Description
Summer’s favorite “BLT pasta salad” brings classic sandwich flavors into a creamy, refreshing side dish. Crisp bacon, juicy tomatoes, and cool lettuce mingle with tender pasta, creating a crowd-pleasing meal you’ll crave at picnics and potlucks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 12 oz (340 g) rotini or bowtie pasta
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ½ cup diced red onion (optional)
- 2 tbsps white vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Boil pasta following package guidelines, then rapidly cool under cold water to halt cooking process and prevent clumping.
- Dressing Creation: Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl until smooth and well-integrated.
- Salad Assembly: Combine chilled pasta with crispy bacon pieces, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped lettuce, and thinly sliced red onion in a spacious mixing bowl.
- Finishing Touch: Drizzle prepared dressing over the salad and gently fold ingredients together, ensuring even coating without breaking delicate components.
- Chilling and Serving: Refrigerate salad for minimum 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld, then give a final gentle toss before presenting cold as a refreshing side dish.
Notes
- Cook pasta al dente to prevent mushiness when mixed with dressing, ensuring a perfect bite and preventing the salad from becoming soggy.
- Cook bacon until extra crispy and let it cool completely before crumbling to maintain crunch and prevent moisture from softening the pieces.
- Chop lettuce just before mixing to prevent wilting and maintain crisp texture; consider using heartier lettuce varieties like romaine for better stability.
- Prepare components separately and combine just before serving to keep ingredients fresh and prevent early breakdown of salad elements.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 25mg