Description
This creamy BLT pasta salad combines crispy bacon, juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy romaine lettuce, and tender rotini pasta, all tossed in a flavorful ranch-style dressing made with mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, and herbs. It’s a refreshing, easy-to-make dish perfect for summer lunches, picnics, or as a side dish.
Ingredients
Pasta and Salad
- 300 g rotini or fusilli pasta
- 200 g bacon
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp buttermilk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried dill
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Boil the rotini or fusilli pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside to cool completely.
- Prepare the bacon: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until it is crisp. Remove from the skillet and place on paper towels to drain excess fat. Once cooled, crumble the bacon into bite-sized pieces.
- Make the dressing: In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, buttermilk, lemon juice, garlic powder, dried dill, salt, and black pepper until well combined and creamy.
- Combine salad ingredients: In a large bowl, add the cooled pasta, crumbled bacon, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped romaine lettuce, finely diced red onion, and shredded cheddar cheese.
- Toss with dressing: Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta salad. Gently toss everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated.
- Garnish and chill: Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the salad for garnish. Refrigerate the salad for at least 20 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and to serve chilled.
Notes
- Add the lettuce shortly before serving to keep it crisp and prevent wilting.
- For added protein, rotisserie chicken can be mixed in along with the bacon.
- If preparing the salad ahead of time, consider reserving some dressing to add just before serving to maintain freshness and prevent sogginess.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
