BLT Pasta Salad

The classic BLT sandwich has always been a wonderful combination of flavors. Smoky bacon, crisp romaine lettuce and juicy tomatoes with a bit of mayonnaise on toasted bread is the perfect lunch. So, what could be better than those same flavors mixed with bow-tie pasta in a cold, crisp salad? Just wait until you try this one. BLT Pasta Salad makes a delicious lunch or a tasty side dish for steak or grilled chicken. The dressing is easy to make and gives this salad an extra burst of flavor.

The homemade dressing for this pasta salad brings all the flavors together and makes for a delicious bite of salad. Stir together some simple ingredients in your refrigerator and add this creamy dressing to the salad for a perfect finishing touch.

For the Dressing:

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup prepared Ranch dressing
1/8 cup milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
pinch of salt and pepper

For the Salad:

8 slices of thick-cut smoky bacon, cut into pieces
1 heart of romaine, chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes, washed
1 1/2 cups uncooked bow-tie pasta

How to make BLT Pasta Salad?

Begin by making the dressing. Place all of the dressing ingredients in a small mason jar or a plastic container. Put the lid on the jar tightly and shake vigorously. Add another splash of milk if the dressing is too thick. Shake again. Once combined well, place the jar of dressing in the refrigerator.

Cook the bacon pieces in a skillet over medium heat. Using good quality, thick-cut, smoky bacon really makes a difference in the taste of your salad.
Continue cooking the bacon until it is browned and crisp. Drain the grease from the bacon and place the pieces on a paper towel to cool.
Boil the bow-tie pasta in salted water over medium heat until tender, about 8 minutes.
Drain the pasta and place it in a large salad bowl to cool. Allow the pasta to cool for about 10 minutes, then add about 1/3 of the dressing. Stir to coat the pasta.
Add the chopped lettuce and tomatoes. Pour another 1/3 of the dressing over the romaine. Mix well until all ingredients are coated well with dressing.

Add the bacon pieces and stir to combine. Serve the salad immediately, so the bacon stays crispy. You may need to add another pinch of salt and ground black pepper before serving the salad.

I have made several variations of this salad by adding finely shredded mild cheddar cheese, serving it with avocado slices or using different types of pasta. All of these combinations were delicious. This salad also makes a great side dish for grilled chicken.

Today I served it as the main course for lunch with some sweet cornbread. Don’t forget to put the rest of the dressing in a small bowl on the table, just in case anyone would like to add more dressing to their pasta salad. Who said salad has to be boring?