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BLT Pasta Salad is always a crowd pleaser. There is something about that creamy ranch dressing combined with the bacon and veggies that make this so delicious.
BLT Pasta Salad
Pasta salad is one of my favorite side dishes and this BLT Pasta Salad is amazing! I could make a meal out of just this because it is so flavorful and delicious.
It is also SO frugal. I can make a huge batch of this for a cookout for very little. Plus, it is so tasty that everyone always wants the recipe.
I would say that is a win all around. This is definitely a must try easy salad recipe.
Tips for blt pasta salad recipe:
This recipe like many calls for diced onions. Another time saving tip is to use a small food chopper or food processor to quickly and easily chop the onions.
If you do not have one of these, I highly recommend them. They are such a time saver and you can get the veggies really fine if you have children that are picky.
I usually just chop the entire vegetable and freeze what I don’t need. It’s so nice to be able to just take the diced onion out of the freezer for recipes.
This is how I meal prep. It’s so quick and easy and helps get dinner on the table fast.
Learn and how to freeze onions and also how to freeze peppers to save so much time in the kitchen!
What To Put in Pasta Salad:
- bacon cooked crisp and diced
- pasta cooked and cooled (bowtie or rotini)
- mayonnaise
- ranch dressing
- cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- cheddar cheese shredded
- red onion diced
- romaine lettuce
- fresh parsley for garnish –optional
How to make blt pasta salad:
Start out by whisking together the mayonnaise and ranch dressing.
In a large bowl assemble the pasta, tomatoes, cheese, red onion, lettuce and bacon.
Pour the dressing over and toss to combine.
Garnish with parsley and serve.
Serving Ideas
We think it is the perfect side dish to go along side hot dogs and hamburgers. It is also so tasty with this Easy Grilled Chicken Kabob Recipe or Grilled Balsamic Glazed Chicken.
This pasta salad goes with just about anything! I can literally just eat a bowl of it alone and be satisfied. It is so good!
Another easy and delicious side dish we love is this easy baked beans recipe. So good!
Variations
- You can substitute a portion of they mayo with sour cream.
- Try using turkey bacon in the recipe.
- Any type of pasta will work in this blt pasta salad recipe.
- Add any veggies you like!
How to store
I like to store the pasta salad in a clear bowl so you can see all of the pretty colors from the tomatoes and other ingredients.
The pasta salad is gorgeous in a glass bowl or even a trifle dish is pretty.
Now, if I am taking this pasta salad to a pot luck or cookout, I like to use one of these plastic bowls with lids. These are so handy for traveling and the lid keeps everything mess free.
BLT Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 10 slices bacon cooked crisp and diced
- 16 oz pasta cooked and cooled bowtie or rotini
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup ranch dressing
- 1 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/3 cup red onion diced
- 1 cup romaine lettuce
- fresh parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Whisk together mayonnaise and ranch dressing
- In a large bowl assemble the pasta, tomatoes, cheese, red onion, lettuce and bacon.
- Pour the dressing over and toss to combine.
- Garnish with parsley and serve.
I made this as meal prep for my husband and I for lunches, and the little bit we tried was so scrumptious my husband dipped into more! Easy enough to make. It’d be great if you could include metric measurements in the recipe but I was able to find them out.
Definitely a keeper! We use a locally made ranch dressing (Coyote Ranch)and it was amazing! Great summer meal without using the oven! Also, I used spinach since I had it on hand, still tasted wonderful!
So glad you love it!
Love this salad !!!! It’s my husbands new favourite. For those asking about making it ahead, I make mine ahead and I’ll add the romaine right before serving. This way the lettuce doesn’t get soggy from sitting too long.
I haven’t had an issue with the lettuce browning. I usually just make it the night before serving. I do not make it multiple days in advance.
The lettuce won’t brown if made ahead of time?
Yes, this would be great to make a day ahead of time!
Hi this looks delicious. Just wondering if it would be good if prepared ahead of time and left in the fridge for a day?
So glad it worked out great! Thanks for sharing!
I made this today. Really easy to make – I left out the lettuce and used real bacon bits because I was being kind of lazy – it turned out so great!!
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Turned out great!! Thanks
I love a good pasta salad and this is a really good pasta salad! Thanks for the recipe!