BLT Pasta Salad

Why You’ll Love It

Quick to make: In under 20 minutes, nothing could be simpler.
Great for a gathering: This is the ideal salad for a barbecue or your next get-together.
Fan favorite: Who doesn’t love the elements of a BLT? Why not have them in a salad?
Beautifully balanced: The salty bacon, creamy dressing, sweet tomatoes, and crunchy lettuce go so well together.

Ingredients For BLT Pasta Salad

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Salad Ingredients

Precooked bacon: The hero in the recipe. Turkey bacon works beautifully as an alternative.
Pasta: I recommend pasta shapes like farfalle (bowtie), penne, macaroni, or rotini pasta in this recipe. They hold the dressing well and are in a good ratio to the other ingredients.
Romaine lettuce: This lettuce has a great crunch, but any crisp lettuce will work.
Cherry tomatoes: Use grape tomatoes if you like – they should be ripe and bright red for the best results.
Red bell pepper: These add sweetness and crunch. Use yellow or green if you prefer. Bell peppers contain vitamin C and antioxidants, so don’t skip them.
Cubed cheddar cheese: White or yellow cheddar is delicious in this BLT pasta salad.

Dressing Ingredients

Mayonnaise: This is the base for the dressing. Use a good quality, rich, and velvety mayo.
Sour cream: Makes a lovely tangy taste. If you only have fresh cream, add a splash of lemon juice to the fresh cream to make DIY lemon juice.
Garlic powder: You can also use fresh garlic that is finely minced.
Dried dill: Gives the salad dressing a light aniseed taste.

How To Make BLT Pasta Salad

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Make the dressing: To a bowl, add the dressing ingredients. Combine the ingredients but whisking them and transfer them to the fridge.
Prepare the bacon: Cook the bacon for 3 to 5 minutes at 350°F in the air fryer until brown and crispy. Once cooked place the bacon on a paper towel. Cut or crumble into small pieces.
Prepare the pasta: Cook the pasta with salt for 8 to 13 minutes or according to the package directions. Drain it and set it aside.
Prepare the veggies: Wash, dry, and chop your vegetables.
Combine the ingredients: Add the pasta and the remainder of the salad ingredients to a large bowl. Top the salad with the dressing. Gently toss until fully combined. Serve immediately or within 2 hours.

Substitutions and Variations

Other veggies: You can add other yummy ingredients to the salad, like green onions, black beans, fresh corn, diced red onion, or creamy avocado.
Bacon swap: Try alternatives to pork bacon with turkey bacon, vegan bacon, or smoked chicken.
Sour cream alternative: Use plain Greek yogurt for a lighter version. Buttermilk can work, too.
Lighted it up: If you’re looking for a lighter option, you can substitute Greek yogurt or sour cream for mayonnaise in the dressing.
Gluten Free: You can easily make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten free pasta. Many varieties, such as those made from rice, quinoa, or chickpeas, work well in pasta salad recipes. Just cook according to package instructions and proceed with the recipe as written.
Dressing: Use creamy ranch dressing as an easy alternative.

Serving Suggestions

Appetizer: Start out with veggies with this green goddess dip or burrata-stuffed tomatoes.
Main: This BLT pasta salad is hearty enough to be a stand-alone main but you could add some sliced grilled chicken to it for protein. It’s also a great side at a cookout alongside steak, BBQ baby back ribs, Hawaiian BBQ chicken, or beer can chicken.
Dessert: Finish the meal with a plate of cream cheese brownies.

How to Store Pasta Salad

Store: Keep the salad in the fridge for up to 2 days in a tightly sealed container with the dressing on it. Dress the salad before serving to keep it fresh for up to 5 days.
Freeze: This BLT pasta salad recipe is not freezer-friendly.