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BLT Pasta Salad

April 16, 2022 by Great Grub, Delicious Treats

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This delicious BLT pasta salad combines all the flavors we love in a classic BLT sandwich into a pasta salad. This cold salad recipe is made with farfalle (bowtie) pasta, Romaine lettuce, crispy bacon, tomatoes, and a homemade ranch dressing. An easy and delicious summer salad.

A large serving bowl filled with delicious BLT pasta salad.

I’ve been making pasta salad for as long as I’ve been cooking. It was one of the first recipes I learned how to make because it’s so easy to make. Over the years, I’ve made both cold and hot pasta salads. I’ve made them creamy, cheesy, vinegar-based, and everything in between. There are just SO many recipes out there. You could literally make a new one every day and never run out of options. That’s great because I love to take them to potlucks and parties. They’re always a great addition to any plate, and almost everyone loves them.

Lately, I’ve been making this BLT pasta salad quite a bit. It’s just as easy to make as any other pasta salad recipe, and it has all the great flavors of a BLT. It’s truly a triple threat of taste, ease, and crowd-pleasing. I predict that if you give it a try, you’ll love it just as much!

BLT Pasta Salad

This delicious pasta salad starts off with the traditional base of pasta. From there, we add bacon, grape tomatoes, Romaine lettuce, and mayo. We don’t stop there, though. I make this recipe even more flavorful with the addition of ranch seasoning and chunked avocado. It’s a delicious side that pairs well with almost anything you can think of, making it a highly versatile addition to any part or dinner.

Bowls filled with each ingredients of this recipe; sliced avocados in a white bowl, diced grape tomatoes in a white bowl, lettuce in a white bowl, chopped crispy bacon in a white bowl, bow tie pasta noodles in a large bowl, and a blue bowl full of ranch dressing.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Pasta Salad Recipe

  • It combines all the delicious flavors of a BLT into the salad, and it even has a few little twists for more flavor!
  • It only uses a few simple ingredients, so you don’t have to scour the store for anything fancy.
  • It’s super versatile. It pairs well with just about anything.

Tips and Variations

This is an exceptionally easy recipe to make, but I still have a couple of tips just to be sure you make the best version of this recipe you possibly can. I also have a few fun variations that you can use to switch things up.

Tips

  • Cook your pasta to al dente. You do not want your pasta to be overly soft for this recipe or it will break apart when you mix it with the ingredients.
  • Mix the pasta salad gently to avoid smashing the pasta. A gentle touch is best.

Variations

  • Use any bite-size pasta you like for this recipe. Rotini pasta works well too.
  • Try turkey bacon for a lower fat salad.
  • Use your favorite flavor of bacon. Applewood, hickory – whatever you like they all work.
A large bowl filled with all of the ingredients for this pasta salad.

BLT Pasta Salad FAQ

If you have questions about this BLT pasta salad, then I have the answers. The following FAQ answers the most commonly asked questions about this recipe.

How long will pasta salad keep in the refrigerator?

It will stay fresh in the fridge for 4 to 5 days in an air-tight container.

Should pasta salad be served cold?

This one should. There are also warm pasta salads.

Does adding salt to pasta water make a difference?

Yes! You should always salt your pasta water. Otherwise, your dish will taste under-seasoned no matter what you do. The pasta will absorb some of the salt in the water, seasoning it from the inside out.

What is the history of pasta salad?

It’s actually not a very old food item, historically speaking. It was invented in the 1950s at the Trattoria da Vincenzo.

What to serve with BLT pasta salad?

It’s a pasta salad with all the flavor of a BLT, so you can serve almost anything with it. From burgers to your favorite BBQ, you can pair this pasta salad with anything. I’ve been making it for years, and I still haven’t found a food that it doesn’t go well with.

A large white bowl with blue trim on the edges filled with BLT pasta salad tossed in ranch dressing.

How to Store BLT Pasta Salad

Store your pasta salad in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. Never leave it at room temperature for longer than it takes to serve it.

BLT Pasta Salad Ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. You’ll find them all easily at your local grocery store.

For the Pasta Salad

  • Farfalle (Bowtie) pasta
  • Bacon
  • Grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
  • Romaine hearts
  • Avocados

For the Dressing

  • Mayonnaise
  • Milk
  • Dry ranch seasoning
A big bite of BLT pasta salad on a fork.

How to Make BLT Pasta Salad

Making this recipe is just as easy as shopping for the ingredients. It all comes together in a few simple steps.

Step 1: Make the Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat and cook the farfalle pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Step 2: Cook the Bacon

In a large skillet, fry the bacon until crispy. Then, transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess grease.

Step 3: Make the Ranch Dressing

Add the mayonnaise, milk, and dry ranch seasoning to a medium bowl and stir to combine.

Step 4: Make the Pasta Salad

Add all pasta salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss to evenly coat. Chill and serve garnished with sliced green onions and cilantro.

A double photo collage of pasta salad in a large bowl, with another pic showing all the ingredients.

Try This Easy BLT Pasta Salad Recipe Today

This BLT pasta salad is so easy to make and so delicious. It’s the perfect dish for any party, potluck, or weeknight dinner. It’s loaded with flavor, and it comes together in just a few easy steps. What could be better? Give this recipe a try, and I know you’ll find yourself making it again and again.

A three photo collage of BLT pasta salad in a white bowl, tossed in ranch dressing.

More Easy Pasta Salad Recipes You’ll Enjoy

Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad – A delicious salad made with grilled chicken, diced ham, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, avocados, cheese, and ranch dressing. It’s light, flavorful, and super easy to put together.

Barbecue Chicken Bacon Pasta -A flavorful and incredible salad that is made with shredded chicken, cheddar cheese, avocados, bacon, among other ingredients, all tossed in a barbecue sauce dressing. It’s the perfect recipe for summertime!

Southwest Chicken Salad – Made with three different types of lettuce, this salad is bursting spicy southwest flavor. It’s the perfect dish to make for dinner or for a healthy meal at lunchtime. 

And, try this Bow Tie Pasta Salad from Deliciously Seasoned. It makes the best side dish or potluck dish to make for any party. It’s made with only 8 simple ingredients, but the flavors of this pasta salad are out of this world.

A large serving bowl filled with delicious BLT pasta salad.

BLT Pasta Salad

Great Grub, Delicious Treats
BLT Pasta Salad is a crisp and refreshing pasta salad that is loaded with bacon, avocados, tomatoes, lettuce, bow tie pasta noodles, and tossed in ranch dressing.
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Course Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 704 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 16 ounce Farfalle pasta
  • 12 ounce bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
  • 10 ounce grape tomatoes, cut in half (about 2 cups)
  • 2 Romaine hearts, chopped
  • 2 avocados, pitted, sliced or cut into chunks

For the Ranch Dressing

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat and cook the pasta according to package instructions for al dente. Drain and rinse with cold warer. Set aside.
  • In a large frying pan, add bacon and cook until crispy.
  • Remove from the pan and place on a paper plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess grease.
  • While the bacon is cooking, make the ranch dressing.

For the Ranch Dressing

  • Add mayo, milk and dry ranch seasoning to a medium bowl. Stir to combine.
  • In a large bowl, add all ingredients, toss to coat evenly.
  • Best served chilled.
  • Garnish with sliced green onions and cilantro.

Notes

Nutritional values are approximate.
Please note that these values can change with different brands and any modifications made to the recipe. For the most accurate information, use a nutritional calculator with the exact brands and measurements.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 ServingCalories: 704kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 16gFat: 47gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 17gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 904mgPotassium: 659mgFiber: 6gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 2912IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Bacon Lettuce Tomato Pasta Salad, BLT Pasta Salad, Summer Salad Recipes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Here are a few pics that are perfect to save to your favorite salad or side dish board on Pinterest. Also, you can follow us on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram. Remember to “like” or “follow” us on all social media.

Enjoy, Terri

A white bowl with blue trim filled with BLT pasta salad.
A bite of pasta salad on a fork.
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Filed Under: All Recipes, Pasta, Salads, Side Dishes Tagged With: BLT, Pasta Salad, Summer Recipes

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Welcome to Great Grub, Delicious Treats! Hello, my name is Terri and I'm so glad you stopped by. I'm a self taught cook/foodie at heart, mom to three kids, photographer and have a love for amazing food. I left my full time job of being a hospice admissions RN, which was super tough and extremely sad, and at times, very rewarding to be there for the patients and families to blog full time which I absolutely love. I hope you enjoy, and check out, all of the delicious recipes on my site while you're here! And don't forget to sign up to receive every new recipe right to your email. Thanks again for stopping by! :)

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Welcome to Great Grub, Delicious Treats! Hello, my name is Terri and I'm so glad you stopped by. I'm a self taught cook/foodie at heart, mom to three kids, photographer and have a love for amazing food. I left my full time job of being a hospice admissions RN, which was super tough and extremely sad, and at times, very rewarding to be there for the patients and families to blog full time which I absolutely love. I hope you enjoy, and check out, all of the delicious recipes on my site while you're here! And don't forget to sign up to receive every new recipe right to your email. Thanks again for stopping by! :) Read More…

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