Your favorite sandwich, the BLT, is here in pasta salad form. Bacon, lettuce, and tomato are tossed in a creamy ranch dressing with rotini pasta to make this flavorful BLT pasta salad.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Tender pasta, salty bacon, red onions, tomatoes, and lettuce are coated in tangy ranch dressing.
Simple homemade dressing: Made with ranch seasoning, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Easy and fresher than the store bought stuff!
Serves: 12 or more people
Great for: Summer picnics, barbecues, Fourth of July
Similar to: Classic Pasta Salad, Tortellini Pasta Salad, Southern Macaroni Salad
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Pasta - Rotini works best in this recipe, but any medium sized pasta will work in a pinch. Macaroni is another great choice.
- Lettuce - A sturdy, crisp lettuce works best. Romaine or iceberg are good, easy to find choices.
- Tomatoes - Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or any in-season diced tomato will work in this recipe.
- Bacon - Fresh cooked and crumbled bacon will provide the best flavor, but can be substituted with store bought crumbled bacon if needed.
- Red onion - Adds flavor and color to your salad.
- Mayonnaise - The base of your dressing.
- Lemon - Adds a bright, fresh flavor and slightly thins the dressing.
- Ranch seasoning - Can be store bought or homemade. One 1-ounce packet equals about 2 tablespoons of seasoning.
How to make BLT pasta salad
- Cook pasta to al dente, then add to a bowl along with remaining salad ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, mix dressing ingredients.
- Add dressing to salad ingredients.
- Toss until evenly coated and serve immediately.
Tips and tricks
Serve same day - This pasta salad contains several delicate ingredients, like lettuce, tomato, and chopped bacon, which will get soggy over time. For best flavor and texture, serve immediately, or within a few hours of preparing.
Pasta variations - Rotini makes a great cold pasta salad. However, any medium shaped pasta works great in this recipe. Bow ties, penne, and macaroni are all great options.
Mix-in variations - Shredded cheddar cheese, chopped bell pepper, or cubed avocado make great additions. Bacon can be substituted with turkey bacon for a lighter variation.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, with adjustments. Store your bacon and dressing separately from the rest of the salad ingredients, then toss together just before serving. This prevents the salad ingredients from wilting and bacon from getting soggy.
Yes, substitute the dressing ingredients with about 1 ¼ cups of store bought ranch dressing.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
BLT Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dry rotini pasta
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning
- 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
Instructions
- In a large salted pot of boiling water, cook rotini to al dente according to package directions. Drain, rinse, and allow to cool to room temperature.
- In a large bowl, add mayonnaise, lemon juice, and ranch seasoning. Whisk until smooth. Add cooked rotini, crumbled bacon, cherry tomatoes, onion, and romaine lettuce. Toss to coat.
- Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Salad is best served within a few hours of preparing.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Serve fresh: Best served same day. If making beforehand, store your pasta, tomato, onion, and lettuce in one container, bacon in a second container, and dressing in a third container. Toss your ingredients together just before serving. The lettuce will wilt and bacon will lose its crispiness if dressed and refrigerated overnight.
- Ranch seasoning: Can be homemade or store bought. 2 tablespoons = one 1-ounce packet of store bought ranch seasoning.
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