If you want a simple cold pasta salad that everyone loves, try this BLT Pasta Salad. It brings together all the best parts of a classic BLT with bacon, tomatoes, and lettuce, mixed with al dente pasta and a creamy homemade ranch dressing. This pasta salad recipe is perfect for pool parties and potlucks!
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This side dish works for almost any occasion, from cookouts and potlucks to summer lunches and meal prep. You can even serve it as a light dinner with grilled chicken. Every bite is fresh, creamy, smoky, and full of texture. The best part is that it uses simple ingredients and can be made ahead, making it great for busy days.
How to make BLT Pasta Salad
First, gather your ingredients.
Ingredients
For best taste, always use the highest quality ingredients you have access to.
To make this BLT Pasta Salad recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- Bowtie pasta
- Fresh lettuce – Romaine lettuce, or iceberg lettuce work best
- Cherry tomatoes
- Bacon
- Red onion
- Avocado
- Mayonnaise
- Apple cider vinegar
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh chives
- Jalapeño
- Garlic
This recipe is really easy to customize with what you have on hand. Farfalle works great, but other short pastas like rotini, penne, or shells work just as well. Romaine adds the best crunch, but iceberg or another chopped lettuce can be substituted if that’s what you have on hand.
Cherry tomatoes can be swapped for grape tomatoes or diced Roma tomatoes, and red onion can be replaced with green onions for a milder flavor. The avocado is optional, but it adds a creamy freshness that works so well here.
For the bacon, I recommend using my air fryer bacon or air fryer turkey bacon for this recipe. Alternatively, you could bake your bacon in the oven. Turkey bacon or pre-cooked bacon are both easy substitutes.
In the dressing, full-fat mayo can be used instead of light mayo for a richer taste, or you can swap in a little plain Greek yogurt for a lighter option. You can also leave out the jalapeño for a completely mild dressing or add a little extra if you want more heat. To make it a little heartier, try adding shredded cheddar, grilled chicken, or chopped hard-boiled eggs.
Cooking a BLT Pasta Salad
BLT Pasta Salad is a simple recipe that can be made in just a few steps. Here is how to make it.
First, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain it, then rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and cool it down.
In a large bowl, combine the romaine, tomatoes, bacon, and red onion. Add the cooled pasta.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, parsley, chives, jalapeño, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
Leftovers
Store leftovers in a covered container for 3-4 days, max.
Always use common sense and good judgment when it comes to leftovers, though! If something looks or smells funky, don’t eat it.
I hope y’all enjoy this easy summer pasta salad recipe! Let me know if you try it.
More Pasta Salad Recipes Like This
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Did you try this recipe? Give it a star rating. Pin it and share it if it looks good to you. And be sure and stay connected on social media!
Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok
Be sure and check out all my favorite kitchen tools in my Amazon store (affiliate).
BLT Pasta Salad
Indulge in the creamy and refreshing flavors of this BLT Pasta Salad, a delightful dish perfect for summer gatherings!
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 12 ounces farfalle pasta aka bowtie, one 12-ounce box
- 1 head romaine lettuce thinly sliced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 10 strips bacon 6 ounces raw, cooked and chopped
- 1/2 red onion diced small
- 1 avocado large ripe , diced (optional but recommended)
For the Ranch Dressing:
- 1 cup light mayonnaise (I like Hellman's light and Aldi's Burman's brands)
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives .75 oz box
- 1/2 jalapeno seeded and diced small
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Once cooked, strain and rinse under cold water. Set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, mix together the lettuce, cherry tomatoes, bacon & red onion. Add the cooled cooked pasta.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, cilantro, parsley, chives, jalapeno, garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Add dressing to the pasta salad and toss to coat.
- Right before serving, mix in the diced avocado.
Recipe Notes
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Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator. Recipe makes 6 generous servings.
- Regular bacon, beef bacon or turkey bacon will work perfectly here.
- I recommend using my air fryer bacon. If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake the bacon: I like to place the bacon on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes. Then, let cool & transfer to a paper towel to soak up any excess oil. Break into pieces and add to the salad.
Amber says
This was delicious! I’m not a fan of pasta salad but it was requested so I picked this one and I will make it again! The ranch dressing is soo good and all the ingredients went so well together
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay Amber!🙌🏻 I am very happy you enjoyed it, and thank you for taking the time to leave feedback🙏🏻