BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado and Ranch is a cold pasta salad with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado, drizzled with a skinny Ranch dressing! It’s everyone’s favorite sandwich combo made into a scrumptious pasta salad. Grab a fork!!!
BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado and Ranch
This salad…it’s like a giant bowl of bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwichs tossed together with avocado, pasta noodles, and creamy ranch dressing!
Just you go ahead and try to make BLT pasta salad without sneaking bite, after bite, after bite, before unveiling it at your next event…or your next lunch break.
When I make this salad, I can barely keep from eating the whole thing! Every single bite is as good as the last, all the way to the finish.
BLT pasta salad recipe tips for saving time and creating quality
Tip #1:
Ranch dressing: Make my secretly healthy Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing a few hours in advance, or even a day ahead. The more time the dressing ingredients get to hang out together, the better they will taste!
Tip #2:
Pasta: Always rinse the pasta in cold water when it’s finished cooking. This stops it cooking, cools it down, and removes excess starch.
You can use any type of pasta you like.
I personally like spiral noodles because they’re easier to pick up with a fork and pile on all the ingredient.
I like to chill them for a bit before making BLT pasta salad, especially if I’m eating it on a warm summer day.
Tip #3:
Lettuce: I love to use romaine or iceberg lettuce, or combine the two for this pasta salad.
You can prep it a day or two before serving, just be sure to air dry the lettuce completely before storing in the fridge.
Tip #5.
Bacon: Feel free to use your favorite pre-cooked bacon or bacon bits for this pasta salad.
If you cook your own, do it a day or two in advance to avoid extra tasks the day of your event.
Tip #6.
Avocado: Be sure to use a ripe, but not too ripe, avocado for BLT pasta salad.
For optimal avocado freshness, I recommend waiting until the last minute to chop and add avocado to the salad.
Tip #7.
Serving tip: Keep all prepped ingredients separate from each other until you’re ready to toss the salad together. Think of it as a sacred wedding day, because BLT pasta salad is…pretty much is exactly that!
BLT Pasta Salad Ingredients
- cooked rotini pasta (or any pasta noodles)
- romaine lettuce
- cherry tomatoes
- cooked bacon
- red onion
- avocado
- Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing
Kitchen tools I use for this recipe:
- chef knife
- cutting board
- salad spinner (to wash leafy produce)
- large salad bowl
If you like BLT pasta salad, you’ll enjoy these too!
This Classic Macaroni Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing has a few secretly healthy ingredients.
This Tortellini Pesto Pasta Salad will get demolished at any warm-weather event!
Check out my Asian Quinoa Slaw Salad with Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette…it’s just as addictive as Ranch BLT pasta salad, only it’s Asian-inspired.
My Broccoli Bacon Grape Blue Cheese Salad makes broccoli literally disappear before your eyes!
BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado and Ranch
Ingredients
- 2 cups Spiral Pasta uncooked
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt add this to pasta water
- 4-6 cups Romaine Lettuce chopped
- 2 cups Cherry Tomatoes halved
- 1/2 lb Bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 small Red Onion diced
- 1 Avocado about 1 cups diced
- 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing optional
Instructions
Cook the pasta
- Cook PASTA NOODLES in SALTED WATER according to package instructions.Rinse with cool water to prevent further cooking.Drain and set aside, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
To serve the salad
- Place LETTUCE and cooked PASTA in a large mixing bowl; drizzle half of the RANCH DRESSING over them and toss to lightly coat. (This is an old restaurant trick...do it!)
- Transfer both in a large salad serving bowl; add TOMATOES, BACON, RED ONION, and AVOCADO to the surface; drizzle with RANCH DRESSING; gently toss to combine; serve immediately.
Pro tip: Prep ingredients ahead and store individually until ready to toss with dressing.
RECIPE NOTES
Nutrition
Traci Antonovich
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Farah says
08/25/2019 at 2:29 amAll my favorite flavors in one pasta salad, this is inspired! BLT sandwich but so much more elevated. Can’t wait to try this Traci! Thank you for the gorgeous recipe.
Traci Antonovich says
08/25/2019 at 8:07 amAww, thank you for the kind words, Farah. Yes, you will LOVE the BLT salad version of the sandwich 🙂
Alexandra says
08/20/2019 at 10:50 pmThis is such a delicious recipe for the whole family to enjoy! Ranch is such a yummy dressing, and the BLT and avocado combination works so well! Yum!
Traci Antonovich says
08/21/2019 at 4:45 amThanks, Alexandra! We literally gobble this one down every time 🙂
Josi says
08/20/2019 at 10:17 pmThis looks fantastic. I love BLTs and love Salads so this is perfect! I think I’ll make it for our next church potluck!
Traci Antonovich says
08/21/2019 at 4:46 amThanks, Josi! Just be sure to make enough…b/c it WON’T last long 😉
Natalie says
08/20/2019 at 9:54 pmThis is such a great idea for dinner or light lunch! I love the idea of making a BLT pasta salad instead of sandwich.
Traci Antonovich says
08/21/2019 at 4:47 amThanks, Natalie! We love it too…although, nothing against a stacked up BLT 😉
Megan Ellam says
08/20/2019 at 9:50 pmOMG! This recipe looks so good! I was looking for just this kind of inspiration for a salad for tonight. Thank you so much!
Traci Antonovich says
08/21/2019 at 4:48 amThanks, Megan! So happy to inspire you! Hope you love the BLT salad 🙂
Meeta says
07/25/2018 at 8:47 amI so agree about having a good salad repertoire over the summer months and I have to admit nothing beats a BLT Salad. So awesome tips on salad making here too.
Traci Antonovich says
07/25/2018 at 1:47 pmSo glad to hear it, Meeta! Hope you get to enjoy it sometime 🙂
Sara says
07/25/2018 at 8:37 amThis looks fabuolous! All of the flavor I crave without the guilt!
Traci Antonovich says
07/25/2018 at 1:46 pmHaha yep! Exactly my thoughts about it 🙂 Thanks Sara!
Jessica Formicola says
07/25/2018 at 8:34 amThis is my kind of pasta salad! So perfect for summer!
Traci Antonovich says
07/25/2018 at 1:46 pmThanks Jessica! This is the perfect season for it 🙂
Jamie Young says
07/25/2018 at 7:53 amWhen you can combine “skinny” and “ranch” you have a winner for me! I have a potluck next weekend and this is going to be my contribution!
Traci Antonovich says
07/25/2018 at 1:45 pmHaha yep, I’m all about the skinny AND the ranch 🙂 Thanks Jamie!
Jessie says
07/25/2018 at 7:42 amThis looks Amazing!!! Must try for my gathering!
Traci Antonovich says
07/25/2018 at 1:45 pmGreat Jessie! Hope it’s a hit! 🙂
nicole triebe says
07/25/2018 at 7:16 amI’ve been craving salads all summer and this one looks to die for!! Can’t wait to make it!
Traci Antonovich says
07/25/2018 at 1:44 pmYay thanks Nicole! Hope you love it like I do 🙂
Claudia Lamascolo says
04/08/2018 at 3:14 pmI love the idea that this is skinny! sounds and looks terrific!
Traci Antonovich says
04/09/2018 at 10:20 amThanks Claudia! Skinny means we can eat MORE, right?! 😉
debi at Life Currents says
04/08/2018 at 2:44 pmThis looks like a great pasta salad to take to a BBQ, pool party, or picnic this summer! Thanks!
Traci Antonovich says
04/09/2018 at 10:20 amThanks Debi! You’ll be the hit of the party with this one 🙂
Pam Greer says
04/08/2018 at 2:09 pmOh this salad sounds amazing! I love the ranch dressing. Especially that it’s a skinny version!
Traci Antonovich says
04/09/2018 at 10:18 amThanks Pam! I’m with you…gimme ALL the skinny ranch 🙂
Zuzana Paar says
04/08/2018 at 11:18 amFinally, we have a bit better weather and therefore time for recipes like this. Have to try it
Traci Antonovich says
04/09/2018 at 10:18 amHaha thanks Zuzana! You’re so right…loving the season ahead 🙂
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says
04/08/2018 at 11:05 amThis salad looks amazing!! I honestly don’t make enough salad, but this looks like a great one to save for the summer 🙂
Traci Antonovich says
04/09/2018 at 9:08 amThanks Cathleen! Love hearing this 🙂
Jill says
04/02/2018 at 7:13 pmLooks like a really delicious pasta salad dish to bring to a picnic this season!
Traci Antonovich says
04/02/2018 at 9:23 pmThanks Jill! Yep, you might be the hit of the party if you bring this 🙂
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says
04/02/2018 at 5:03 pmEverything about this salad sounds good to me! I’d love a big bowl for dinner!
Traci Antonovich says
04/02/2018 at 9:21 pmThanks Cynthia! This does make a great dinner salad too…I’ve done it 🙂
Lisa Huff says
04/02/2018 at 4:52 pmLove that this has pasta and lettuce! Best of both worlds!
Traci Antonovich says
04/02/2018 at 9:13 pmThanks Lisa…love hearing you put it like that 🙂
Hayley | The Simple Supper says
04/02/2018 at 4:04 pmYou’ve basically solved the question of what I’m going to bring to every gathering this summer. A secretly healthy salad I can make in advance? That’s perfect!
Traci Antonovich says
04/02/2018 at 9:12 pmHaha yes!!! I love hearing that! Thanks…and hope you love it!
Jenni LeBaron says
04/02/2018 at 2:40 pmThis looks so fresh and tasty. Perfect for a work-friendly, packable lunch.I especially love the skinny ranch dressing on top!
Traci Antonovich says
04/02/2018 at 3:38 pmThanks Jenni! Yep, very work-friendly…party-friendly too! 🙂