This is the best BLT pasta salad and you can make it in just 30 minutes. It´s the perfect side dish 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. Originally published July 30, 2015.
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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.
Have you seen that episode of The Office where the GPS tells Michael Scott to turn, and he drives into the lake? This is me. Can I get some applause for being personally responsible for the death of common sense? Well, me and Michael. A fictional character.
Fresh Tomatoes FTW
I’ve mentioned that our tomatoes are going crazy lately. Eric and I picked over 20 yesterday. (Does 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.
The best BLT pasta salad recipe for a potluck
This is a big crowd-pleasing bowl of potluck goodness. Ever been to a potluck and the pasta salads are kinda questionable? Like, you’re thinking to yourself, “I don’t know what those weird vegetables are, but I’m pretty sure they shouldn’t be in there?” Ok, perfect. Then this is the salad for you. Bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo are the stars, just like in a good ol’ BLT.
We took this to a potluck, and every speck got polished off. If you want people devouring your pasta salad and asking you for the recipe, this is the one for you. Also, it only takes 30 minutes to make, so even if you’re rushing, you can still avoid showing up empty-handed.
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“This was a HUGE hit with my family! All the kids and my husband loved it. I halved the recipe for dinner for 5, and we had a little bit left over. Thank you!” – Amanda
Key ingredients
- I like to use rotini pasta, but any small-shaped pasta would work.
- You can make your own BBQ sauce, or any store-bought one will also work.
- I like to use thick-cut bacon. You want the bacon to really stand out.
How to make this
Boil your water and add salt. Some people say that pasta water should be “as salty as the sea.” I have two questions. 1) Are you drinking boiling water?? 2) Are you tasting the ocean??? Just add a tablespoon for a big pot of water, the amount you’d cook a pound of pasta in.
Only cook the noodles until they’re al dente. That means they should have a little bite to them. Use the lowest recommended cooking time on the package, then remove a noodle with a slotted spoon or tongs, let it cool, and test it (by test it I mean eat it).
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?
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.)
Keep the bacon separate and add it to individual servings (or the whole salad, if you’re heading to an event) just before serving. That’ll keep it nice and crispy.
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…)
What to serve with pasta salad
This recipe is great as is. Sometimes I´ll add in some rotisserie chicken to make it a complete meal. You can also try it with:
- Lemon Arugula Salad >> pair these up for a light lunch or brunch
- Turkey Burgers That Don’t Suck >> this pasta salad would be great with these turkey burgers on a hot summer night
- Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs (Grilled) >> go all-out with the bacon and try it with these hot dogs
- Classic Deviled Eggs Recipe >> need more potluck ideas? If you show up with this pasta salad and these deviled eggs, you’ll really steal the show
How to store leftovers
This BLT pasta salad stores surprisingly well! Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you’re making it ahead, consider adding the bacon just before serving so it stays nice and crispy. The pasta may absorb some of the dressing as it sits, so give everything a good stir before serving and add a splash of dressing or a spoonful of mayo if it needs freshening up. The lettuce will soften over time, but the salad will still be delicious the next day.
I don’t recommend freezing this salad as the dressing can separate when thawed, and the lettuce and tomatoes will turn to mush if you freeze them.
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The Best BLT Pasta Salad Recipe
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
Nutrition
More great potluck recipes to try
Side Dish Recipes (& Veggies)
Cheese Tortellini Pasta Salad
Side Dish Recipes (& Veggies)
The BEST Macaroni Salad Recipe
Side Dish Recipes (& Veggies)
The Very Best Fruit Salad
Side Dish Recipes (& Veggies)
I just made this Pasta Salad. Oh my goodness it is wonderful. I love the dressing. This is now my go to salad. Thank you so much for such a wonderful salad.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Sherry! It’s hard to beat those BLT flavors, right? Thanks so much for taking the time to review!
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!
So happy everyone loved it Amanda!! I should make this for dinner this week, summer’s a comin!! Thanks for reviewing !!
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
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!
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! :)
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!
I would love to take some of those tomatoes off your hands! This salad looks amazing. Can’t go wrong with this combo!
Mmm, this looks delicious! :)
I guess I know what I’m making for our team BBQ in a couple weeks! This looks delicious — your pictures are great.
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!
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!
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!
Ooh awesome Trisha I’m going to check it out! Thanks lady!
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.
Awesome Dani, enjoy! That sauce sounds amazing, coming to check it out now!
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!
Thanks Amanda! Summer BBQs are just the best right? I love seeing what everyone brings.
This is so easy to throw together and so fun! Def a crowd pleaser- love the rotini!
Thanks Medha! Hard to beat a no brainer like this!
Yes to bacon in salads! It’s like the magic word! Loving this blt pasta salad!
Um, bacon totally SHOULD be the magic word Anna! You are totally on to something!
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
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….