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With double the bacon, this BLT Pasta Salad with Jalapeño Basil Ranch is the perfect summer salad. It’s almost no-cook and comes together in minutes. It has extra crispy bacon, romaine lettuce, and cherry tomatoes all tossed together with my creamy, spicy jalapeño basil ranch dressing. Toss in some cubes of cheddar cheese, grilled corn, and chunks of avocado and you’ll be good to go. This pasta salad is simple to toss together, super flavorful, and one of those recipes that everyone LOVES. Perfect for serving at your next backyard dinner. Enjoy this for dinner and save the leftovers for lunch!
I’m on a pasta salad kick this spring/summer. Well, pasta salads and ice cream, I’ve been making both on repeat. Usually, I’d have issue with all of this repetitiveness, but I’ve loved all of the recipes I’ve been sharing. each one even more than the last.
If it’s a good recipe, it needs to be shared. And you all, this pasta salad is a really GOOD recipe.
I’m not sure exactly what inspired me to mix this up. But a week or so ago I just felt like making a really yummy, simple BLT pasta. First, I wanted to make sure I hadn’t created anything like this BLT recipe I was dreaming of. So I searched BLT on the HBH site. I was surprised to see the scant number of “BLT” dishes that came up.
Over the past 10+ years, I’ve created only a handful of BLT dishes, and never a pasta salad. That was all I needed to make up my mind to move forward with this pasta.
Ingredients
- Plain greek yogurt
- Mayo
- Buttermilk
- Fresh basil
- Fresh cilantro
- Fresh chopped chives
- jalapeño
- Worcestershire
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Salad
- Short cut pasta
- Cubed spicy cheddar cheese
- Romaine lettuce
- Cherry tomatoes
- Grilled corn
- Cooked bacon
- Avocado
Now the details
One of the biggest reasons I’m loving pasta salads so much is the simple fact that they’re usually easy to make. And that is just the case with this BLT pasta salad.
Simply mix the dressing, boil your favorite cut of short-cut pasta, then toss everything together.
Step 1: make the ranch dressing
This is one of my favorite dressings, especially for summer. It’s very creamy and easy to make with fresh basil, cilantro, and then the usual ranch ingredients. Mayo, buttermilk, chives, Worcestershire, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Personally, I love to toss in a jalapeño too.
Blend everything up in a blender or food processor until creamy – super easy to do. This really adds all the flavor!
Step 2: cook the pasta
I recommend using a shortcut pasta with ridges, but whatever your favorite pasta cut is will work just fine.
Step 3: toss the salad
Toss the hot pasta immediately with the dressing and cubes of sharp, spicy cheddar cheese. The heat from the pasta will intensify the flavors of the herbs and melt those cubes of cheese.
It’s going to smell wonderful, but taste even more DELICIOUS. This is a small little secret my dad taught me for making the best pasta salad.
Step 4: add everything else
Once the pasta is tossed with the dressing, mix in the cherry tomatoes, lettuce, grilled or roasted corn, and then of course, lots and lots of crispy bacon. YUM!
You can eat this warm or at room temperature. I love hot food, so I like this best while it’s still a little warm.
What I will say is that the longer the pasta sits, the more flavor it develops, so this is also perfect for making ahead. Just be sure to add the bacon and avocado right before serving to ensure the bacon is crispy and the avocado is the perfect shade of green.
Looking for other summer salad recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Pasta Salad
Pesto Chicken Caesar Salad with Tomatoes and Burrata
Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken and Avocado Bacon Salad
Lastly, if you make this BLT Pasta Salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
BLT Pasta Salad
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 462 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
Jalapeño Ranch Dressing
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped chives
- 1 jalapeño, seeded, if desired
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- kosher salt and black pepper
Salad
- 1 pound short cut pasta
- 1 cup cubed spicy cheddar cheese
- 1 head romaine lettuce, shredded
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups grilled corn (about 3 ears)
- 8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1 avocado, diced
Instructions
- 1. To make the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Drain.3. In a large bowl, toss together the hot pasta with dressing and cubes of cheese. Mix in the lettuce, tomatoes, corn, bacon, and avocado, gently tossing to combine. 4. Serve warm or cold. The salad will develop more flavor as it sits. If serving later, add the bacon and avocado just before serving.
This post was originally published on June 13, 2023
Y’all – this is AMAZING. We have some pickier eaters at our house, so I left the dressing on the side thinking they would skip it. Nope – devoured! I now need to make more dressing for the leftovers! 10/10 and added to our summer rotation!
Hi Sarah,
Happy Sunday!!🍋🍊 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thank you so much for making it! xT
This was absolutely delicious I didn’t have access to a grill for the corn, so I just defrosted frozen corn in warm water, dried it really well, and charred it in a frying pan with a bit of the leftover bacon grease….it worked great!
I will definitely be making this again!!
Hi Megan,
Happy Thursday!! Love to hear that this recipe was a winner thanks so much for making it and sharing your feedback! xx
OMG – this was such a delicious and beautiful salad! All made with fresh local produce!! Yum, Yum, Yum. Thank you for such a flavourful summer salad!
Hi Susan,
Fantastic!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, love to hear that it was tasty! xT
Delicious! I had all the herbs growing in my garden so I added a bit more of them in the dressing than called for, really summery and fresh tasting. The jalapeño is a terrific add. I will be making it again when my tomatoes finally ripen. Thank you Tieghan
Love to hear this! Thanks so much for trying this pasta salad and sharing your feedback! xT
Delicious and super easy to prepare.
Thanks so much Agnes!! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you:) xx
This is delicious! The dressing is fantastic, just a delightful summer dish!
Hi Kristen,
Happy Wednesday!! I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and appreciate you making it! xT
This was delicious! It was a great balance of pasta and other stuff. I didn’t deseed my jalapeno so it was also wonderfully spicy 🔥
Hey Erica,
Happy Wednesday!! I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and appreciate you making it! xT
I really like the dressing. I agree with another poster saying to add it after the pasta cools. Also adding the cheese when the pasta is hot melts it. The photo doesn’t show the dressing mixed in otherwise it would be green- it’s very green. 1lb of pasta makes a lot.
Hi Robin,
Thanks for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! Several of the photos show the dressing mixed in:) Let me know if I can help in any way! xx
We made this to accompany prime rib on Father’s Day, and it was a huge hit with everyone. The ranch is beyond delicious, and the combination of flavors and textures was perfect. Well done, and thank you!
Hey Becky,
Fantastic!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, love to hear that it turned out well for you!🍒🥭
This was delicious. We are
both warm and at room
temp, and loved it both ways!
Thanks so much Stefanie!! Love to hear that this salad was a hit, thanks for making it! xx
Just made this for Father’s Day and it is soo good!! Everyone loved it, including my dad who has been needing to eat healthier as of late. Great job, Tieghan!!
Hi Raven,
Wonderful!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for making it! xT
If I wanted to meal prep this for my lunch for the week, would you still put it all together (except the avocado and bacon) to sit in the fridge throughout the week?
Thanks!
Hey Emily,
You bet, that will be great to do! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
I made this today for Father’s Day and everyone loved it.
Hey Shelley,
Wonderful!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for making it! xT
We made this tonight. It was fabulous! Though, we did end up making and adding twice the amount of dressing. Next time I will cool the pasta before adding the dressing, as I think it adsorbed to much of the dressing when added to hot pasts. Will definitely keep this rotation.
Hi Tina,
Happy Sunday!!🏖️🌤️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear that it turned out well for you! xT
Tricks for making the bacon that **crispy?** <>
Bake the bacon in the oven at 400 for about 15 min. (keep an eye on it as oven temps vary). Not only does it make crisp bacon, it is also less messy than frying on the stovetop. Line your baking sheet with foil and just toss it when done.
Thank you, Sheryl!
Hi KJ,
I like to use a Staub skillet when cooking my bacon:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
I made this for supper tonight and it’s amazing!!! Best pasta salad ever! I will be making it on repeat all summer! Thanks for so many delicious recipes, Teighan!
Hi Kim,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and thanks for trying it! Have a great weekend:) xx