BLT Pasta Salad is a delicious Summer pasta salad idea! Bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes with farfalle pasta and creamy dressing (no mayo option too!) are like your favorite BLT sandwich toppings in a bowl.
It's officially Summer pasta salad time! One of our favorite salads is my Dill Pickle Potato Salad. It's perfect for picnics too! Also, quick and easy Italian Pasta Salad.
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Why You'll Love This Salad
This BLT Pasta Salad has to appear on your table this season. It's all of your favorite BLT sandwich toppings, tossed with cooked farfalle pasta and creamy Ranch dressing. Crazy delicious!
This BLT Pasta Salad is a great option for lunch to work or a trip meal! Crispy bacon (baked in the oven), chopped or torn Romaine lettuce, and chopped tomatoes (I used on-the-vine type but Roma would be good too) are tossed with cooked and cooled pasta and creamy dressing.
Ingredients:
- pasta: any bite-size pasta works, I used farfalle (aka bow tie);
- Romaine lettuce: my favorite in this recipe but iceberg works too;
- tomatoes: use the kind you enjoy the most, on the vine or grape are my favorite;
- bacon: choose your favorite, turkey works too;
- red onion: adds great flavor and texture; if you don't like red onion raw, just skip it;
- Ranch dressing: flavorful base for the dressing;
- sour cream: optional but recommended; adds tang and creaminess;
- mayonnaise: a classic ingredient of any BLT sandwich adds that signature flavor to the dressing;
- apple cider vinegar: basic ingredient of any dressing; adds tang.
How to make BLT Pasta Salad?
My favorite Summer salad is inspired by my favorite sandwich: the BLT. Quick, easy, and perfect for picnics and as a side dish to any grilled meat or BBQ. You will love it!
- Cook pasta according to the instructions on the box. Drain, and rinse with cold water. Set aside. Place salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, stir together the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad. Toss gently to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve or serve right away.
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Helpful Tips!
- Whenever I make a salad for my family, I always add red onion. It's our favorite and adds great flavor and texture to the dish. Feel free to skip it if you are not a fan of onions.
- Any type of bite-size pasta will work here. I like the look of Farfalle but Rotini will be awesome as well. If you are missing bread, add croutons!
- If you need a mayo substitute, replace it with sour cream or Ranch. Just make sure you have about ¾ cup of the creamy mixture to toss the salad with. It's the perfect amount in my opinion.
Recipe FAQs:
Since we are using fresh lettuce in this pasta salad, it is best to use it up the same day you make it. If you need to take it somewhere (a potluck or a gathering), I recommend keeping the chopped salad in a separate container and combine with the pasta salad upon your arrival.
To make this pasta salad in advance, prep all ingredients, except lettuce, and make the dressing to store in a jar or a bottle. This prevents lettuce from wilting. Assemble the salad before serving for the best texture and flavor!
More salad recipes:
If you like this recipe and make it, let me know in the comments below! Don't forget to rate it if you enjoyed it!
BLT Pasta Salad recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked farfalle pasta
- 4 cups chopped or torn Romaine lettuce
- 1 ½ cup chopped tomatoes
- 4 slices bacon cooked to crispy, chopped
- ½ cup chopped red onion
!for the dressing:
- ¼ cup Ranch dressing
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to instructions on the box. Drain, rinse with cold water. Set aside.2 cups uncooked farfalle pasta
- Place salad ingredients in a large bowl.4 cups chopped or torn Romaine lettuce, 1 ½ cup chopped tomatoes, 4 slices bacon, ½ cup chopped red onion
- In a small bowl, stir together dressing ingredients. Pour over salad. Toss gently to coat.¼ cup Ranch dressing, ¼ cup sour cream, ¼ cup mayonnaise, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Refrigerate until ready to serve or serve right away.
Video
Notes
- You can use any bite-size pasta you like. Rotini is a fantastic option!
- Feel free to skip the onion, if you are not a fan.
- For a mayo-free option, replace mayonnaise with more sour cream or Ranch dressing. Just make sure to make ¾ cup of mixture. You can also use healthier options, like avocado mayo.
- Feel free to use more bacon!
- I used on-the-vine tomatoes for this salad. Roma is another great option. You can also use cherry tomatoes.
- You can use white vinegar but I highly recommend apple cider vinegar in cooking.
Jola says
This is one of the more frequently prepared salads for the party. Everyone likes it
Tina says
I make it for my friends when they come up here to visit almost every time and they love it. Everybody loves it.
Jane says
My husband loved this salad. I thought it needed a little more punch with seasoning but I don't know what. I will definitely make it again.
Sue says
Made this for my lunch for the week! Just cut up the lettuce and stored in separate bag then added it each day. Some days added a bit of shredded cheese. Nice and fresh! Great salad
Linda says
Enjoy making and eating this salad often!! Just curious, why do we add vinegar?
Mollie says
Soooo good....I made it for just myself , so I only added half the lettuce to half the pasta mix and dressed dressed that portion. I saved the remainder in separate containers so the lettuce wouldn't become wilted over night. It was just as good, if not better, the next serving!