This 30-minute no-brainer side dish is perfect 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 Office episode where the GPS tells Michael Scott to turn and he drives into the lake? This is me. Can I get an applause for being personally responsible for the death of common sense? Well, me and Michael. A fictional character.
I’ve mentioned that our tomatoes are going crazy lately. Eric and I picked over 20 yesterday. (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.
This BLT Pasta Salad is perfect 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, 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.
BLT Pasta Salad Recipe ingredients
Here’s a quick list of everything you’ll need to make this pasta salad. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for more!
- rotini pasta
- mayonnaise
- sour cream
- BBQ sauce
- garlic (minced)
- vinegar
- Kosher salt
- black pepper
- cayenne pepper
- green onions
- tomatoes
- iceberg lettuce
- thick-cut bacon
How to make a BLT Pasta Salad with Mayo
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…)
More great pasta salads you’ll enjoy!
Lemon Tarragon Pasta Salad >> one of my favorite salads ever!
The Best Macaroni Pasta Salad >> trust me guys, I made a million batches, it’s PERFECT
Italian Tortellini and Pepperoni Pasta Salad >> amazing flavor, so easy to make
Avocado Pasta Salad from Spend with Pennies
Greek Pasta Salad from Just a Taste
Creamy Cheddar Pasta Salad from Center Cut Cook
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Easy BLT Pasta Salad
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.
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! :)
BLT pasta sounds fantastic!! I love how simple this is to put together! Also, if you’re looking for a recipe still for your tomatoes, I love using mine in Barefoot Contessa’s eggplant pasta recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/antonias-pasta-alle-melenzana-eggplant-pasta-recipe.html
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!
The BEST tomato sauce I have ever made/had!
http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015178-marcella-hazans-tomato-sauce
I make it all summer long — and winter too (though with canned tomatoes then).
Yum!!
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….