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BLT Pasta Salad

This easy BLT pasta salad recipe is unique with it's creamy basil dressing and fun shaped pasta. Load it up with salty, crisp bacon, juicy tomatoes and don't forget the smokey cheddar cheese! BBQ side dishes are jealous when our best pasta salad shows up!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: 15 of the Best Pasta Salad Recipes on the Internet, 200+ Easy Side Dish Recipes Every Mom Needs
Keyword: best summer recipes, BLT, homemade salad dressing, pasta salad, side dish, summer recipes
Servings: 6
Author: Carrian Cheney

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Dressing

  • 1 ¼ Cup Ranch Dressing thick style
  • Herbs and Worcestershire listed below

OR

  • 1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
  • 1/3 Cup Mayonnaise
  • 2 Tablespoons Buttermilk
  • 1 Cup Fresh Basil
  • 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley
  • 2 teaspoons Fresh Dill
  • 1/4 Cup Fresh Chives
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
  • Kosher Salt and Black Pepper

For the Salad

  • 1 Pound Radiatore or Cavatappi Pasta (we don't like bow or penne for this salad)
  • 1 Cup Smoked Cheddar Cheese cubed, or sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 ½ Cups Romaine Lettuce shredded or chopped
  • 2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes halved
  • 10 Slices Bacon cooked, crumbled
  • 1 Avocado diced

Instructions

For the Dressing

  • Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. If using ranch, do the same. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
    1 ¼ Cup Ranch Dressing, Herbs and Worcestershire, 1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt, 1/3 Cup Mayonnaise, 2 Tablespoons Buttermilk, 1 Cup Fresh Basil, 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley, 2 teaspoons Fresh Dill, 1/4 Cup Fresh Chives, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire, 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder, 1 teaspoon Onion Powder, Kosher Salt and Black Pepper

For the Pasta Salad

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt heavily. Boil the pasta past al dente. Drain. Set aside. Do not cool.
    1 Pound Radiatore or Cavatappi Pasta
  • In a large bowl, toss together the pasta with dressing and cubes of cheese.
    1 Cup Smoked Cheddar Cheese
  • Mix in the lettuce, tomatoes, bacon, and avocado.
    1 ½ Cups Romaine Lettuce, 2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes, 10 Slices Bacon, 1 Avocado
  • Serve warm, room temp or cold. Best to not add the bacon and lettuce and avocado until right before serving.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 624kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 522mg | Potassium: 646mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2033IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 205mg | Iron: 2mg