We are in love with this BLT Pasta Salad! Creamy and delicious, a bowl of this salad makes the perfect lunch when you need something light and refreshing.
Penne pasta, grape tomatoes, crunchy bacon, and leaf lettuce all dressed in a light mayo dressing….yummy! Your family will keep coming back for more.
BLT Pasta Salad {Bacon Lettuce Tomato Pasta Salad} Recipe
HOWDY! CHEF ALLI HERE. LET’S GET YOU COOKIN’…. SHALL WE?? 🙂
Did you know you can have a BLT in SALAD form??? Yep, you sure can and here it is! We’re huge BLT fans, especially when there’s home-grown tomatoes from the garden! We really enjoy having a bowl of this salad in the fridge and it’s honestly become a family-favorite over the years – the boys are always asking me “Mom, when are you ever going to make BLT Pasta Salad??”
How to Make BLT Pasta Salad
Penne pasta. You can make this pasta salad with any type of pasta, truly….even macaroni. For some reason, I just prefer penne pasta but work with whatever you have on hand. We like our penne pasta cooked al-dente so that it has just a bit of bite to it. This seems to help it not absorb as much dressing, either, for some reason.
Leaf Lettuce. I typically use red leaf lettuce to add a bit more color to this salad. Romain lettuce would also work well.
Grape Tomatoes. I like the size of grape tomatoes, but you could certainly use cherry tomatoes, as well. Or, if you’ve got full-size tomatoes on hand, dice them up and toss them in – they will work just fine.
Scallions. I use both the green and white parts of the green onions (scallions) for this salad. Use your kitchen shears to chop them – it works so slick! Always start at the green ends of the scallions when you begin chopping since the root at the white end is what holds the green onion together.
Bacon. Do I need to say more?? (Add as much as you want!)
Mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. These ingredients make your dressing – shake them up in a jar or whisk them in a bowl, whichever is more handy for you.
Easy Recipe Tips for Making BLT Pasta Salad
- Your instructions say to reserve some of the dressing and add it just before serving….why?? Well, I’ve found that pasta salads have a tendency to absorb A LOT of dressing. And the more you add, the more it absorbs! So, I like to dress my salad and store it in the fridge to let the flavors mingle. Then, just before serving, I add a bit of additional dressing so the texture is nice and creamy.
- Is there anything I can use the bacon drippings for? So glad you asked – what an excellent question! I often add some of the bacon drippings and fats to my salad dressing. This really amps up the flavor of both the dressing AND the salad.
- Would sliced hard-boiled eggs be tasty in this BLT salad? I’ve never actually done that, though I’ve often considered it. I think it would be delish…. do it!
- How long will this salad keep in the fridge? 2-3 days tops. Following that, the lettuce gets pretty mushy.
- Can I use turkey bacon in this recipe? Sure, you are always welcome to make that substitution. I’ve never attempted that at my house….there would be mutiny!
More Summer Salad Recipes to Enjoy –
- Delta Corn Bread Salad
- Crunchy Corn Salad with Chili Cheese Fritos
- Tortellini Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Basil, and Corn
- Summer Corn Salad
- Sweet Corn and Baby Pea Salad with Jicama
- Grandma Lucille’s Warm German Potato Salad
- Chicken Salad with Red Grapes and Walnuts
- Classic Macaroni Salad
- Creamy Chipotle Pasta Salad with Shredded Chicken and Smoked Gouda
- Ham Salad
- Instant Pot Potato Salad
- Orzo Pasta Salad with Grilled Steak
- Broccoli Potato Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
Printable BLT Pasta Salad Recipe
BLT Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups penne pasta or mini penne pasta, cooked according to package directions
- 2 cups chopped leaf lettuce
- 2 cups sliced grape tomatoes (I prefer them sliced in half lengthwise)
- 3-4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 8 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2-3 Tbs. granulated sugar
- 1 Tbs. cider vinegar
- 2 tsp. spicy brown mustard
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the cooked pasta into a serving bowl; toss pasta with lettuce, tomatoes, scallions, and bacon; dress with 2/3 of prepared dressing; chill for several hours. Just before serving, dress with remaining amount of reserved dressing, as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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LET’S GET YOU COOKIN’,
CHEF ALLI
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