This BLT Pasta Salad pairs classic flavors with pasta and a creamy homemade dressing. This crowd-favorite is filled with salty bacon, fresh tomatoes, and crisp lettuce. Serve as a light lunch or as a side dish to everything from grilled chicken to burgers and more.
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Why you will love this
If you love BLT sandwiches as much as I do, you will love this pasta salad. These classic flavors are paired with pasta and the most delicious homemade dressing.
The salty, smoky bacon, crisp lettuce, and fresh tomatoes turn plain pasta into a flavor-packed salad. You can serve this as a light lunch or as a side dish for everything from grilled chicken to burgers and more.
Ingredients
- Pasta - I prefer cavatappi or wagon wheel pasta for this salad because the shape catches all of the dressing. Any fun bite-size shape will work - you can try farfalle (bowties), rotini, or orecchiette (little ears).
- Bacon - Thick-cut bacon provides a meaty bite in this salad. If you have regular-cut bacon, chop it into larger pieces.
- Tomatoes - Grape and cherry tomatoes cut in half provide a pretty presentation and are the perfect-sized bite.
- Lettuce - I like using the light green inner leaves of romaine, which will stay crisp in the salad.
Homemade dressing
This salad has a homemade creamy dressing. Use your favorite bottled Ranch (or similar) dressing in a pinch.
This dressing comes together easily with ingredients that are likely already in your pantry and fridge.
- Deli-style mustard - Dijon can also be used.
- Apple cider vinegar - White wine vinegar can be used as well.
- Seasonings - onion and garlic powder, sugar, thyme, salt, and pepper
Recipe FAQs
First, prep the ingredients with a few simple steps: cook the pasta, cook and chop the bacon, halve the tomatoes, and whisk together the dressing. Then, add the salad ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and toss together until everything is evenly coated.
This salad is equally wonderful on its own as a light lunch or as a side dish. Serve with everything from grilled chicken or steak to burgers and sandwiches such as this Triple Decker Turkey Club Sandwich.
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BLT Pasta Salad with Creamy Dressing
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Ingredients
Creamy Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 7 teaspoons cider vinegar (2 tablespoon + 1 tsp)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon Dijon or deli brown mustard
- 5 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme (2-3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves)
- milk (as needed to thin out the dressing)
Pasta Salad
- 1 pound small pasta (like cavatappi, wagon wheels, bowties, rotini)
- 1 pound thick cut bacon (cooked and chopped)
- 2 cups halved grape or cherry tomatoes
- 5 cups chopped romaine lettuce (inner light green leaves)
Instructions
Creamy Dressing
- In a small bowl or mason jar, combine all of the dressing ingredients. Whisk or shake until well blended. If the dressing seems too thick, add milk as necessary to thin out (start with 1 or 2 teaspoons). Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside.
Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and rinse.
- Cook the bacon, drain on paper towels and chop into 1-inch pieces.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta, bacon, tomatoes, and lettuce. Add the dressing and gently toss until all of the ingredients are coated with the dressing. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Keeps well for 2-3 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific ingredients used.
Note: This post was originally published in June 2019 and has been updated.
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