BLT Pasta Salad
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This super easy, 20-minute BLT Pasta Salad is fantastic as a picnic or cookout side dish, but I love serving it as a main course in the summer too.
There’s nothing better than taking a classic sandwich and turning it into a crowd-pleasing pasta salad with an easy homemade dressing!
Need another easy pasta recipe? Give this Pesto Burrata Pasta, Linguine and Clam Sauce, or this Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad a try next!
Why You’ll Love This Easy Pasta Salad Recipe
- Ready in 20 minutes: With hardly any cook time, you can whip this one up super quick!
- Make it ahead of time: You can prepare all the ingredients the day before and toss them all together when you’re ready to serve it.
- Homemade dressing: This dish features a tangy and zesty pasta salad dressing with the perfect balance of savory flavors and subtle sweetness. I like to make a double batch and use it for salads throughout the week.
- Unique But Familiar flavors: While these flavors might be unique for a pasta salad, this delicious recipe features all of your favorite things about the iconic BLT sandwich in a light dish that’s perfect to bring to a pool party, summer BBQ, or any family gatherings!
I love tossing together a pasta salad on a hot summer day! This BLT salad is a fun variation that’s packed with flavor and SO easy to make during the summer months.
Do all your prep while the pasta cooks, then toss it together for a quick and simple side or main course.
With crunchy lettuce, fresh tomatoes, and lots of crispy bacon, this salad is great to serve as a flavorful side dish but holds up as a main course as well.
To help you out, you can buy bacon bits at the grocery store or quickly make some Air Fryer Bacon. However you make it, this refreshing salad is sure to be a major crowd pleaser!
Ingredients You Will Need
Pasta: Any bite-sized pasta works fine, but I tend to go for either radiatori or fusili corti bucatini.
Bacon: The B in the classic BLT sandwich, bacon adds a satisfying crunch and smoky flavor. (Turkey bacon is great for a leaner option.)
Cherry Tomatoes: You can also use grape tomatoes or dice larger tomatoes into bite sized pieces. Just make sure you remove the flesh if you’re using something larger like a beefsteak tomato.
Fresh Lettuce: I go for romaine lettuce because it stays crisp after being mixed in, but you can also mix in some spinach or other mixed greens if you like!
Red Onion: Pairs well with the bacon, adding more texture and a sharp yet sweet flavor.
Avocados: An optional ingredient, but they’re a great way to make this salad even more filling.
Fresh Basil: Provides a nice herbal flavor. Fresh is best when it comes to basil!
Dressing Ingredients
I prefer an oil and vinegar based dressing for this pasta salad, but if you like a creamy dressing, a Jalapeño Ranch or Herb Ranch Dressing are delicious options!
Red Wine Vinegar: Another great option is apple cider vinegar; you just want something acidic and tangy for the base!
Dijon Mustard: Commonly added to sandwiches for some extra flavor, mustard is the perfect addition to the dressing as well.
Maple Syrup: Balances out all of the acidic and savory flavors with some natural sweetness.
Fresh Garlic Cloves: Feel free to use lazy garlic (jarred garlic) or garlic paste, but I prefer the flavor of fresh garlic.
Seasonings: You’ll need salt and black pepper, as well as a little bit of Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes for heat.
*For a detailed list of instructions, ingredients and measurements, please reference the recipe card down below.
How to Make BLT Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the pasta to al dente according to the directions.
- Prepare the dressing: While the pasta cooks, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Assemble the pasta salad: Chop the bacon and slide the tomatoes, lettuce, onion, and avocado. In a large bowl, add the pasta salad ingredients, including the cooked pasta.
- Add the dressing: Pour the dressing over top and mix it all together, then serve!
Recipe Tips
- Make a big batch of the dressing. I like to double or triple batch the dressing to use for salads or as a chicken marinade later in the week. It can be stored in the fridge for about a week.
- Make it ahead of time. You can make this pasta salad ahead of time but avoid adding the avocado, basil, and lettuce until right before serving to prevent wilting or browning. Toss about half of the dressing with the pasta, bacon, red onion and tomatoes, then toss in the rest right before serving with the remaining ingredients.
- Make it pretty. I like to add some extra garnishes on top to make it look nice. You can add some chopped green onions, shredded cheddar cheese, or more fresh basil to garnish.
FAQs
The main reason pasta salad gets soggy is because of extra moisture. Be sure to drain the pasta well after you cook it, and try not to overcook it either. If you’re making it ahead of time, add a smaller amount of dressing and mix in the rest right before serving.
This BLT salad can be a main course all on its own, but if you want to serve it as a side, it goes well with my Air Fryer Turkey Burgers, Slow Cooker Chili Lime Chicken, or a crispy batch of Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders.
You can but I like to keep the starch on the noodles! You definitely want to drain it but that extra bit of starchiness is one of the keys to making the best pasta salad recipes!
More Easy Pasta Salad Recipes You’ll Love!
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BLT Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 oz radiatori or fusilli corti bucatini pasta
- 6 strips bacon cooked and finely chopped
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 cups romaine lettuce finely chopped
- 1/2 cup red onion finely sliced
- 2 avocados diced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
For the Dressing
- 1.5 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse.12 oz radiatori or fusilli corti bucatini pasta
- Transfer pasta to a sheet pan to cool and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil.
- Combine the red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, olive oil, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.1.5 tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 garlic clove, 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/3 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Add the pasta, chopped bacon, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, onion, diced avocados, basil, and half the vinaigrette to a large bowl. Toss to combine, taste, and add more vinaigrette if you like.6 strips bacon, 2 cups cherry tomatoes, 2 cups romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup red onion, 2 avocados, 1/4 cup fresh basil
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Notes: any leftover vinaigrette can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.
- If making this pasta salad ahead of time, add more vinaigrette before serving because the noodles may absorb it while sitting in the fridge. Mix in the avocado, basil, and lettuce just before serving.
usually not a huge BLT fan, but I had some leftover bacon I needed to use and I do love pasta (lol) so I decided to give this one a try. so glad I did!! so much lighter than the typical sandwich. it was the perfect side dish!
Bring this to any event and every guest will be thanking you! Also makes the perfect side for any dinner or lunch.
Thank you so much.