BLT Pasta Salad + Video

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BLT Pasta Salad is bursting with flavor and so easy and quick to throw together. This simple but so delicious twist on your favorite sandwich is always a hit at potlucks and parties!

titled image (and shown): BLT Pasta Salad


 

BLT Pasta Salad

Crispy, crumbled bacon, crunchy lettuce, and sweet cherry tomatoes are tossed with pasta and a delicious creamy dressing for a tantalizing BLT pasta salad!

This simple pasta salad with lettuce is a crowd-pleaser and makes a great side dish or dinner during the Summer months!

If you are looking for more delicious, easy pasta salad recipes, check out my Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing — it’s always a hit and a reader favorite.

polka dot bowl of BLT pasta salad with larger clear bowl in background

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

  • Noodles – Choose any variety that holds up well in a pasta salad. Rotini is a classic choice — those spirals grab lots of dressing!

    Fusilli, cavatappi, and even bowtie are good alternatives.
  • Bacon – Have this cooked, cooled, and crumbled before tossing pasta salad with lettuce.
  • Veggies – Chopped Romaine lettuce and halved cherry tomatoes add crispy freshness to this BLT salad with pasta. If needed, swap Romaine with iceberg lettuce.
  • Dressing – A creamy blend of mayonnaise and sour cream, plus apple cider vinegar for extra tang. Add salt and pepper to enhance the flavors!
tossing BLT pasta ingredients in bowl

BLT Pasta Tips and Tricks

  • Mess-free bacon. Cook bacon in the oven or air fryer! Not only will it be perfectly crispy, but you’ll keep your kitchen clean of all those splatters.
  • Keep it crunchy. The tips of the lettuce leaves are sometimes flimsy, so use the lighter green section closest to the bottom stem for maximum crunch in your BLT salad with pasta.
  • Avoid soggy BLT pasta. After rinsing and chopping your lettuce, run it through a salad spinner to dry it.

    Don’t have one? Simply pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
  • Rinse and drain pasta. Use cold water so the noodles aren’t hot when combined with the mayo dressing.

    You can also drizzle noodles with a little olive oil to keep them from sticking together.
overhead: bowl of pasta salad with lettuce, bacon, and tomatoes

BLT Pasta Salad Recipe FAQ

What else can I add to BLT pasta salad?

There are so many variations of this BLT pasta salad recipe! Add or swap in different veggies, or bulk up the dish with chicken for a heartier meal.

Here are some ideas of what else to add to BLT pasta:


Red onion
Avocado
Cucumber
Bell peppers
Cheese

Can you make pasta salad with lettuce ahead of time?

Yes! Just throw everything together except the lettuce, bacon, and ⅓ of the dressing.

Add those just before serving BLT pasta salad for the best flavor and crunch!

creamy pasta salad with lettuce, tomatoes, and bacon

Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours. 

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close up: BLT pasta salad

bowl of BLT pasta salad

BLT Pasta Salad + Video

Donna Elick
BLT Pasta Salad is bursting with flavor and easy to throw together. This delicious twist on the popular sandwich is always a hit at potlucks!
5 stars from 1 review
Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Method Stovetop
Servings 6

Ingredients
 

Pasta Salad

  • 16 ounce pasta
  • 12 ounces sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 2 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

Dressing

  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta according to directions on the package. Rinse with cool water and drain, then add to a large bowl. Set aside and let cool for 10-20 minutes.
  • In the meantime, make the dressing. In a mixing bowl add mayo, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk until combined.
  • Add crumbled bacon, cherry tomatoes, and half of the lettuce to the cooked pasta. Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Stir in remaining lettuce.
  • Serve garnished with chopped chives.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 765cal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 768mg | Sugar: 5g | Fiber: 4g | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
titled image for blt pasta salad

Originally published June 2018, updated and republished June 2023

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11 Comments

  1. My family doesn't like mayo or sour cream. Can you suggest an alternative dressing? Would an Italian or oil & vinegar based dressing work? Thank you!

    1. I would think you could use your favorite Italian dressing. I make a similar pasta salad w Italian dressing,Pasta, Red Onion, Black olives, Tomato, marinated artichoke hears, salami, etc

  2. I made it before and it's delicious. Saved recipe to my phone. That's what I am bringing to a picnic this weekend. I better make plenty as we are FIVE generations!

  3. 5 stars
    This is a much better way to have a BLT! I love the pasta with everything. It all came together perfectly.

  4. I haven’t made it yet, but will this summer. Why do people always want to change the recipes??? My family doesn’t like mayo or sour cream either, but when you put it in a dressing with other ingredients is anyone really going to taste either of those ingredients? Someone else asked if you have to use red wine vinegar…..that’s what the recipe says.

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