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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers / Starters

    BLT Pasta Salad with Ranch Dressing

    Published: Mar 30, 2022 · Modified: Mar 30, 2022 by Daniela Apostol · This post may contain affiliate links · 15 Comments

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    A white bowl with blt pasta salad

    BLT pasta salad with ranch dressing, the best summer recipe and one of my absolute favourite pasta salads. It is satisfying enough to make a meal on its own, or the perfect side dish for a smoky BBQ, or a lovely picnic.

    Overhead shoot of a white bowl with pasta salad

    Salads season is just around the corner, and I'm so looking forward to it! Of course you can enjoy a big bowl of salad anytime of the year, but in summer you get the perfect excuse to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible.

    Who wants a hot dish on a hot day? No way l'm staying in the kitchen, so preparing something quick is a must. After all, there's so much to do outside.

    If you like a BLT sandwich, you'll love this salad: crispy bacon, fresh tomatoes and lettuce, good old nation's favourite pasta and a finger-licking ranch dressing.

    I decided to get the ready-made dressing, rather than making it myself, sometimes shortcuts are just fine and you shouldn't feel too bad about it. We do have busy lives, so there you go.

    Jump to:
    • HOW TO MAKE BLT PASTA SALAD
    • HOW TO STORE THE SALAD
    • TIPS AND TRICKS
    Close-up shoot of a pasta salad

    HOW TO MAKE BLT PASTA SALAD

    Like any other salad, this is best enjoyed cold - especially if you add a dairy-based dressing.

    • in a frying pan set over a medium heat, fry the bacon lardons until brown and crispy
    • remove from the pan and set aside
    • cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, then drain the water, rinse with plenty of cold water, and set aside to cool down completely - the cold water will also help remove the starch that makes the pasta sticky
    • chop the tomatoes and lettuce, and add them to the pasta bowl together with the bacon lardons and dressing
    • mix well, then refrigerate until it's ready to be used
    Collage of 4 photos to show how to make blt pasta salad with ranch dressing

    HOW TO STORE THE SALAD

    If you take this salad to a picnic or BBQ, make sure you store it in a cool container, so it can stay fresh for longer. You can also add the dressing just before serving, and have the rest of the ingredients chilled ready to be served.

    TIPS AND TRICKS

    I used bacon lardons as they don't need chopping, and once cooked, they are ready to be used straight away. But regular bacon can be used too, and chopped for the salad.

    If you like the smoky touch, you can also go for streaky bacon - the flavour will compliment the dressing nicely. Or have a combo of regular and streaky bacon.

    As for tomatoes, anything goes: cherry tomatoes, roma tomatoes, or any other tomatoes you can find, no need to buy something specifically for this recipe.

    If you enjoy a good pasta salad when it comes to summer side dishes, how about my

    Tuna Pasta Salad? Or Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad? They are both so delicious, and they cater for any tastes and lifestyles. These pasta salads are also fantastic side dishes for your 4th July celebrations.

    A white bowl with pasta salad

    If you’ve liked my BLT PASTA SALAD WITH RANCH DRESSING or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.

    4.45 from 9 votes
    A white bowl of BLT pasta salad
    Print
    BLT Pasta Salad With Ranch Dressing
    Prep Time
    10 mins
    Cook Time
    20 mins
    Total Time
    30 mins
     

    BLT pasta salad with ranch dressing, the best summer recipe and one of my absolute favourite pasta salads. It is satisfying enough to make a meal on its own, or the perfect side dish for a smoky BBQ, or a lovely picnic.

    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: pasta salad recipes
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 497 kcal
    Author: Daniela Apostol
    Ingredients
    • 3 cups fusilli pasta
    • 2 cups cherry tomatoes
    • 400 g bacon lardons
    • 1 lettuce
    • ½ cup ranch dressing
    Metric - US Customary
    Instructions
    1. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Drain the water, rinse the pasta with cold water, and set aside to cool down completely

    2. Chop the tomatoes, lettuce and spinach.

    3. Heat up a frying pan and cook the bacon until it's brown and crispy.

    4. In a bowl, add the pasta, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach and bacon, season with pepper and add the ranch dressing.

    5. Toss well to coat, then keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

    Nutrition Facts
    BLT Pasta Salad With Ranch Dressing
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 497 Calories from Fat 324
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 36g55%
    Saturated Fat 10g50%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 10g
    Monounsaturated Fat 14g
    Cholesterol 49mg16%
    Sodium 638mg27%
    Potassium 447mg13%
    Carbohydrates 29g10%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 5g6%
    Protein 14g28%
    Vitamin A 726IU15%
    Vitamin C 14mg17%
    Calcium 37mg4%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Inci at Bella's Apron

      May 19, 2017 at 12:22 pm

      looks great! this is definitely my kind of pasta salad (adding the bacon always makes it better) 😉

      Reply
      • Daniela Anderson

        May 19, 2017 at 2:04 pm

        Thank you, bacon does make it better ?

        Reply
    2. Silvia

      May 19, 2017 at 1:34 pm

      YUM!! BLT salad is one of my favorites. Love it!!

      Reply
      • Daniela Anderson

        May 19, 2017 at 2:05 pm

        Thank you! ?

        Reply
    3. Lisa Bryan

      May 19, 2017 at 1:48 pm

      I've always loved BLT sandwiches so can just imagine how tasty this recipe is!

      Reply
      • Daniela Anderson

        May 19, 2017 at 2:05 pm

        It's really nice, am sure you'll like it.

        Reply
    4. Tina Dawson

      May 19, 2017 at 2:46 pm

      I love the simplicity of using ranch dressing here! You just turned everyone's favorite sandwich into a very accessible salad!

      Reply
      • Daniela Anderson

        May 19, 2017 at 2:55 pm

        THank you!

        Reply
    5. Quinn Caudill

      May 19, 2017 at 3:23 pm

      I need a salad recipe for this weekend and this will do! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Daniela Anderson

        May 19, 2017 at 8:28 pm

        Thank you, Quinn! I hope you'll like it!

        Reply
    6. Lindsay Cotter

      May 19, 2017 at 3:35 pm

      There's just something about summer that makes all salads even more exciting, right?! Maybe it's the summer grilling parties and picnics and all the wonderful time with friends and family - yes! This BLT pasta salad has to be on the menu for sure as a side for all the summer parties! The flavors are so delicious!

      Reply
      • Daniela Anderson

        May 19, 2017 at 8:29 pm

        Thank you, Lindsey!

        Reply
    7. Sandy M Williams

      May 20, 2017 at 10:25 pm

      Omg. Blt sandwiches & salads are always a part of our summer in the south! Can't wait for the fresh produce to be ready.

      Reply
      • Daniela Anderson

        May 21, 2017 at 6:04 am

        Thank you, Sandy! It's a lovely salad, l can see why is popular.

        Reply

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