BLT Pasta Salad Recipe

Name: BLT Pasta Salad Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 pound bacon; Freshly ground black pepper; 1 pound pasta; ½ cup mayonnaise; 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 3 tablespoons cider vinegar; Kosher salt; 3 medium tomatoes, cut into small wedges; 1 avocado, diced; 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped

Even picky kids will savor this summery, make-ahead dish

By PureWow Editors

•

Updated Jan 23, 2025

Recipe Tested by

Taryn Pire

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BLT pasta salad recipe: BLT pasta salad on a white plate atop a blue linen with a fork

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

Raise your hand if you adore salad. (“Bueller…?”) If your hand stayed down, that’s because you haven’t tried this BLT pasta salad recipe yet. It combines all the crunchy, savory, rich ingredients of the classic sandwich, minus the bread.

“Any small noodles will do, though elbows are arguably the gold standard for pasta salad,” says PureWow food editor Taryn Pire. “I’d suggest using a type with ridges so the pasta can better hold the dressing. And don’t worry about slicing the produce until the pasta and bacon are already cooking. You won’t be able to mix everything until they’ve fully cooled anyway, and you don’t want the avocado to turn brown before serving.”

As for the flavor, this picnic-ready dish is hard not to love. “It’s tangy, creamy, refreshing and extra tasty served cold after a night in the fridge.”

Slide 1 of 6

Taryn Pire
1. You'll likely need two baking sheets for all the bacon. You can also flip the bacon strips and season the other side with pepper halfway through baking if you’re feeling ambitious. I put the strips on a paper towel-lined plate to cool and dry.

Prep

Cook

Total

Serves

10 min

30 min

40 min

8 servings

Ingredients

1 pound bacon

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound pasta

½ cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

Kosher salt

3 medium tomatoes, cut into small wedges

1 avocado, diced

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange the bacon on the baking sheet and season it generously with black pepper. Bake until the bacon is crisp, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and cool the bacon completely.

2. In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Drain and cool to room temperature.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, tomato, avocado and lettuce. Crumble in the bacon.

5. If serving immediately, add the dressing and toss well to coat. If making ahead, leave the salad undressed and store it in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Nutrition Facts

615 calories
39g fat
51g carbs
17g protein
4g sugars

Note: The information shown is Edamam's estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.

PureWow Editors

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