Our Best Smoky, Sizzling Bacon Recipes

Bacon is versatile and dependable, amping up most dishes. Our cheesy potato soup, for instance, just seems to call for salty-smoky crumbled bacon. So we stirred some in and sprinkled the rest on top.

Turn a classic BLT into a main dish salad. The favorite combination of bacon, lettuce, and tomato are added to a mix of vegetables and toasted bread to make a delightful meal. Creamy mustard dressing makes the perfect topping.

You can find the bacon and cheese inside these hamburgers instead of on top. Adults and kids love these flavorful burgers. Serve them at your next outdoor gathering. This recipe comes from Starker's Restaurant in Kansas City.

Picky eaters in your family? Bacon-dressed beans will surely tempt them to eat their veggies.

You say tomato, we say peach--at least, we do for this fantastic BLT-avocado toast hybrid. Eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

The Niman Ranch group turns to Iowa for much of its pork. This recipe, which calls for Niman Ranch Dry-Cured Applewood Smoked Ham or other cooked ham, comes from pork producers Monica and Randy Duffe of Wilton.

Crispy bacon, extra-creamy cheese sauce, pears sauteed in brown sugar and butter. It took our Test Kitchen three tries to get all the pieces right. Oh man, was it worth it.

This simple side dish is a great recipe for spring and fall, when you can buy local radishes with gorgeous fresh greens attached (or pick your own!).

Orange juice concentrate brings out the sweet flavor while crumbled bacon adds a warm smokiness to this sweet potato side dish made in the slow cooker. Try with roasted pork loin or turkey breast.

This five-ingredient recipe comes from the bacon pros at Nueske's meats in Wisconsin.

Salty bacon and Cajun seasoning liven up this veggie mixture for a hearty side.

This crowd-pleasing party sandwich works on your schedule. You can prepare and bake it all at once for a party, or assemble the sandwiches the night before, and then bake them when your family or guests are ready to eat. 

This twist on your classic potato soup uses rutabaga, a humble root veggie that has a deliciously sweet-nutty flavor.

Freshly shredded cheese works better than packaged shredded cheese in a cheese ball. Prepare the cheese mixture the night before so flavors have a chance to blend. Shape and roll in the crumbled bacon or pistachio nuts a few hours before serving.

These sweet and salty caramelized bites are so good, you may not even want to dip them. But be sure you do for a tangy, creamy finish.

Mix and match different kinds of beans and meat to suit your preferences. Our smoky-sweet baked beans will beat canned beans every time!

Give Brussels sprouts a fresh taste with this colorful side dish flavored with bacon and feta. The trick to preserving the sprouts' mild taste is to avoid overcooking. 

A Cleveland reader makes this salad a day ahead and refrigerates the dressing and vegetables separately. When it's time to serve it, she tosses everything together. Bacon, sunflower kernels and raisins make a crunchy and flavorful side dish.

Here's a delicious take on a classic side-dish salad.

This is the ultimate feel-good dish: two kinds of mashed potatoes with bacon. Cream cheese adds richness; chipotle chile brings a subtle smoky flavor.

Cheese, bacon and mushrooms create a mouthwatering beef main dish from White Gull Inn in Fish Creek, Wisconsin.