This 30-minute no-brainer side dish is perfect to throw together right before the potluck! Bacon, lettuce, and tomato have never been so right together. Add some grilled or rotisserie chicken to make it a quick dinner.  

Easy BLT Pasta Salad from The Food Charlatan

I’ve never claimed to be the most attentive driver, but lately it’s getting out of hand. My GPS will tell me to turn left, and it’s only after I start to go that I realize that it’s a RED LIGHT. This has happened more than once. Don’t worry, I haven’t nailed any little old ladies crossing the street…yet.

Easy BLT Pasta Salad from The Food Charlatan

Have you seen that Office episode where the GPS tells Michael Scott to turn and he drives into the lake? This is me. Can I get an applause for being personally responsible for the death of common sense? Well, me and Michael. A fictional character.

Easy BLT Pasta Salad from The Food Charlatan

I’ve mentioned that our tomatoes are going crazy lately. Eric and I picked over 20 yesterday. (Anyone have a good recipe for spaghetti sauce from fresh tomatoes??) I wanted to make something BLT-inspired because tomatoes + bacon = you win. Throw in some mayonnaise and you’re really gettin goin.

Anytime I think of BLTs I think of this line from Miracle Max in The Princess Bride (probably my favorite movie of all time), “Sonny, true love is the greatest thing in the world. Except for a nice MLT, a mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwich, where the mutton is nice and lean and the tomato is ripe. [smacks lips] They’re so perky. I love that.” Perky?? I love YOU, Miracle Max.

Easy BLT Pasta Salad from The Food Charlatan
Baconnnnnn. I’m actually feeling pretty good about that fact that this is not mutton.

Easy BLT Pasta Salad from The Food Charlatan

I made this salad for a church potluck, and of course I started making it later than I should have. It wasn’t going to be cold in time. As I was rinsing the pasta I thought, hm, ice cubes?

Easy BLT Pasta Salad from The Food Charlatan

YES. I put some in the colander with the noodles and they cooled off within just a few minutes. Does everyone else already know this trick?? It’s so obvious, but I’ve never even thought of it before. Hooray for cold pasta salads! And not room temperature ones, please. (Ignore the fact that this is macaroni, I shot this on round 2 of this recipe. Rotini is better, trust me.)

Easy BLT Pasta Salad from The Food Charlatan

I love the tang of the BBQ sauce in the dressing. It’s not overwhelming and doesn’t really taste like BBQ. Eric and I made this 2 days in a row because there wasn’t any leftover after the potluck, and we needed more BLT in our lives. It’s just the perfect summer food! Throw on some grilled or rotisserie chicken to make a meal out of it. (Or more bacon…)

Do you guys give up? Or are you thirsty for more?
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Easy BLT Pasta Salad

5 from 3 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings
This 30-minute no-brainer side dish is perfect to throw together right before the potluck! Bacon, lettuce, and tomato have never been so right together. Add some grilled or rotisserie chicken to make it a quick dinner.  
 

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces rotini pasta
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2-3 tablespoons BBQ sauce, or to taste
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
  • black pepper , to taste
  • dash cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 bunch green onions, sliced (to taste)
  • 2-4 tomatoes, chopped, (depending on how much you like tomatoes)
  • 1/2 head ice berg lettuce, chopped, or more to taste*
  • 1 pound thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled/chopped

Instructions

  • In a 3 quart pot, boil a couple quarts of water. Add a tablespoon of salt. When it boils, add the pasta and stir occasionally until it is al dente. (Don't over cook!) Check the packaging for times.
  • Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse with cold water. If you are in a big rush, add some ice cubes to the noodles and stir every now and then. If your dressing is not ready, drizzle with olive oil to keep the noodles from sticking to each other.
  • In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, BBQ sauce, garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Stir well.
  • Add the cooled pasta, the green onions, tomatoes, add lettuce. Stir in the bacon just before serving. Keep refrigerated.

Notes

*Make sure you chop up the crunchy inside part...I peeled off the first couple layers of leafy green on the outside. You know, the healthiest part...
I highly recommend baking your bacon! So much easier.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 560kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 794mg | Potassium: 404mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 580IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 560
Keyword: BLT, pasta salad
Did you make this? I'd love to see it!Mention @thefoodcharlatan or tag #thefoodcharlatan!

More great salads you’ll enjoy!

Lemon Tarragon Pasta Salad (one of my favorite salads ever!):

Lemon Tarragon Pasta Salad from TheFoodCharlatan.com

 

Bacon Baked Beans:

Bacon Baked Beans from The Food Charlatan

 

 

Black Bean Couscous Salad: <<< this one is so fresh and delicious! Don’t be scared of couscous! This is coming from a quinoa hater…

Black Bean & Couscous Salad from TheFoodCharlatan.com

 

Puffy Bacon Twists with BBQ Ranch Sauce:

Puffy Bacon Twists (with BBQ Ranch Sauce) from The Food Charlatan

 

 

More pasta salads from friends!

Avocado Pasta Salad from Spend with Pennies
Greek Pasta Salad from Just a Taste
Creamy Cheddar Pasta Salad from Center Cut Cook

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Comments

  1. This was a HUGE hit with my family! All kids and husband loved it. I halved the recipe for dinner for 5 and we had a little bit left over. Thank you!

    1. So happy everyone loved it Amanda!! I should make this for dinner this week, summer’s a comin!! Thanks for reviewing !!

  2. I’m always looking for something new to try and this salad was a winner!! My husband and son BOTH loved it. I added a little extra barbecue sauce . Big Thanks for the photo and the new recipe

    1. Who can say no to extra BBQ sauce right?? I’m so glad it was a winner! Thanks for coming back to leave a review Vallesa!

  3. Karen! I’ve missed your blog, but now that I’m into the CONSTANTLY HANGRY phase of pregnancy and mostly past the “I hate food, I hate pictures of food” part I am catching up on all of the goodness that I’ve missed. So now I am craving this like crazy. Definitely going to have to make it! :)

    1. Congratulations Claire!! I’m so glad you’re not pukey anymore!! I would take hangry over pukey any day. :) And totally try out this salad, we made it like 3 times this summer!

  4. I would love to take some of those tomatoes off your hands! This salad looks amazing. Can’t go wrong with this combo!

  5. I guess I know what I’m making for our team BBQ in a couple weeks! This looks delicious — your pictures are great.

  6. OMG I love the Princess Bride and I know the scene by heart! I love bacon (who doesn’t?) I love a good pasta salad, it really doesn’t get better than this!

  7. Made this tonight to go along with our steaks. It was delicious! I left out the lettuce but next time I might try it with spinach. Everyone loved it!

    1. Awesome Diane! I’m so glad you guys liked it! I should totally try this with a steak I bet it’s delicious :) Thanks for commenting!

  8. I’m totally making this salad for lunch, thanks for the great idea! And i just posted a super simple tomato sauce recipe that you could easily manipulate into something with bacon, just use 2 pounds of fresh tomatoes instead of the Italian canned tomatoes I suggested.

  9. I can’t imagine bringing this to a get together and not having everyone instantly fall in love with it. It looks so yummy and simple to do. Delish!

    1. Thanks Amanda! Summer BBQs are just the best right? I love seeing what everyone brings.

  10. Yes to bacon in salads! It’s like the magic word! Loving this blt pasta salad!

  11. Dear Karen, I never trust GPS devices. I don’t have a very good sense of direction, but after one terrible experience where the GPS kept telling me to turn right and I circled a neighborhood twice because of that, I never used one again!

    What a scrumptious pasta salad. This looks so good, I could go for a bowl this morning. I love the tip about the ice cubes too…that is a great idea. Have a wonderful day dear. xo, Catherine

    1. Haha! I can see why you wouldn’t trust them after that! I would be driving in circles without one. Although here I am with one and running red lights sooo….

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