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If you love a Classic BLT, then you are going to love BLT Pasta Salad. There is something about that creamy ranch dressing combined with the bacon and veggies that make this so delicious. It is the ultimate potluck sid or light summer meal.
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’s quick to assemble, travels well, and pairs perfectly with any grill recipe.
This is definitely a must try easy salad recipe. Another easy and delicious side dish we love is this easy baked beans recipe.
What's in this post: BLT Pasta Salad
Why You’ll Love BLT Pasta Salad
If you love a classic BLT Sandwich then you will love this Easy BLT Pasta Salad Recipe. The smoky crunch of bacon, bursts of sweet cherry tomatoes, and cool romaine mingle with al dente noodles and a tangy ranch dressing makes this pasta salad a crowd favorite.
You love the way this pasta taste and it is always a crowd favorite. See more 25 Best Farfalle Recipes.
BLT Pasta Salad Ingredients
- Bacon – Cooked, crisp and diced
- Pasta – Feel free to use any type of pasta that you prefer
- Mayonnaise – We used Real Mayo
- Ranch Dressing – If you are out, make Homemade Ranch Dressing.
- Cherry Tomatoes – Slice in half
- Cheddar Cheese – We used freshly shredded cheese
- Red Onion – Dice into small pieces
- Romaine Lettuce – Chopped into bite size pieces
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.
How to Make BLT Pasta Salad
Step 1 – Whisk together mayonnaise and ranch dressing.
Step 2 – In a large bowl assemble the drained pasta, grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, cheese, red onion, lettuce and bacon.
Step 3 – Pour the dressing over and toss to combine. Garnish with parsley and serve.
BLT Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 10 slices bacon cooked crisp and diced
- 16 oz pasta cooked and cooled bowtie or rotini
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup ranch dressing
- 1 ½ cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- ⅓ 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.
Nutrition Facts
Recipe Tips
- Prepare Veggies – To easily chop onions, romaine lettuce and other veggies, use a small food chopper or food processor to quickly and easily chop the vegetables in bite size pieces. I usually just chop the entire vegetable and freeze what I don’t need. Learn and how to freeze onions and also how to freeze peppers to save so much time in the kitchen.
- Combining Ingredients – Combine the dressing in a separate bowl. After combining the pasta and other salad ingredients toss with the dressing. For the best flavor make sure that everything is combined.
- Cook Farfalle Pasta – Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package instructions. You want the pasta to be al dente so make sure to not overcook it.
- Bacon – For the best flavor, cook bacon in a large skillet to get extra crispy. But you can also use already cook bacon or cook bacon ahead of time.
Variations Ideas
- Salad Dressing Ingredients – You can substitute a portion of they mayo with sour cream. We have even squeezed fresh lemon juice for added flavor. Add in fresh herbs or other spices such as onion powder or garlic powder for added flavor.
- Crispy Bacon – Try using turkey bacon in the recipe.
- Pasta – Any type of pasta will work in this BLT pasta salad recipe.
- Vegetables – Feel free to add any veggies you like. We have added in arugula, baby spinach and chopped broccoli. We have even added diced avocado.
Serving Ideas
We think it is the perfect side dish to go along side Grilled hot dogs and Air Fryer Hamburgers Recipe. 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. We love to serve 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
We do recommend rinsing the pasta before combining with the other ingredients to remove the gummy texture. Rinse the pasta with cold water.
Store the leftover pasta salad in a airtight container in the refrigerator. This pasta salad will last up to 3 days.
We recommend to prepare the vegetables and pasta ahead of time. Then when you are ready to serve, combine the dressing with the pasta salad ingredients.
More Easy Pasta Salad Recipes
Easy Side Dishes
Easy Pasta Salad
Easy Pasta
Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad
Easy Pasta
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
We love to hear from you. If you make this BLT Pasta Salad Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review.
My no love pasta husband loved it, too
I used ¾ of the box of pasta it calls for and some oregano, basil and tomato spice blend by The Gourmet Collection, and all of the sauce. Perfecto!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Danell. Thank you so much for sharing and thank you for the review!
Made this salad todays it was a hit with everyone love it?
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!
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.
So glad you love it!
The lettuce won’t brown if made ahead of time?
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.
Hi this looks delicious. Just wondering if it would be good if prepared ahead of time and left in the fridge for a day?
Yes, this would be great to make a day ahead of time!
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!!
So glad it worked out great! Thanks for sharing!
Turned out great!! Thanks
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
I love a good pasta salad and this is a really good pasta salad! Thanks for the recipe!