This BLT pasta salad is a fun twist on the classic bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich. Easy to make and great for summer parties and picnics!
Table of Contents
Best BLT Salad
BLT Pasta salad is a delicious and refreshing dish that combines the flavors of a classic BLT sandwich with pasta. Made with bacon, fresh lettuce, tomatoes and a light dressing, it’s a satisfying blend of textures and tastes that makes it the perfect recipe to bring to a BBQ or to serve as a light summer meal. I took it to a potluck recently and it was a big hit just like when I bring my broccoli salad with bacon.
We eat a lot of BLT sandwiches in the summer because they’re easy to make and you don’t have to heat the oven. Plus they’re great for using up those fresh herbs and veggies from your garden.
This BLT pasta salad is a fun way of mixing things up. It’s made with fresh grape tomatoes, baby arugula, spinach, Cavatappi pasta and bacon. I mean, those ingredients sound delicious, right?! I used a light olive oil dressing to toss it in, although you could definitely make a creamy ranch dressing version too. Both ways taste delicious!
Tips for the Best BLT Pasta Salad
- Best pasta to use. I used a box of Cavatappi noodles because I like the shape of this pasta and the ridges hold the sauce nicely.
- Bacon grease. Don’t discard all of the bacon grease! Leave about 2 Tablespoons in the skillet to add flavor when you sauté the tomatoes and garlic.
- Homemade croutons. I love adding these for an extra crunch. If you don’t have any on hand, you can easily make your own homemade croutons from scratch with any leftover bread laying around.
- Parmesan cheese. Top it off with freshly shaved parmesan cheese to give it the perfect finishing touch.
- Serve warm or cold. This salad tastes delicious served either way. You can serve it immediately after tossing, or place it in the fridge to cool down a bit before enjoying.
Variations
- Pasta. Feel free to use other types of pasta, like rotini, farfalle, macaroni or bow tie.
- Extras. You can add in some grilled chicken for protein or some diced avocado and red onion for more flavor.
- Greens. I used a mixture of fresh arugula and spinach, but you can also use chopped lettuce if you prefer.
- Creamy version. Use about 1/2 to 1 cup ranch dressing instead of adding olive oil. You can add a little more or little less depending on how thick you’d like it. Sometimes I use a vinaigrette instead and add in a couple tablespoons of mayonnaise, sour cream or Greek yogurt. It’s lighter than the ranch, but still has a creamy texture.
FAQs
Yes, rinsing it in cold water stops the cooking process, helps keep the pasta from sticking and also keeps it from becoming mushy.
This a great dish to serve at a BBQ along with hot dogs, hamburgers and cucumber salad. If you are serving a crowd, you might even like to make a few pasta salad recipes.
Any short pasta is perfect for pasta salad so you can get some in every bite!
No, because of both the fresh ingredients and creamy dressing pasta salad should not be frozen.
Storing Tips
Because of the fresh ingredients included in this recipe, it’s ideal to consume the salad within the first day of assembling. That way it still tastes super fresh and the spinach and arugula don’t wilt and the croutons stay crunchy. If you have plans of storing leftovers, you may want to omit the greens and croutons when tossing the salad. Then mix them in right before serving so that they stay fresh.
More Favorite Summer Salads
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BLT Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 slices bacon
- 16 ounces Cavatappi pasta , or pasta of choice
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 3 cups mixed baby arugula and spinach
- salt and pepper to taste
- drizzle of olive oil
Optional for serving: Freshly shaved parmesan and croutons
Instructions
- Bring about 4 quarts of water to a boil and add 1 Tablespoon salt. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, about 11 minutes. Cooking time may vary depending on type of pasta you use.
- Cook bacon in a non-stick pan until crispy (approximately 8 minutes per 4 slices of bacon). Place the cooked bacon on paper towels to drain. Reserve two Tablespoons of the bacon grease and remove the extra with a towel.
- In the same pan that the bacon was cooked in, heat tomatoes and minced garlic along with the reserved bacon grease until the tomatoes are tender (about 2 minutes).
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan of sautéed tomatoes and garlic. Then add the cooked bacon and mixed greens and toss together. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese and croutons if desired. Serve warm or cold. This salad is best served the first day.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe and photography contributed by Katie from The Casual Craftlete.
Categorized as: American, Pasta Salad, Salads, Side Dishes, Stovetop
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. Here you will find easy family-friendly recipes for every occasion.
This pasta salad was so good! It was easy to make, and my kids loved it!
Yay, so happy to hear that it was a winner with your kids! :)
You don’t hear about BLT outside of the context of a sandwich, so this recipe is an amazing twist. A definite must-try!
Brought this to a party and everyone raved about it! Totally a winner!
This is great! It’s going to be a big hit this summer.
We have loved all your pasta salad recipes! Can’t wait to try this one too!
Oh wow this looks fabulous!! I’m always looking for new takes on classics, and this sounds perfect. My husband would just love it! Thanks!!!
Love this lish-looking riff on a BLT! Can’t wait to try it. Pinned this one, for sure!
–G
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