Take your BLT game to a whole new level with this hearty and delicious BLT Pasta Salad – It’s always a potluck favorite!
Besides… if it has bacon it has to be good, am I right?
You just can’t go wrong with tender pasta coated with creamy ranch dressing tossed with crispy bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion, parsley and seasonings.
The ingredients needed for this recipe couldn’t be any simpler. You can use store-bought dressing or make your own homemade ranch dressing.
Can I make this ahead of time?
I recommend serving this immediately so that the bacon and lettuce do not get soggy while refrigerating.
A work-around would be to make the pasta salad without the bacon and lettuce, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, then toss in the bacon and lettuce just before serving.
Although this makes an incredible side dish, I sometimes eat a big bowl of this as a satisfying meal since it has meat, veggies and pasta. I like to use bow tie pasta, but pretty much any type of pasta will do.
How many will this recipe feed?
This recipe feeds a good crowd! I measured this to be right around 12 cups, so it’s perfect for potlucks and cookouts. The number of servings will totally depend on your guests’ appetites.
Enjoy!
More Delicious Pasta Salads
BLT Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 (12 ounce) package bow tie pasta
- 1 ⅓ cups ranch dressing
- 1 pound lean bacon fried until crispy, then diced or crumbled (about 2 cups)
- 3 cups roughly chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 cups seeded and diced Roma tomatoes about 4
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt more or less, to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper more or less, to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water in a colander.
- Place cooked pasta in a large bowl. Pour ranch dressing over pasta and stir to coat evenly. Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine.
Notes
- Yields approximately 12 cups.
- If making ahead, prepare the pasta salad without the bacon and lettuce, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, then toss in the bacon and lettuce just before serving.
Nutrition
If provided, nutritional info is a courtesy, is not guaranteed and should only be considered as a guideline.
Originally published June 23, 2016. Republished with new photographs and slight revision of recipe on April 6, 2019.
Salad recipes with pasta always promise something tasty and unusual for dinner 🙂 I really like the combination of ingredients in this recipe, I will definitely try to cook this salad on the weekend. A very interesting dressing, I think the taste will be unusual. At least, these photos are so appetizing! I cannot wait to already taste that dish/ Thank you for the idea, I wiil be a frequent guest at your blog
Oh wow this looks fabulous!! I’m always looking for new takes on classics, and this sounds perfect. My husband would just love it! Thanks!!!
This is the perfect, easy side dish for 4th of July! Love the flavors and the color.
Thanks so much, Valerie!