BLT Pasta Salad – The Nation Prepare dinner

Corkscrew pasta with a creamy dressing and filled with crunchy bacon, lettuce and tomato. The right BLT Pasta Salad recipe!

A SANDWICH INSPIRED PASTA SALAD

After I noticed this recipe for BLT Macaroni Salad, I knew that I had to make it! That is such a enjoyable tackle pasta salad. It’s a pasta salad that mixes the flavors of a basic BLT with creamy macaroni salad. It’s chock-full of crispy bacon, tomatoes, and crunchy inexperienced leaf lettuce, plus a tangy dressing. It’s a fusion macaroni salad that takes BLT’s to a complete new stage.

A bowl of BLT Pasta Salad with a small plate of it on the side.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What different pasta would work on this pasta salad?

You should use any formed pasta you take pleasure in: macaroni, cavatappi, radiatore, rotini, penne and extra!

Why is the lettuce shedding it’s crispness and the bacon shedding it’s cruch?

Don’t add the lettuce and bacon to the pasta salad till simply earlier than serving otherwise you’ll lose the crunchiness.

How lengthy do leftovers final?

Leftovers might be saved (lined) within the fridge for 2-3 days. Take note, the lettuce and bacon will flip delicate.

Can I freeze BLT Pasta Salad?

This pasta can’t be frozen.

A serving spoon getting a scoop of BLT Pasta Salad.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

cavatappi noodles– I shared different forms of pasta that you need to use on this recipe above within the FAQ part. You need a pasta with some grooves or twists to assist maintain among the mayo primarily based dressing.
mayonnaise
bitter cream – don’t like bitter cream? Strive utilizing plain Greek yogurt or simply use all mayonnaise as an alternative of including the bitter cream.
sugar – that is non-compulsory. It doesn’t add sweetness, it simply offsets the vinegar taste a bit.
apple cider vinegar – you need to use common vinegar, white wine or purple wine vinegar.
celery salt – I suppose you could possibly use celery seed as an alternative of celery salt, I simply haven’t tried it. I’d in all probability begin with much less and add extra to style.
garlic powder
smoked paprika – common paprika can be utilized as an alternative of smoked in the event you don’t like that further smoky style.
dried dill – you need to use recent dill.
inexperienced onions
Roma tomatoes– I like to make use of cherry or grape tomatoes for this recipe however be at liberty to cut up no matter sort of tomato you take pleasure in or have readily available.
Romaine lettuce – any form of lettuce can be utilized. If all you will have is iceberg, then use that.
bacon – this recipe tastes finest with recent cooked bacon, not the microwave stuff.

Romaine lettuce, green onions, tomatoes, bacon, paprika, mayo, cavatappi, sugar, apple cider vinegar, sour cream, dill, garlic powder, and celery salt.

HOW TO MAKE BLT PASTA SALAD:

Prepare dinner the elbow macaroni in salted water per the package deal directions. Drain effectively. Whereas pasta is cooking, put together the dressing. In a big mixing bowl, whisk collectively the mayonnaise, bitter cream, sugar, vinegar, celery salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dill and pepper, to style.

Pasta salad dressing being mixed in a bowl.

Chop up the tomatoes, inexperienced onions, lettuce and bacon. Add the cooked and drained pasta to the bowl. Stir in inexperienced onions and tomatoes.

A bowl of pasta with tomatoes and green onions being mixed.

Combine till evenly distributed.

Cowl with plastic wrap and pop it into the fridge to relax. Simply earlier than serving, add the lettuce and bacon. Combine effectively and serve.

Bacon and lettuce being added to the pasta salad in a bowl.

Retailer chilled.

A plate of BLT Pasta Salad with tons of broccoli and pasta.

CRAVING MORE RECIPES?

Initially printed: Could 2016, photographs up to date June 2025

A spoon mixing some BLT Pasta Salad together.

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Prepare dinner 16 ounce field elbow or Cavatappi pasta in salted water per the package deal directions. Drain effectively. Whereas pasta is cooking, put together the dressing.
In a big bowl, whisk collectively 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise, 3/4 cup bitter cream, 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons celery salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon dried dill and freshly floor black pepper, to style.
Add the cooked and drained pasta to the bowl.
Stir in 5 inexperienced onions, thinly sliced and 4 Roma tomatoes, diced. Combine till evenly distributed.
Cowl with plastic wrap and put it into the fridge to relax.
Simply earlier than serving, add 2 cups diced Romaine lettuce, loosely packed and 1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled. Combine effectively and serve.
Retailer lined within the fridge.

Please consult with my FAQ’s (Often Requested Questions) and ingredient checklist above for different substitutions or for the solutions to the most typical questions.

Course: Salad

Delicacies: American

“The Nation Prepare dinner” will not be a dietician or nutritionist, and any dietary data shared is an estimate. If calorie rely and different dietary values are vital to you, we suggest working the substances via whichever on-line dietary calculator you favor. Energy and different dietary values can range fairly a bit relying on which manufacturers had been used.

Recipe Credit score: Melissa’s Southern Type Kitchen. The unique submit had a cookbook giveaway. That giveaway has now ended.