• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Meatloaf and Melodrama logo
  • Home
  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
    • Collaborate
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
      • Collaborate
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Popular » Recipes » Salads

    BLT Pasta Salad Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information. Published: May 2, 2022 · Modified: May 2, 2022 by Dee

    BLT Pasta Salad is a creamy pasta salad with romaine lettuce, crispy bacon and juicy cherry tomatoes in a simple mayonnaise ranch dressing. Tastes just like the classic sandwich!  This cold pasta salad recipe makes a delicious side dish or main dish perfect for summer! via @meamel

    BLT Pasta Salad is a creamy pasta salad with romaine lettuce, crispy bacon and juicy cherry tomatoes in a simple mayonnaise ranch dressing. Tastes just like the classic sandwich! This cold pasta salad recipe makes a delicious side dish or main dish perfect for summer!

    Jump to Recipe -
    BLT pasta salad with rotini, bacon, lettuce and tomatoes in a glass serving bowl
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make BLT Pasta Salad
    • Variations
    • How to Store
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    If you love the classic bacon lettuce and tomato sandwich, you'll really love this easy BLT pasta salad recipe.

    There's a lot going on here -- garden fresh veggies, tender pasta and crunchy bacon in a deliciously cool, creamy dressing. It's a great option for a light lunch or a light easy dinner, especially on a hot summer day.

    But, you can easily add some extra protein, like cooked chicken or turkey for a more substantial meal.

    This easy pasta salad recipe is a real crowd pleaser and one of our favorite recipes to serve on Memorial Day, Fourth of July or summer potluck dinners!

    Some of our other favorite pasta salad recipes include Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad, Italian Pasta Salad and Greek Pasta Salad.

    rotini pasta, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, bacon and dressing on the table

    Ingredients

    You only need a few simple ingredients for this cold pasta salad recipe. You can find them in your grocery store if you don't have these pantry staples:

    • Rotini pasta -- 16 oz if regular, 12 oz if tri colored
    • Grape tomatoes -- I used a mix of grape and cherry tomatoes from our garden
    • Cooked bacon
    • Romaine lettuce -- holds up well under dressing
    • Chopped parsley -- optional
    • Salt and pepper -- to taste if needed
    • Mayonnaise -- I love mayo on a BLT!
    • Ranch dressing -- A little bit of homemade ranch or your favorite brand adds extra flavor to plain mayo

    I use leftover bacon here. I know some of you think leftover bacon is unheard of, but we cook a bunch of bacon on the weekends to use in other recipes during the week.

    We cook bacon in the air fryer or bacon on the Blackstone Griddle! If you don't have extra cooked bacon, you can cook it on a baking sheet in the oven or on the stove in your skillet.

    How to Make BLT Pasta Salad

    Cook your pasta according to package directions. Or, you can cook pasta in the Instant Pot -- I do!

    When the pasta is done, drain it in a colander, and rinse it under cold water. Don't skip this step! The pasta won't stick together if you rinse it!

    rinse cooked rotini pasta in colander with cold water

    Shake the excess water off. Then, add the cooked pasta to a large mixing bowl, along with the tomatoes and chopped bacon.

    Mix the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl until creamy. Then, add the dressing to the pasta, and mix everything together.

    mix mayonnaise dressing with pasta, bacon and tomatoes and pasta in large bowl

    I like to add the lettuce last so that it's not super coated with dressing. If you are making the pasta salad ahead of time, you can add the lettuce right before serving.

    This will help keep the lettuce as fresh and crisp as possible. When the salad is ready to serve, I like to add a little more bacon on top for extra crispy crunch!

    BLT pasta salad with rotini, lettuce and sliced tomatoes on a serving spoon

    Variations

    There are a couple ways to customize this delicious pasta salad to you tastes.

    Cheese is a great addition to this cold BLT salad. Cheddar cheese, Colby Jack cheese, and pepper jack cheese taste great, either shredded or cubed.

    Instead of regular rotini pasta, use tri-color rotini or elbow macaroni pasta. Or, use bow ties for a super fun BLT bow tie pasta salad!

    In addition to classic BLT ingredients, add your favorite fresh veggies. Try red onion, baby spinach, fresh chives, green onions, and sliced avocado.

    When making the salad dressing, you can use only ranch dressing or only mayonnaise, depending on your tastes. Use fat free mayo or yogurt or sour cream for a lighter dressing

    close up of cold pasta salad with rotini, bacon, lettuce and tomatoes

    How to Store

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where they'll keep for 3 to 4 days.

    I wouldn't recommend keeping the pasta salad at room temperature for too long, for food safety and so that the ingredients stay fresh and crisp.

    When eating leftover pasta salad, add more ranch and bacon bits, of desired.

    Recipe

    blt pasta salad with rotini pasta and bacon and lettuce and tomatoes on a spoon

    BLT Pasta Salad

    Published by Dee
    BLT Pasta Salad is a creamy pasta salad with romaine lettuce, crispy bacon and juicy cherry tomatoes in a simple mayonnaise ranch dressing. Tastes just like the classic sandwich! This cold pasta salad recipe makes a delicious side dish or main dish perfect for summer!
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Email
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 4 mins
    Total Time 24 mins
    Course Main, Salad
    Cuisine American
    Servings 14
    Calories 264 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 16 ounces cooked rotini pasta or 12 oz if tri colored
    • 1 cup grape tomatoes cut in half
    • 6 strips cooked bacon chopped
    • 1 head romaine lettuce washed and chopped
    • ¼ cup chopped parsley optional
    • salt and pepper, to taste

    Dressing

    • 1 cup mayonnaise
    • 2 tablespoons ranch dressing

    Instructions
     

    • Cook pasta according to directions on box or cook in Instant Pot. Drain in colander, and rinse under cold water
    • Add pasta, tomatoes and bacon to a large mixing bowl
    • Mix mayonnaise and ranch dressing in a small mixing bowl until combined.
    • Pour dressing into large mixing bowl, and mix into salad ingredients. Add fresh parsley, if desired Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Mix in lettuce right before serving for crisper lettuce, and season with salt and pepper, to taste, if desired

    Notes

    Add in more ranch or additional dressing right before serving if desired. Use extra bacon if desired.
    Cover and refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible.

    Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 264kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 6gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 185mgPotassium: 230mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 3996IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? Please comment and rate it! Show me your dish on Instagram!Mention @meatloafandmelodrama or tag #meatloafandmelodrama!

    This delicious BLT pasta salad pays homage to the classic BLT sandwich with fresh lettuce, creamy ranch dressing, juicy tomatoes, and salty bacon. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

    For more easy dinner inspirations, delicious salad recipes, family favorite dishes, and great recipe ideas, subscribe to the newsletter and follow me on social media!

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    Pin
    Share
    Tweet

    More Salads

    • Easy Dorito Taco Salad Recipe
    • Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
    • Orange Jello Fruit Salad
    • Marshmallow Fruit Salad with Cool Whip

    You May Also Like

    penne pasta with grape tomatoes and fresh basil and feta cheese in skillet
    Pasta with Grape Tomatoes
    italian sausage and peppers pasta with onions in large skillet with basil
    Sausage and Peppers Pasta Recipe
    chicken alfredo penne pasta on wooden spoon over Dutch oven
    Chicken Alfredo Penne Pasta

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Justine says

      May 20, 2022 at 7:51 am

      This salad was incredibly delicious! Definitely going to make this one again!5 stars

      Reply
    2. Amanda says

      May 17, 2022 at 1:39 pm

      This is our favorite pasta salad! It's perfect with anything grilled.5 stars

      Reply
    3. Charles says

      May 12, 2022 at 9:43 pm

      I have been trying more pasta salads lately because they are so easy to make and I recently moved to a hot place. This is one of my favorite cold salads ever. I made it without mayo and just sour cream and it was light and tasty.5 stars

      Reply
    4. Sandra says

      May 12, 2022 at 9:29 am

      I love everything about this salad! Packed full of flavors! Delicious!5 stars

      Reply
    5. Janie says

      May 12, 2022 at 4:35 am

      Such a delicious recipe! My mom really loved this salad and she's not a huge fan of salads.5 stars

      Reply
    6. Tammy says

      May 12, 2022 at 2:50 am

      This really is the perfect pasta salad! I love the flavors!5 stars

      Reply
    7. Kerry says

      May 12, 2022 at 2:49 am

      This is my kind of pasta salad!! It's so easy to make and perfect for summer picnics! Love it!5 stars

      Reply
    8. Beth says

      May 11, 2022 at 2:42 pm

      That is one amazing-looking pasta salad! I love the idea of a BLT pasta salad mashup. Yummo!5 stars

      Reply

    Leave a Review Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    I’m the blogger, chief cook, recipe developer and photographer behind Meatloaf and Melodrama. I absolutely love to create easy, budget-friendly, homemade meals and treats for my family. I also love to think of new ways to repurpose leftovers so that my family will actually eat them!

    More about me →

    Trending Recipes

    • Baked Breaded Pork Chops
    • Grandma's Potato Salad Recipe
    • Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage
    • Easy Microwave Baked Potato
    • Creamy Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream
    • Copycat Chick-fil-A Peach Milkshake
    • Grilled Corn on the Cob in Foil
    • Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • All About Dee
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As Seen On

    as seen on buzzfeed delish country living forbes southern living

    Copyright © 2022 Meatloaf and Melodrama