Our BLT Pasta Salad is bold, hearty, and packed with the best parts of a classic BLT sandwich. Crispy bacon, juicy tomatoes, fresh lettuce, and creamy ranch dressing are tossed with tender bowtie pasta in a dish that eats like a full meal.
It may be a cold pasta salad, but it can upstage a burger without even trying.
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The classic BLT sandwich dates back to the early 1900s, when it was a twist on the old-school club sandwich. It really took off after World War II, when fresh tomatoes became easier to get year-round, and diners started calling it what we all do now: the good old BLT.
Someone took that classic sandwich and turned it into a pasta salad, and it was the start of something beautiful, let me tell you. You get everything you love about a BLT, wrapped up in a creamy, fork-friendly side that was basically made for summer cookouts and easy meals.
Made with simple ingredients and hardly any prep, it’s a great way to serve something special without turning the kitchen upside down.
You can make it the day before, and it still tastes fresh. And leftovers are just as good for lunch the next day.
If pasta salads are your thing, and let’s be honest, they probably are, don’t miss our Tuna Macaroni Salad Deluxe and Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, both creamy, crowd-pleasing favorites that bring big flavor to barbecues.
Perfect for BBQs, potlucks, or family get-togethers, it makes a delicious side dish alongside our baked chicken legs, burgers, hot dogs, and just about anything coming off your grill.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients to prepare our BLT Pasta Salad recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Can I Change Up the Recipe?
Absolutely. We used crispy bacon, but you can swap in turkey bacon, tempeh bacon, or even store-bought real bacon pieces to save time. Just make sure whatever you choose brings that salty, smoky flavor the dish depends on.
For the dressing, try homemade ranch, a Greek yogurt base, or mix in a little Dijon mustard and lemon juice to brighten things up. A ranch seasoning packet stirred into sour cream and mayo also works great when you’re keeping it simple.
You can also toss in extras like green onions, bell peppers, baby spinach, or grape tomatoes if they’re kicking around in the fridge. Just chop everything into bite-sized pieces so it plays nice with the pasta.
How to Make BLT Pasta Salad
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make BLT Pasta Salad in your home kitchen.
- Place the bacon on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the pan on the center rack of a 400-degree preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes until cooked and crispy.
- Drain the bacon on a wire rack or paper towel to remove excess grease. Crumble or chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces.
- Rinse the romaine lettuce under cold water, and dry with paper towels or a salad spinner. Chop the romaine.
- Dice the red onion, and slice the cherry tomatoes in half.
- Add the ranch dressing, mayonnaise, and black pepper to a small bowl.
- Whisk to combine the dressing mixture. Refrigerate until needed.
- Add the romaine to a large bowl.
- Add the cooked pasta, tomato halves, shredded cheddar cheese, diced red onion, and chopped bacon to the bowl.
- Toss to combine the pasta salad ingredients.
- Add the dressing to the salad.
- Toss to combine and coat all the ingredients with the dressing.
Depending on how you like your pasta salads, you may not need all the dressing. This is one of the few times that I prefer preshredded cheese, as it will hold up better in the salad.
Our BLT pasta salad recipe has got that sneaky, crowd-winning magic that turns “just a side” into the buzz of the table. After one bite, this just might become one of your signature dishes. And your friends and family will be glad it did.
How to Store BLT Pasta Salad
This salad is best served cold, straight from the fridge. Any leftovers can be stored refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two days.
For the best texture, keep the chopped romaine separate and mix it in just before serving.
We don’t recommend freezing this one. The creamy dressing and fresh veggies don’t hold up well, and you’ll lose that great texture.
Recipe FAQs
You can prep everything the day before, but wait to chop and add the lettuce until just before serving. That way it stays crisp and fresh, not wilted or soggy from the dressing.
Very. Pasta that’s too soft turns mushy once it sits in the dressing. Al dente gives you the perfect bite every time.
Let it chill in the fridge for 24 hours, then stir in the cheese right before serving. It keeps the texture fresh and helps the flavors come together beautifully.
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BLT Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup ranch dressing store bought or use our ranch dressing recipe
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lb bacon -cooked crispy and crumbled
- 12 oz farfalle -cooked according to package instructions- cooled (about 3 cups cooked pasta)
- 3 cup romaine lettuce -chopped
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes -cut in half
- 6 oz sharp cheddar cheese -shredded
- ½ cup red onion -diced
Instructions
- Add the ranch dressing, mayonnaise, and black pepper to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Refrigerate until needed.
- Place the bacon on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the pan on the center rack of a 400-degree preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes until cooked and crispy.
- Drain the bacon on a wire rack or paper towels. Crumble or chop the bacon into small pieces.
- Rinse the romaine under cold running water, and dry with paper towels or a salad spinner. Chop the romaine.
- Dice the red onion, and slice the cherry tomatoes in half.
- Add the romaine, pasta, tomatoes, cheese, red onion, and bacon to a large bowl. Toss to combine the ingredients.
- Add the dressing and toss to combine.You may not need all the dressing, depending on how you like your pasta salads.
Hunter says
This was so unexpectedly good that it quickly turned into my lunch instead of a side for dinner. Thanks for the recipe!
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the BLT salad!