Inspired by a classic BLT, this easy pasta salad recipe really ups your side dish game! Loaded with crisp, thick sliced bacon, grape tomatoes, green onions, cubes of sharp cheddar & rotini pasta tossed in a simple homemade Ranch dressing, this pasta dish is one you’ll want to bring to cookouts, potlucks, tailgates or just enjoy at home as a light meal!
What You Need To Make Bacon Tomato Pasta Salad
- rotini pasta
- cherry or grape tomatoes
- thick cut bacon
- sharp cheddar cheese
- green onions
- fresh chopped parsley as optional garnish
Simple Ranch Dressing
- sour cream
- mayonnaise
- vinegar
- dried dill
- dried parsely
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- dried oregano
- salt, pepper
It’s hard to beat a good pasta salad on taste and versatility. You can load them up with almost any ingredient and dress them with almost any dressing. But there is just something completely irresistible about the idea of a really good BLT.
And I’m not alone in that. There are plenty of BLT pasta salad recipes out there. But none quite like this one! For starters, there is no “L” in this salad- lettuce. Instead there is crisp green onion that brings zero wilt and all the delicious taste you expect from a winning pasta salad.
And what about that cheese? I admit there’s no “C” in BLT, but this salad does bring everything that’s good about a perfect lunch time sandwich… and that does include cheese. Tomatoes, bacon, cheese- a sandwich lover’s dream. And the cubes of sharp cheddar in this salad pack a flavor punch while standing up to the dressing so much better than grated cheese.
And speaking of the dressing, we haven’t even talked about that! The simple homemade ranch in this recipe comes together quickly and easily to create a cool and creamy dressing that’s miles ahead of anything store bought. It’s the perfect blend of herbs and seasonings to hold this BLT salad together, not to mention load up in all those perfect rotini spirals.
Pasta salad was never meant to be the star of any show. But with thick bacon, bright tomatoes, crisp onion, smooth cheese and creamy homemade dressing, this ultimate sandwich-inspired side dish is guaranteed to steal the limelight!
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Bacon Tomato Pasta Salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- 16 oz rotini pasta
- 10.5 oz grape tomatoes, halved
- 10 slices thick cut bacon, cooked & rough chopped
- 8 oz block sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
- 4 green onions, sliced
- fresh chopped parsley as optional garnish
Simple Ranch Dressing
- 8 oz sour cream
- ½ C real mayonnaise
- 1 tsp distilled white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dried dill
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon coarse ground pepper
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Add pasta to boiling water. Cook for about 7 minutes for al dente pasta. Drain in colander and rinse with cool water.
- While pasta is cooking, prepare bacon. Rough chop bacon and set aside.
- Halve grape tomatoes, slice green onions including tops, cut block cheddar into small cubes.
- Add pasta, bacon, tomatoes, green onions, & cheese to large bowl and toss.
- Whisk together ingredients for dressing in a small bowl, then pour over salad when well combined. Gently toss salad until all ingredients are coated with dressing. Serve immediately.
Notes
Other Pasta Salad & Side Salad Recipes You’ll Enjoy
- Tuscan Tortellini Salad
- Southern Macaroni Salad
- Apple, Cheese, Celery Salad
- Confetti Frito Corn Salad
- Tomato Cucumber Salad with Vinegar Dressing
Love BLTs? Try These!
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This was delicious! The only thing I would change is use only 8oz. of pasta instead of 16oz. Pasta salad was too dry using 16oz.
Hi, Lee! I am so glad you liked it! Thank you so much!