BLT Pasta Salad is full of bacon, lettuce and tomatoes that are coated with a creamy, homemade ranch dressing. Simple pasta salad recipe perfect for a meal or a side dish everyone will love!
I don’t know about everyone else, but I have a hard time cooking dinner when it is hot outside. Nothing sounds good and turning on the oven is out of the question. It is why I love this pasta salad recipe! It involves minor heat, is light and chilled, and fills my family up!
Pasta salads are also perfect for summer potlucks and backyard BBQ’s, they are filling and feed a crowd well. One of the best things about pasta salads is how adaptable they are. You can make them according to the recipe or you can adjust them to reflect your own tastes, leave out what you don’t like and add in what you do!
EASY PASTA SALAD WITH BACON, LETTUCE AND TOMATOES
Making this pasta salad with bacon, lettuce and tomatoes is so simple and perfect for those warm spring or hot summer days, it is so delicious and refreshing! The homemade ranch dressing pairs so well with the other ingredients in the salad. The whole thing tastes like your favorite BLT sandwich – in salad form! This simple pasta salad is packed with amazing flavors and can be made as a side dish or as a the main dish as part of a complete meal.
Ingredients in BLT Pasta Salad
Pasta – You will need about 9 ounces of any type of bite sized pasta. You can use penne, macaroni, elbows, mini shells, etc.
Bacon – The recipe calls for 4 slices of bacon, fully cooked. If you’re like me (and many other people who really love bacon), you can increase that amount by as much as you’d like!
Romaine lettuce – You will need 1 head of romaine lettuce, roughly chopped into bite sized pieces. Make sure the lettuce is well washed before adding to the salad.
Tomatoes – Chop up 2 tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. If you’re short on time, you can use 2 cups of cherry tomatoes and just leave them intact or chop in half before adding to the salad.
Parsley – You will need 1/2 cup of chopped fresh parsley to add to the salad.
DRESSING:
Mayonnaise – One half cup of mayonnaise will help provide the base of the homemade ranch dressing.
Greek yogurt – Plain greek yogurt makes up the other half of the base of the dressing. Also adds a little more protein to the salad!
Parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder – All of these seasonings add just the right amount of flavor to the dressing. You will also need to add a little salt and pepper to taste.
How to make BLT Pasta Salad
Cook the pasta according to packet directions. Drain and set aside. Cook the bacon using your favorite method, then roughly chop. Check out our favorite way to cook bacon here.
Add the cooked pasta, chopped bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and parsley to a large salad bowl and combine.
To make the dressing whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, dried parsley, dried dill, garlic powder and onion powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour the salad dressing over the salad and stir through. Serve immediately or keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. The salad will stay good for a few days in the refrigerator, but if you aren’t going to be serving the salad within a few hours, I would wait to add the bacon until right before serving so it doesn’t get soggy.
BLT Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 9 oz bite sized pasta penne, macaroni, shells, etc
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 head of romaine lettuce roughly chopped
- 2 tomatoes roughly chopped
- ½ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley tightly packed
Dressing:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 2 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to packet directions. Drain and set aside. Cook the bacon using your favorite method, then roughly chop. Check out our favorite way to cook bacon here.
- Add the cooked pasta, chopped bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and parsley to a large salad bowl and combine.
- To make the dressing whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, dried parsley, dried dill, garlic powder and onion powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Pour the salad dressing over the salad and stir through. Serve immediately or keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. The salad will stay good for a few days in the refrigerator, but if you aren't going to be serving the salad within a few hours, I would wait to add the bacon until right before serving so it doesn't get soggy.
Nutrition
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Tips for making this recipe
To help stop the pasta sticking together as it cools, drain the pasta as normal then stir through a little olive oil.
Cook the bacon however you prefer your bacon to be cooked. The crispier the better!
To make the salad dressing with pre-made ranch seasoning, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt and 1 1/2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning. In this case omit the dried parsley, dried dill, garlic powder and onion powder.
If you want to make the salad a little heartier as a main dish, add some rotisserie chicken. We love adding chicken to the salad – it’s delicious!
WHAT DO YOU SERVE WITH PASTA SALAD?
If you are looking to make this a full meal and include side dishes with this pasta salad, there are several great options that would go great with this dish! Pasta salad goes well with Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs, Grilled Flank Steak or Grilled Teriyaki Chicken. We also love any reason to enjoy some cheesy bread sticks, give these a try! Don’t forget dessert – Mandarin Orange Cake with Pineapple Frosting is cold, light and refreshing and goes perfectly with pasta salad!
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER POPULAR SALAD RECIPES:
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BLT Pasta Salad is full of bacon, lettuce and tomatoes that are coated with a creamy, homemade ranch dressing. Simple pasta salad recipe perfect for a meal or a side dish everyone will love!
Tanya @ Mom's Small Victories says
This looks amazing! pinned it and stopping by from lou lou girls party!
Nicole says
Thanks for stopping by!
Rose says
Love this BLT Pasta Salad, seems amazing and unique. Super excited to try this one , thanks for sharing this one.