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–+ servings
A glass bowl filled with blt pasta salad topped with creamy white dressing.
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5 from 3 votes

The Best BLT Pasta Salad Recipe

The best BLT pasta salad is made with savory bacon, crisp lettuce, tomatoes, pasta, and creamy Ranch dressing. This easy recipe includes make-ahead tips for summer parties!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 cups
Calories: 237kcal
Author: Traci

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Dry Rotini Pasta or preferred pasta
  • 4 cups Romaine Lettuce chopped
  • 2 cups Cherry Tomatoes halved
  • 1 cup Crumbled Bacon about 8 slices, cooked
  • ¼ Red Onion diced, about ½ cup
  • 1 Avocado diced
  • ½ cup Ranch Dressing or more as needed

Instructions

  • Cook the PASTA in a 3-quart saucepan according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, then set aside to cool completely.
  • In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled PASTA, BACON, LETTUCE, TOMATOES, ONIONS, and AVOCADO.
  • Drizzle RANCH DRESSING over the top and toss gently to coat.
  • Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor. If making ahead, wait to add the AVOCADO and DRESSING until just before serving. Get more "Make-Ahead Tips" in the recipe footnotes.

Notes

Make-Ahead Tips

Cook the pasta ahead. Boil and rinse the pasta 1–2 days in advance. Toss with a little oil to prevent sticking and refrigerate in an airtight container.
Chop the veggies early. Lettuce and red onion can be prepped ahead and stored separately with a paper towel to absorb moisture. For the best look, slice the tomatoes just before serving.
Use a bacon shortcut. Fresh-cooked bacon is crispest but needs to be used the same day. Store-bought crumbled bacon saves time and still brings great flavor.
Wait to slice the avocado. Cut it just before serving, or toss with lemon juice to help prevent browning.
Make the dressing ahead. Homemade dressing tastes even better after a day or two in the fridge as the flavors meld.
Don’t dress the salad too early. Keep everything separate until just before serving so the lettuce stays crisp and the pasta doesn’t soak up the dressing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 346mg | Potassium: 496mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 7045IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg