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Home » Salads » BLT Pasta Salad

Published: June 9, 2019 Last Modified: June 9, 2019 By Sara 20 Comments

BLT Pasta Salad

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BLT Pasta Salad Recipe | Easy Pasta Salad | Bacon Pasta Salad #salad #pasta #blt #bacon #avocado #dinner #dinneratthezoo

This BLT pasta salad recipe is full of veggies, avocado, pasta and crispy bacon, all tossed in a cool and creamy dressing. The perfect easy meal or side dish that’s great for potlucks.

I love a good pasta salad especially in the summer time, some of my favorites include Greek pasta salad, pesto pasta salad, and this irresistible BLT version.

BLT Pasta Salad Recipe | Easy Pasta Salad | Bacon Pasta Salad #salad #pasta #blt #bacon #avocado #dinner #dinneratthezoo BLT Pasta Salad Recipe | Easy Pasta Salad | Bacon Pasta Salad #salad #pasta #blt #bacon #avocado #dinner #dinneratthezoo

BLT pasta salad in a creamy ranch dressing.

Sometimes I am in dire need of a quick and easy dinner with minimal fuss. This BLT pasta salad is the perfect example, it’s made with just 7 ingredients and is ready in 20 minutes. It’s the perfect main course or side dish, and is always the first thing to go at a potluck!

How do you make BLT pasta salad?

My kids love anything that involves ranch dressing, and when you combine the flavors of ranch with the classic BLT ingredients (bacon, lettuce and tomato) and pasta, you’ve got a big winner! Add some avocado to the mix for even more flavor. I chop my veggies and cook my bacon while the pasta is boiling; then it’s simply combine the ingredients, toss with dressing and serve!

Bacon, lettuce, tomato, pasta and avocado in a bowl.

Tips for BLT Pasta Salad

  • You can use pre-cooked bacon and pre-shredded lettuce if you’re looking to save even more time.
  • I typically use rotini for this recipe, but any short variety of pasta will work – penne or farfalle are two great options.
  • If you don’t have romaine lettuce on hand, iceberg or even baby spinach would be great substitutes.
  • Look for firm but ripe avocados so that they don’t get mushy in the salad when tossed.
  • No cherry tomatoes? Substitute seeded and chopped regular sized tomatoes instead.
  • I recommend serving this dish soon after it’s made so that the lettuce doesn’t wilt and the avocado does not turn brown. If you need to make this in advance, toss the pasta and tomatoes with the dressing then add the bacon, avocado and lettuce right before you plan to eat.
  • I typically use a high quality store bought ranch dressing. I prefer the jars of ranch in the refrigerated section of the produce area.

Ranch dressing being poured over tomatoes, lettuce, bacon and avocado.

BLT Pasta Salad Variations

While I love this salad as-is, you can add other ingredients to the mix to make it more of a main course meal.

  • Protein: Add diced cooked chicken, shrimp, cubed cheddar cheese or ham for a heartier salad.
  • Vegetables: You can add diced red onion, black olives or sliced cucumber.
  • Herbs: Instead of parsley try chopped dill, green onions or basil.
  • Cobb Style: Add chopped deli turkey, hard boiled eggs and crumbled blue cheese.

A serving spoon filled with BLT pasta salad.

How long will pasta salad keep in the refrigerator?

Generally speaking, pasta salad will stay fresh for 3 days in the fridge. This particular recipe contains highly perishable ingredients such as avocado and lettuce, which means it’s best served the same day that it’s made.

This BLT pasta salad is especially delicious in the summer when tomatoes are ripe and in season. However, I’ve been known to serve it year round, because it’s a classic flavor combination that can’t be beat!

A bowl of BLT pasta salad with avocado in a creamy dressing.

More great salad options

  • Cucumber Salad
  • Strawberry Spinach Salad
  • Israeli Salad
  • Greek Tortellini Salad
  • Broccoli Salad

BLT Pasta Salad Video

BLT pasta salad in a creamy ranch dressing.
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5 from 13 votes

BLT Pasta Salad

This BLT pasta salad recipe is full of veggies, avocado, pasta and crispy bacon, all tossed in a cool and creamy dressing. The perfect easy meal or side dish!
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 498kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 1 lb rotini or other short pasta
  • 1 lb bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
  • 3 cups shredded romaine letuce
  • 2 avocados peeled, pitted and diced
  • 1 1/2 cups ranch dressing
  • 2 tablespoons parsley chopped

Instructions

  • Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions.
  • Drain the pasta and run cold water over the pasta until cool.
  • Place the pasta in a bowl and toss with dressing. Add the bacon, cherry tomatoes, lettuce and avocado. Stir gently to coat. 
  • Sprinkle with parsley then serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 498kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 611mg | Potassium: 338mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 215IU | Vitamin C: 9.5mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1.4mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @DinnerAtTheZoo or tag #dinneratthezoo!

This post was originally published on April 4, 2017 and was updated June 9, 2019 with new content.

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Filed Under: Pasta, Salads

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    Comments

    1. Teena says

      December 9, 2021 at 11:23 am

      5 stars
      Yummy is all I can say! Bacon and avocado are perfect in pasta salads.

      Reply
    2. Karyn says

      August 17, 2021 at 4:22 pm

      5 stars
      This salad is so delicious you can’t stop eating it! Great flavors and textures.

      Reply
    3. Syd says

      May 25, 2021 at 8:13 am

      This looks great! Has anyone substituted tortellini for rotini?

      Reply
    4. Joy says

      May 4, 2020 at 11:19 am

      5 stars
      What a fun delicious salad! it was good for 3 days in the refrigerator.

      Reply
    5. Sue says

      February 17, 2020 at 4:18 pm

      5 stars
      OMG! I was so pleased how good this salad was! Everything is awesome with bacon and avacado!

      Reply
    6. Deb says

      July 8, 2019 at 3:07 pm

      5 stars
      I make this every time I have leftover bacon! It’s such as good combination of bacon and avacado!

      Reply
    7. Karly says

      June 12, 2019 at 7:07 am

      Doesn’t get any better then this! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    8. Vicky says

      June 10, 2019 at 11:01 am

      5 stars
      These are like all of my favorite ingredients combined! I enjoy a good pasta salad, but when you add bacon and avocado, you have my attention. This is perfect to serve at those summer gatherings. What a great side dish!

      Reply
    9. Ivana says

      June 10, 2019 at 10:46 am

      5 stars
      Some of my favourite things altogether! I think I’ll be making this for a picnic potluck.

      Reply
    10. Kristine says

      June 10, 2019 at 9:55 am

      5 stars
      Delicious! That’s all I can say about this salad. It was easy, refreshing, and loaded with flavor. My peeps devoured it. I’ll make this again, real soon – thanks!

      Reply
    11. Chris Collins says

      June 10, 2019 at 9:32 am

      5 stars
      What a delicious and easy pasta salad! Perfect for this time of year!

      Reply
    12. Alexis says

      July 13, 2018 at 10:08 am

      Pasta salads are my favorite, especially during the summer. We are hosting a BBQ in a few weeks, I’ll have to make this.

      Reply
    13. Roxy says

      July 12, 2018 at 8:25 am

      I’ve never made pasta salad but this recipe sounds so easy!

      Reply
    14. Alicia says

      July 11, 2018 at 12:51 pm

      5 stars
      This sounds like a great dish to pass for our big family get-together/camping trip this weekend. Who doesn’t like a good BLT pasta salad!

      Reply
    15. Leah says

      July 11, 2018 at 11:41 am

      Bacon plus ranch!!! Yes please I will take the entire bowl!

      Reply
    16. Madeline Hall says

      July 11, 2018 at 9:23 am

      Pasta salads are the best picnic foods! Love that yours has bacon in it. What could be better?

      Reply
    17. Francesca says

      July 11, 2018 at 9:00 am

      Looks delicious! The perfect summer side dish!

      Reply
    18. Denay DeGuzman says

      July 10, 2018 at 7:38 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious, refreshing, cool pasta salads are a staple of summer! I enjoy trying out flavorful new recipes, and this BLT pasta salad is one my whole family will love. Thank you for this yummy recipe!

      Reply
    19. Julia says

      July 10, 2018 at 5:40 pm

      This looks super yummy! Pinning this for later 🙂

      Reply
    20. Rukh AZ says

      July 10, 2018 at 4:17 pm

      5 stars
      WOW! It is so colorful and pretty, looks so yummy! Definitely gonna try it out!
      Thanks a lot for sharing. xoxo

      Rukh AZ,
      https://lifewithrukhaz.com/

      Reply

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