This BLT Pasta Salad Recipe is the ultimate summer dish, combining the beloved flavors of bacon, lettuce, and tomato with a creamy, tangy dressing and perfectly cooked pasta. It’s a fantastic side dish for any barbecue, picnic, or a light lunch on a warm day. The classical pasta salad comes to unite the fresh ingredients and the fulfilling texture in each bite.
The BLT pasta salad can be easily made as delicious as you would imagine. This is a simple recipe that yields crowd-plepleasing results because it is tasty and simple to prepare. Now prepare to indulge in a dressing up of a classic sandwich, into a salad.
Why You’ll Love This BLT Pasta Salad
This creamy BLT Pasta Salad Recipe is a true standout. It’s incredibly versatile and makes an excellent addition to almost any meal.
- The dish is actually transformed by having pineapple crunch, a savoury contrast of crunchy baked onions, marinated tomatoes, and fresh lettuce.
- It’s also a perfect make-ahead option, ideal for busy summer days. You can prepare most of the components in advance. This simplifies the act of entertaining leaving you with more time to have fun with guests.
Ingredients for BLT Pasta Salad
The first thing you do to make this tasty salad is to gather your ingredients. These amounts provide a liberal amount that will serve a good four. Using fresh, high-quality components will enhance the overall taste.
For the Salad:
- 1 pound pasta (such as rotini, elbow macaroni, small shells, cavatappi, or ditalini)
- 1 pound bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
- 2 cups halved cherry or grape tomatoes, of chopped Roma tomatoes
- 4 cups chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce
For the Creamy Dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup milk or buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
How to Make BLT Pasta Salad
Follow these straightforward steps to create your delicious BLT Pasta Salad Recipe. It leads you through each action verb as easy as possible regardless of the ease of cooking.
- Cook the pasta to package directions, until al dente. Drain completely and rinse with cold water to terminate the cooking process and avoid sticking. Set aside to cool completely.
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crispy. Pour the cooked bacon to paper towel lined plate to get rid of excessive grease. Once cooled, crumble the bacon into small pieces.
- Dice the cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes in half or, in case of using Roma tomatoes, chop. Chop the romaine or iceberg lettuce into bite-sized pieces.
- Prepare the creamy dressing in a medium bowl. Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), milk (or buttermilk), white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), and granulated sugar.
- Add the dressing to the dressing together with the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
- Drain a pasta in a large mixing bowl along with the crumbled bacon and halved/chopped tomatoes.
- Pour the prepared creamy dressing over the pasta mixture. Toss with a light stirring motion making sure everything blended to get a light coating of the dressing.
- Let the pasta salad chill in the refrigerator at least half an hour. For optimal flavor and consistency, chill for 2-3 hours.
- Just before serving, fold in the chopped lettuce. This will inhibit the wilting of the lettuce and make it crisp.
Time Table
Planning your meal is easy with this simple time breakdown for your BLT Pasta Salad Recipe.
| Task | Time |
|---|---|
| Preparation Time | 15 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Total Time | 25-30 minutes |
Note: Chilling is not included in total time, and is required to ensure best flavor.
Serving Size
This delightful BLT Pasta Salad Recipe yields a generous amount, perfect for sharing.
Serves 6-8
Tips & Tricks for the Best BLT Pasta Salad
Enhance your BLT Pasta Salad Recipe with these helpful tips to achieve the best flavor and texture.
- Add Lettuce Last: It is best to fold in the chopped lettuce last minute before serving. This is indeed a necessity to make it non-wilted and fresh and crisp each bite.
- The Best Chilling Time: To allow the flavors to properly combine and intensify, allow the salad to chill a minimum of 30 minutes. The ideal thing would be to leave it to chill 2-3 hours; this will allow the dressing to soak through the pasta and other ingredients wonderfully.
- Perfect Bacon: Make sure that your bacon is cooked to be crispy. Soggy bacon can detract from the salad’s texture, so aim for that satisfying crunch.
- Don’t Overcook Pasta: Cook the pasta just until it’s al dente. Pasta subjects to overcooking may turn mushy, which is unacceptable in the cold pasta salad.
Conclusion
This BLT Pasta Salad Recipe offers a refreshing and satisfying meal or side dish, perfect for any occasion, especially during the warmer months. It is something that will be a guaranteed hit because of its easy preparation and exciting tastes. We would like to invite you to taste this simple and quick meal but with the great BLT elements you know so well, in a new and thrilling variant.
We would love to hear your opinion so post a comment below. Share your favorite twists or serving suggestions! Your feedback helps other readers discover fantastic new dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
These are the typical questions on how to make and enjoy this tasty BLT Pasta Salad.
Can I make BLT Pasta Salad ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare most of the BLT Pasta Salad Recipe components in advance. Boil the noodles and bacon and dice the tomatoes and combine dressing. Combine these ingredients and chill. Put in lettuce just before serving so that it keeps crunchy.
What kind of pasta works best for this salad?
For this BLT Pasta Salad Recipe, small to medium-sized pasta shapes work best to hold the dressing and other ingredients. Good options are the rotini, elbow macaroni, small shells, cavatappi or ditalini. Choose your favorite for the best results.
How long does BLT Pasta Salad last?
When stored properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator, BLT Pasta Salad Recipe can last for about 3-4 days. If you would like to keep leftovers, keep in mind that the lettuce will not keep up well so discard it right before serving.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 pound pasta (such as rotini, elbow macaroni, small shells, cavatappi, or ditalini)
- 1 pound bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
- 2 cups halved cherry or grape tomatoes, of chopped Roma tomatoes
- 4 cups chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce
For the Creamy Dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup milk or buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta to package directions, until al dente. Drain completely and rinse with cold water to terminate the cooking process and avoid sticking. Set aside to cool completely.
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crispy. Pour the cooked bacon to paper towel lined plate to get rid of excessive grease. Once cooled, crumble the bacon into small pieces.
- Dice the cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes in half or, in case of using Roma tomatoes, chop. Chop the romaine or iceberg lettuce into bite-sized pieces.
- Prepare the creamy dressing in a medium bowl. Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), milk (or buttermilk), white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), and granulated sugar.
- Add the dressing to the dressing together with the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
- Drain a pasta in a large mixing bowl along with the crumbled bacon and halved/chopped tomatoes.
- Pour the prepared creamy dressing over the pasta mixture. Toss with a light stirring motion making sure everything blended to get a light coating of the dressing.
- Let the pasta salad chill in the refrigerator at least half an hour. For optimal flavor and consistency, chill for 2-3 hours.
- Just before serving, fold in the chopped lettuce. This will inhibit the wilting of the lettuce and make it crisp.
Notes
- Add Lettuce Last: It is best to fold in the chopped lettuce last minute before serving. This is indeed a necessity to make it non-wilted and fresh and crisp each bite.
- The Best Chilling Time: To allow the flavors to properly combine and intensify, allow the salad to chill a minimum of 30 minutes. The ideal thing would be to leave it to chill 2-3 hours; this will allow the dressing to soak through the pasta and other ingredients wonderfully.
- Perfect Bacon: Make sure that your bacon is cooked to be crispy. Soggy bacon can detract from the salad's texture, so aim for that satisfying crunch.
- Don't Overcook Pasta: Cook the pasta just until it's al dente. Pasta subjects to overcooking may turn mushy, which is unacceptable in the cold pasta salad.