This **BLT Pasta Salad** offers a delightful variation of the traditional BLT sandwich. The melding of pasta, bacon, vegetables, and a tangy dressing results in a remarkable flavor profile.
If you’re fans of bacon, be sure to check out our BLT wrap and air fryer bacon recipes!
### Recipe Details
I love this BLT Pasta Salad for its simplicity, deliciousness, and it’s an ideal summer dish for any potluck or barbecue. This recipe gives the classic sandwich a refreshing twist.
– **TASTE**: This savory BLT Pasta Salad combines sweet and tangy notes, enhanced by a creamy mayo-ranch dressing.
– **TEXTURE**: The salad features crispy bacon, crunchy lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and creamy mayo all tossed with al dente rotini pasta and ranch.
– **TIME**: It’s ready in just 17 minutes.
– **EASE**: Thanks to its straightforward ingredients and easy preparation steps, you can whip this salad up in no time when the craving strikes.
### What You’ll Need
### Ingredient Notes
– **Pasta**: I chose rotini, but feel free to substitute with any small pasta shape you prefer.
– **Mayonnaise and Ranch**: These ingredients create the creamy and tangy dressing.
– **Lettuce**: Romaine is my favorite, but use any type you enjoy.
– **Tomatoes**: Roma, cherry, or grape varieties work best.
– **Bacon**: Use your preferred cut—thick or thin works equally well.
### Add-ins and Substitutions
– **Boost protein**: Incorporate cubed chicken, chopped hard-boiled eggs, or tofu for added protein.
– **Include more vegetables**: Feel free to add bell peppers, celery, carrots, or spinach for an extra veggie crunch.
– **Experiment with dressings**: Try different dressings like Caesar, 1000 Island, or a vinaigrette for a unique flavor.
### How to Make BLT Pasta Salad
1. **Cook the bacon**: Fry bacon until crispy, then chop into small pieces and place in a large bowl.
2. **Chop the veggies**: Dice the tomatoes, lettuce, and onion, and add them to the bowl with the bacon.
3. **Prepare the pasta**: Cook the rotini according to package directions, rinse with cold water, drain, and add to the bowl.
4. **Create the dressing**: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and ranch.
5. **Combine the salad**: Drizzle the dressing over the salad, mix thoroughly, and serve.
**Pro Tip**: For the best flavor and texture, serve the salad right after dressing it.
### Recipe Tips
– **Chop vegetables uniformly**: Make sure the veggies are cut to a similar size so none dominate the dish. Halve small tomatoes.
– **Ensure crispy bacon**: Crispy bacon helps prevent sogginess from tomato juices and dressing.
– **Cook pasta al dente**: This will maintain texture and avoid mushiness.
– **Choose pasta with ridges**: Rotini is ideal for holding the dressing and other ingredients, making for a better bite.
### FAQs
– **What’s the best lettuce for BLT?**
– Romaine and iceberg are both excellent choices for their crisp textures. While romaine offers more nutritional benefits, iceberg is crunchier.
– **What dressing complements it best?**
– A creamy, mayonnaise-based ranch dressing pairs perfectly with the other ingredients, providing a sweet and tangy kick.
### Serving Suggestions
This BLT Pasta Salad is a rich, savory dish that can serve as a side to meats for a more rounded meal or stand alone at any gathering. Enjoy!substantial meal, or as part of a larger salad assortment for a complete dining experience. When serving this pasta salad, it pairs beautifully with Smoked Pork Chops, Ribeye Steak, Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs, or Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Breast for a meaty option. If you’re considering additional salads, options like Strawberry Feta Spinach Salad, Pesto Pasta Salad, Broccoli Cranberry Salad, or Tri-Color Pasta Salad are excellent choices. You can also complement it with Focaccia Bread, Sourdough Bread, Rustic Bread, or Brioche Buns. For pizza lovers, it works well with Margherita Pizza, Chicken Pesto Pizza, Mushroom Arugula Flatbread Pizza, or Chicken Bacon Ranch Flatbread Pizza.
To make this dish ahead of time, you can cook the bacon and pasta in advance, storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It’s best to assemble the salad just before serving for optimal flavor.
For the freshest experience, it is advisable to enjoy this BLT Pasta Salad on the day it is prepared, as the lettuce may become wilted when mixed with the dressing for an extended period. Freezing the salad is not recommended, as it could impact the texture when thawed.
For more enticing pasta salad recipes, you might want to check out options like The BEST Tuna Pasta Salad, Greek Chicken Pasta Salad, Chicken Pasta Salad, and Tri-Color Pasta Salad.
Servings: 10Calories: 367kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb rotini pasta
- 5 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 8 slices bacon
- 1 1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup red onion
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Cut the cooked bacon into small pieces. To simplify achieving crispy bacon, using an air fryer is recommended (see this recipe).
- Chop the lettuce, tomatoes, and red onion. Mix them in a large bowl along with the diced bacon.
- Cook the rotini pasta according to the package guidelines, rinse it with cold water after cooking, drain in a colander, and add it to the salad.
- Make the dressing by whisking together the ranch dressing and mayonnaise.
- Drizzle the dressing
over the salad components, combine thoroughly, and serve right away to ensure a delightfully crispy and crunchy texture.
Notes
Serving suggestions- Chipotle Burgers with Avocado Sauce
- Grilled cedar plank salmon
- Grilled BBQ chicken wings
- Barbecue Pork Ribs
Nutrition
Calories:
367
kcal
|
Carbohydrates:
38
g
|
Protein:
9
g
|
Fat:
20
g
|
Saturated Fat:
4
g
|
Cholesterol:
20
mg
|
Sodium:
386
mg
|
Potassium:
263
mg
|
Fiber:
2
g
|
Sugar: ### Nutritional Information– **Total Fat:** 3 g
– **Vitamin A:** 2172 IU
– **Vitamin C:** 7 mg
– **Calcium:** 27 mg
– **Iron:** 1 mg—
This nutritional breakdown provides a concise overview of essential vitamins and minerals, useful for those looking to maintain a balanced diet.
