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BLT Pasta Salad in a glass bowl with bacon, Lettuce, Tomatoes, and Ranch dressing.
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BLT Pasta Salad

This BLT Pasta Salad has the BEST combination of bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes tossed in a creamy Ranch dressing with pasta and optional additions like avocado and cheese!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Pasta, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 206kcal
Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

  • 1 cup milk any kind
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons Ranch seasoning mix
  • 12 strips thick-cut bacon high quality
  • 1 lb. Farfalle pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 cups romaine lettuce washed/chopped/dried
  • 1 pint cherry Tomatoes quartered
  • 1/3 cup Red Onions finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon BBQ Sauce
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Add the milk, sour cream, and Ranch seasoning to a large measurement cup and whisk to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use. It will thicken more upon standing.
  • As you continue with the following steps, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once a boil is reached, cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Drain once cooked and spread it out on a tray or parchment paper. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Let cool.
  • Meanwhile, cut the bacon in half and fry in a 12-inch skillet over low heat until crispy on both sides. Set the bacon aside and roughly chop once cooled.
  • Transfer the cooled pasta to a large bowl. Add ½ cup of the combined ranch mixture and toss to coat.
  • Add the lettuce, tomatoes, onions, ¾ of the chopped bacon, BBQ sauce, and another ½ cup of ranch mixture. Toss to combine. 1 cup of the ranch mixture will remain and can be used if/as needed.
  • Transfer to a clean serving bowl and top with remaining bacon. Serve immediately or chill for up to 3 hours prior to serving.

Notes

Pro Tips:
  • Bacon: I use Oscar Mayer Thick Cut Bacon. High quality makes a big difference.
  • Dressing: I use Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing and Seasoning Mix, combined with sour cream and milk. I like it better than using bottled dressing for this recipe, but my backup recommendation would be to use 2 cups of Ranch dressing, Marie's is my brand of choice.
  • I use Sweet Baby Ray's for the BBQ sauce.
  • Optional Additions to this salad include: Avocado, hard boiled eggs, English cucumbers, cheese, chives, and even corn!
  • 📘 Find this recipe on page 76 of my 2nd cookbook, Let’s Eat!
Make-Ahead Method:
  • This pasta salad can be assembled 3 hours ahead of time. Note: The pasta will absorb some of the dressing during this time, so you may need to add more prior to serving. This recipe leaves you with an extra cup of dressing so that you can adjust it to your needs!
  • To make this up to 12 hours beforehand: 
    • Prepare the Dressing and refrigerate.
    • Cook the bacon and chop it up. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
    • Cook the pasta, let it cool, and toss with some of the dressing. Refrigerate in an airtight container overnight.  
    • Store the cleaned/cut lettuce in a freezer bag with the air sealed out.
    • Dice the onions and store in an airtight container.
    • Combine all prepared ingredients within 3 hours of serving.
Nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving. This recipe makes 10 servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 541mg | Potassium: 295mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2059IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 1mg