp. salt
- ⅙ tsp. pepper
Fresh Pizza Toppings
- 1½ cup iceberg lettuce finely chopped
- 6 cherry tomatoes quartered and lightly salted; you may use 3-4 Campari or other medium-sized tomatoes if you prefer
Instructions
Warm up the Bacon
- Remove the bacon from the refrigerator to let it reach room temperature, which takes 15-20 minutes.
Make the Pizza Dough
- Follow these instructions.
Cook the Bacon
- Reduce the oven temperature to 400℉.
- Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and line the pan with bacon, making sure the edges don't overlap.
- Slide the bacon in the oven to precook and set the timer for 9 minutes; the bacon will cook for another 8-9 minutes on top of the pizza.
- Let the bacon cool for 2-3 minutes, then crumble or chop it into small pieces.
Make the White Sauce
- Follow these instructions (See step no. 2).
Prepare Fresh Pizza Toppings
- Chop the lettuce and quarter the tomatoes.
- Lightly sprinkle salt on top of quartered tomatoes to enhance their flavor.
Bake the Pizza
- Spoon the sauce evenly on the pizza dough and top with crumbled bacon and bake for 8-9 minutes until the crust is browned.
- Spread the lettuce on top of the pizza, place the tomatoes on top, slice, and serve.