BLT Pasta Salad Recipe
BLT Pasta Salad with bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and creamy ranch dressing. Classic BLT flavors in pasta form!
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Servings: 6
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 8 ounces pasta bowtie or your fave shape
- 6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 4 cups romaine lettuce chopped
- ½ cup red onion finely diced
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
Dressing
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the bowtie pasta according to the package instructions until al dente.
- Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Let it sit until it's completely cooled.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, crumbled bacon, cherry tomatoes, chopped romaine lettuce, red onion, and chopped parsley leaves.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad ingredients and toss gently to coat evenly.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors mix.
- Before serving, give the salad a quick toss. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Serve chilled, garnished with extra crumbled bacon and fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- Cook pasta al dente so it doesn't get mushy when you add dressing.
- Cool hot pasta completely by rinsing under cold water. Hot pasta wilts the lettuce!
- Don't use store-bought bacon bits. Real cooked bacon is best. Use thick-cut bacon for best flavor and texture.
- Chop everything bite-sized so it's easy to eat.
- Substitute Greek yogurt with sour cream and mayo if needed.
- Let chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. The flavors get so much better!
- Add extra dressing if the salad gets dry after a day or two.
- Add avocado right before serving if using. It browns quickly.
- Store-bought ranch dressing makes this even easier for busy days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 401mg | Potassium: 460mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3266IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg
