BLT Pasta Salad

BLT Pasta Salad is loaded with crispy bacon, shredded romaine lettuce, and cherry tomatoes, and then it gets tossed in a creamy homemade ranch dressing. It is addictive and perfect as a side dish or main course! If you are a bacon lover you will LOVE this BLT Pasta Salad Recipe!

I love making pasta salads to share at Summer potlucks and BBQs! My Bowtie Pasta Salad is loaded with fresh veggies and so colorful, and my Mexican Pasta Salad has so much flavor, you’ll make it again and again!

BLT Pasta Salad Recipe

This BLT Pasta Salad is my new favorite pasta salad recipe! It is creamy and tangy from the homemade ranch dressing with a nice crunch from the bacon and shredded lettuce. I especially love the bursts of flavor from the cherry tomatoes. For the best flavor, choose cherry tomatoes that are still on the vine when you’re at the supermarket.

Pasta salads are some of my favorite recipes for sharing, and this BLT Pasta Salad recipe is no exception. I love making it ahead and bringing it to potlucks or BBQs. It makes an excellent side dish, loaded with flavor and freshness.

You can serve BLT Pasta Salad as a side dish or even a main course. It travels well, so make a large batch for lunches throughout the week! I like to keep the lettuce and tomatoes separate until I’m ready to eat, and then I mix them in.

Ingredients for BLT Pasta Salad

• Pasta: I chose rotini pasta this time, however, fusilli, farfalle (bowtie), or jumbo elbow macaroni would all work really well!
• Bacon: I crisp the bacon up to add a little crunch and saltiness to the recipe.
• Tomatoes: Tomatoes are bright and colorful, and vine-ripened cherry tomatoes that I use pack a ton of flavor. You can use any kind of tomato if you can’t find cherry tomatoes.
• Lettuce: I finely shredded romaine lettuce to add even more freshness and crunch. There’s just enough to taste, but the BLT pasta salad isn’t overwhelmed with greens.

How to make BLT Pasta Salad

• Begin by cooking the pasta according to package instructions.

• Add the cooled pasta to a large bowl along with the cooked bacon, cherry tomatoes, and lettuce. Toss to combine.

• Add in ranch dressing and toss to coat the pasta. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, if desired. Place in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

How to make Homemade Ranch Dressing

Making your own ranch dressing at home is so easy and it tastes amazing! I love making a batch of this dressing at the beginning of the week and using it throughout on salads and as a dip.

To make this ranch dressing simply combine mayo, sour cream, milk, Worcestershire, hot sauce, lemon juice, fresh dill, and parsley! This dressing lasts for up to a week in the fridge. This ranch recipe makes the perfect amount for BLT pasta salad recipe. If you want some ranch leftover to go ahead and double the recipe!

Tips for Success

• Cook the pasta to al dente. Overcooking the pasta can lead to a mushy texture, so it’s best to leave a little bite.
• Make it ahead of time. Mix together the pasta, ranch, and bacon a day or two before if desired, and then mix in the fresh tomatoes and romaine lettuce right before serving.
• Double batch the ranch dressing. Make a double batch of ranch so you can have extra for salads throughout the week, or you can even add a little more to this BLT pasta salad if desired.

How to Store Pasta Salad

• Storage: Store this BLT Pasta Salad in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. Tip: keep the lettuce and tomatoes separate so they stay fresh.
• Freezing: Cold BLT Pasta salad can be frozen! Simply mix up all of the ingredients without the lettuce, place it in a large ziplock container and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw, add shredded romaine then serve!

Frequently Asked Questions

• What can I serve with this BLT Pasta Salad? This pasta salad makes an awesome meal on its own. It can also be a great side dish alongside burgers at a cookout, grilled chicken, or grilled salmon.
• Can I make this recipe vegetarian or vegan? Yes! Add vegetarian or vegan bacon, and if vegan, use dairy-free ranch dressing.
• Should I store the lettuce separately? Yes, if you’re making this for meal prep, keep the lettuce and even the tomatoes separate until you are ready to eat so they don’t get soggy.
• Can I make this into a BLTA Pasta Salad? Yes! BLTA Stands for Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, and Avocado, so just dice up an avocado and mix it into the pasta salad.
• Can this be made with store bought Ranch dressing? Yes! Feel free to use bottled ranch dressing or even powdered ranch dressing mix to save on time.
• How can I lower the calories? You can lower the calories in this BLT pasta salad recipe by substituting the sour cream for Greek yogurt. You can also half the amount of bacon or use turkey bacon instead. You could also swap out some of the noodles for more lettuce to be lower carb!

What else can I add to this BLT Pasta Salad recipe?

• Chopped Egg
• Avocado
• Red onion or green onion
• Celery
• Cubed cheese like cheddar or feta
• Grated parmesan
• Substitute bacon for turkey bacon, vegetarian bacon, turkey, ham, or diced chicken

What to serve with this BLT Pasta Salad Recipe

• Grilled Steak Kabobs
• The BEST Grilled Chicken
• Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken
• Grilled Honey Lime Chicken
• Baked Chicken Nuggets
• Grilled Huli Huli Chicken
• Slow Cooker Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches

Here are more pasta recipes to try!

• 20 Minute Pasta Carbonara
• One Pan Mexican Pasta
• Instant Pot Spaghetti
• Pasta with Garlic and Oil
• Antipasto Pasta Salad
• Chicken Pot Pie Pasta