This fun pasta salad has all the flavors of a BLT sandwich packed inside and is generously covered with a homemade herb ranch dressing. Take this pasta salad to any summer cook-out and watch it disappear!
BLTS are hands-down my favorite kind of sandwich. There’s really nothin’ not to love about ’em. Smoky bacon, crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes….You just can’t go wrong with a good ‘ol classic BLT.
Omit the bread, throw in some pasta and a little ranch dressing, and you get…..
A BLT pasta salad. Which, I’m pretty sure is gonna become a SUPA’-BIG thing this summer. 😀
This pasta salad is SO good. I mean c’mon, combine the classic BLT with pasta and a creamy homemade ranch dressing and you really can never go wrong.
All you need is a hamburger and some watermelon on the side, and you’ve got an epic summertime dinner.
And the booze. Don’t forget the booze. It’s practically Friday. 😉
My family declared this pasta salad “a keeper” so I’m pretty sure I’m gonna be begged to make it for the 4th of July which is coming up in only a FEW WEEKS.
AKA: Freak-out time. I haven’t even STARTED planning my cook-out menu.
Seriously, this summer is going by SO fast. Once we get to the 4th, it seems like summer picks up speed and just flies by. I have so many recipes on my must-share list before the 4th, it’s not even funny. Everyday I add more to the list and I’m still trying to figure out a way to share all of ’em before the 4th rolls around.
And I’m talking some pretty amazing recipes here, guys. Burgers, epic salads, grilled sliders, red white and blue-themed desserts. Stay tuned, because if I can, I’m gonna try and share most of them before the biggest barbecue of the summer rolls around.
Wish me luck. Ha-ha. I think I’m gonna need it…
This salad was at the top of that must-share-before-the-4th list. Mostly ’cause it’s the best dang pasta salad EVERRR.
I know, I say that about most salad recipes I share with you guys. I just have so many favs I can’t keep track of them all…
I’ve noticed that anything with bacon usually always works it’s way to the top of my list.
#obsessed.
This pasta salad is super-creamy, thanks to a wicked-good homemade herb ranch dressing.—If you’ve never tried making your own ranch dressing you should definitely change that!
They whip together SO fast and are so much tastier than the bottled stuff.
I threw a spin on classic ranch dressing, by adding some fresh herbs from my garden into the mix. SO good guys! Herb ranch dressing. I’m pretty sure that’s gonna be a thing now. 🙂
And um, YUM. It goes so good dressing some elbows, lettuce, bacon, ‘n’ tomatoes.
Looks pretty tasty too. 😀
If you want to make this a BLTA salad, you could sneak some sliced avocado in there. 😉 Just kinda my thing—I’m obsessed with avocados. So, SO good!
This is one of my favorite lunch salads, but it’s MORE than appropriate to include on your barbecue menu. It whips up in mere MINUTES so it’s a perfect last-minute side dish.
It also may end up being your main course of the evening. 😉
BLT’s fo’ eva! 🙂
BLT Pasta Salad with Herb Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow pasta
- 8 strips bacon cooked and chopped
- 3 large tomatoes diced
- 2 cups finely chopped lettuce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- DRESSING:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup loosely-packed fresh basil
- 1/4 cup loosely-packed fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions and reserve 1/3 cup pasta cooking water. Place pasta in a large bowl and set aside to cool.
- Add chopped bacon, tomato, lettuce, and lemon juice to cooled pasta and toss to combine.
- Prepare the dressing: Place all dressing ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy.
- Pour dressing over pasta salad and stir to coat. Stir in reserved 1/3 cup pasta water. Season salad with salt and pepper. Refrigerate salad at least 1 hour until cold.
Notes
Try my other cook-out favorites next!
All-American Loaded Hamburgers
Louisa [Living Lou] says
Love how simple your ranch dressing recipe is – I already have all of those ingredients right now. I’ve never really made a creamy pasta salad before (I know, crazy!) I usually tend to go for the vinegary option, but I think I need to try this recipe!
Sarah says
I love creamy pasta salads, but oil-based vinegar dressings for pasta salads are one of my fav kinds too! Speaking of which, I’m dying over how amazing your coleslaw looks, Louisa! 😉
olivia says
Sarah, I love pasta salad so much. I am always making it at home. Yours looks so good, delicious, amazing, perfect and so on… hahahhah! Love the pictures too 😉
Sarah says
Thanks Olivia! Pasta salad is a definite favorite in this household too! Amazing stuff. 😀
marcie says
I’m on board with this! I love BLT’s, and homemade Ranch dressing sounds like the perfect way to dress this! I’m going to have to give this a try, and soon! 🙂
Sarah says
It’s a combo made in heaven, Marcie! 🙂 Let me know if you try this salad!
Rachael | Spache the Spatula says
I hate to say anything with Ranch has my name all over it but…..anything with Ranch has my name all over it, hahah! This sounds fantastic! I want to go have a picnic and eat only this 😛
Sarah says
Haha! Ranch dressing is the best thing ever. Fact. Thanks girl! 🙂
Annie @Maebells says
This looks fantastic! I adore BLT’s….they are my absolute favorite! What a fun twist on pasta salad, and the herb ranch dressing? YUM!
Sarah says
Thanks Annie! Aren’t BLTS the best?? 1000x tastier in pasta form with some ranch! 😀
Danielle says
BLT in pasta form is a genius idea! I’m really obsessed with bacon too, you could pretty much put it on anything and it tastes good. I love the homemade ranch recipe too. Pinning this one!
Sarah says
Ikr?? Bacon makes everything tastier! 😀 Thanks for the pin, girlfriend! 🙂
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
This pasta salad looks delicious! I am in love with your beautiful pictures. I can’t decide which one to pin! 🙂
Sarah says
Thank you very much for the sweet compliments, Christin and for the pin! Have a great weekend! 🙂
Isadora @ she likes food says
You are the brownie queen and the pasta queen!! BLT’s are one of my favorite sandwiches too! They are so simple, but yet so delicious! I need to plan a cookout soon just so I can make this pasta salad, I might have to wait until the triple digit temperatures pass though, so it isn’t so horrible to even be outside! I love that you added Greek yogurt to the dressing, it sounds delicious!
Sarah says
You are seriously so sweet, Izzy! Your comments always make my day. 🙂 And ohh, I feel for you having to deal with that extreme heat. It hasn’t gotten TOO unbearable here yet, but I know it’s pretty unpleasant where you are. I should totally send you some of this salad! LOL 🙂
Kelly - Life made Sweeter says
A BLT pasta salad is such a great idea! It looks delicious and love the homemade ranch dressing! This sounds perfect for all the summer pot lucks and barbecues 🙂
Sarah says
It’s the perfect side dish for any outdoor foodfest for sure! Thanks Kelly. 😉
Danae @ Recipe Runner says
I can’t wait to see all of your 4th of July recipes! This BLT pasta salad would be perfect to serve. I love that you’ve lightened up the dressing with Greek yogurt, my favorite! Pinned!
Sarah says
Thanks, Danae! And yes, this salad is perfect for the 4th! Thanks for the pin and have an awesome weekend, girl! 🙂
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
I love everything about this! Obsessed with BLT’s, obsessed with pasta salads, and especially obsessed with ranch. This sounds delicious! Totally want to make this on the 4th of July.
Sarah says
Your obsessiveness sounds exactly like mine, Nat! This pasta salad kinda brings out the crazy in most people, and definitely for me! LOL 😀
Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods says
Yum, BLT pasta salad sounds delicious! How can you not love something with bacon, right?!
Sarah says
Thank you Cindy! And anybody who would hate on bacon is seriously insane. LOL 😉
Jennifer Johnson says
I really wish I hadn’t eaten lunch because I would want to have this!
Sarah says
You should just have a 2nd lunch then! This pasta salad is worth it, believe me. LOL 🙂