This BLT pasta salad features all the things you love about the classic sandwich in pasta salad form with a spicy chipotle buttermilk ranch dressing!

Everyone’s favorite sandwich meets pasta salad and I’m pretty sure the salad stars have never aligned this flawlessly before.

Plus we’re inviting the best-ever spicy chipotle ranch dressing to the party so we’ve got all the BLT fixings + some zippy heat coming in to play.

The result? The most cookout-worthy pasta salad you will ever have on the table this summer! That meat on the grill might want to watch its back.

It’s easy for cookout side dishes to get overlooked but this one more than holds its own! The chipotle dressing kicks up all the flavors a notch and the BLT ingredients just make it so much fun.

This BLT Pasta Salad features…

Crispy bacon bits, juicy cherry tomatoes, and shredded romaine lettuce
Tender shell pasta, fresh mozzarella, and red onion
A creamy, spicy chipotle buttermilk ranch dressing
Ready in only 30 minutes with lots of make-ahead options

Making the BLT Pasta Salad

(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)

Ingredients You Will Need

Mayonnaise
Sour cream
Buttermilk
Chipotle in adobo sauce
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Pasta
Bacon
Cherry tomatoes
Red onion
Fresh mozzarella
Parsley
Romaine lettuce

Adjusting Heat Level In Dressing

Whether you’re sensitive to spice or can’t get enough of it, it’s super easy to dial the heat up or down in this salad!

Mild salad: use 1-2 teaspoons chipotle in dressing.
Moderately spicy salad: follow recipe instructions.
Extra-spicy salad: increase chipotle to 4 tablespoons and add a few shakes of cayenne pepper to taste.

Tips for Perfect Pasta Salad

Rinse cooked pasta in cold water – this cools the pasta fast and prevents it from sticking together.
Use canned chipotle in adobo for dressing – you can find this in the Mexican section of most grocery stores. These peppers pack so much incredible smoky flavor into the dressing!
Dice bacon before pan-frying – we think it’s much easier to cook the bacon this way, plus less oil splatters!
Rinse red onion in cold water – this removes a bit of the strong bite from the onion.
Add lettuce to salad just before serving – if you’re making this salad in advance, wait until you’re ready to serve before mixing in the lettuce so it stays fresh and crisp.

Recipe Variations

Check out these ideas for a different twist on this salad!

Try a different pasta shape – we recommend a small shape such as elbows, spiral, or bowties.
Sub a different cheese – try crumbled feta, goat cheese, cubed pepperjack, or Parmesan.
Add more veggies – sweet pepper, cucumber, or spinach would all be great additions.
Skip the B – simply skip the bacon for a vegetarian salad.
Make it a BLTA – diced avocado would be fantastic in this salad.

Make Ahead Instructions

Follow these instructions for make-ahead tips!

Make the dressing – dressing may be stored in refrigerator up to 10 days.
Cook the pasta – cooked pasta may be stored in refrigerator up to 6 days.
Prep the salad add-ins – fry the bacon, cut the cherry tomatoes, red onion, parsley, and lettuce and store in refrigerator up to 6 days.
Storing the assembled salad – store the salad in refrigerator up to 6 days.

Creamy, just a little bit spicy, and sooo loaded with the goods! There’s just no going wrong with BLT salad – promise you’ll get a recipe request every time.

The only request I have is can I have thirds.

Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

Watch this pasta salad made step-by-step on Google web stories.

More pasta salads you will love!

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