LITTLE GEM SALAD
- 20m Prep Time
- 2h Cook Time
- 2h Ready In
A crunchy, creamy salad featuring Little Gem lettuce, smoked tomatoes, blue cheese dressing, biscuit croutons, and crispy bacon. The lettuce offers a sweet, crunchy base with nooks for dressing.
Ingredients
- 6 Roma tomatoes halved
- 14.8 ml kosher salt
- 4.93 ml freshly ground black pepper
- 4.93 ml garlic powder
- 3 heads little gem lettuce cored, leaves washed and dried, and chilled
- 177 ml Creamed Blue Cheese Dressing
- 237 ml Biscuit Croutons
- 227 g cooked crispy bacon chopped
- 6 fresh chives chopped
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 5 of 9 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 45.2 mg
- Iron: 0.56 mg
- Magnesium: 13.6 mg
- Phosphorus: 113 mg
- Potassium: 180 mg
- Zinc: 0.89 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 14.8 ml kosher salt
- 4.93 ml freshly ground black pepper
- 4.93 ml garlic powder
- 177 ml Creamed Blue Cheese Dressing
- 237 ml Biscuit Croutons
Prepare
- Halve 6 Roma tomatoes
- 3 heads little gem lettuce, cored, leaves washed and dried, and chilled
- Chop 227 g cooked crispy bacon
- Chop 6 fresh chives
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Preheat the oven to 225°F. If using a smoker, prepare it according to the manufacturer's instructions.
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Step 2.
Place 6 Roma tomatoes, halved, on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Smoke the tomatoes for about 30 minutes, then transfer to the oven and roast until most of the liquid is gone and they look shriveled, 1½ to 2 hours. Let cool, then slice the tomatoes.
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Step 3.
While the tomatoes roast, cook 8 ounces of bacon until crispy, then chop it. Also, prepare the Biscuit Croutons and Creamed Blue Cheese Dressing if not already made.
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Step 4.
In a large serving bowl, toss the chilled little gem lettuce leaves with ¾ to 1 cup of Creamed Blue Cheese Dressing. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper, and toss again.
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Step 5.
Top the dressed lettuce with the sliced smoked tomatoes, 1 cup Biscuit Croutons, and the chopped bacon. Garnish with 6 chopped fresh chives. Serve immediately.