Take all your favourite flavours from a BLT sandwich and stir them into a bowl of pasta for the ultimate summer pasta salad.
You know how mouthwateringly delicious a really well made BLT sandwich is… crispy salty, smoky bacon, cool crunchy lettuce and sweet juicy tomato all smothered in creamy mayonnaise…
Well… stirring those BLT sandwich fillers through a bowl of fresh pasta makes for the ultimate summer pasta salad. My go-to recipe for BBQ’s, parties and potlucks.
And remember… this is your pasta salad, if you can’t be bothered making ranch dressing then you can cheat and buy it ready made. Just do what’s best for you.
BLT Pasta Salad Ingredients
- 500g dried penne pasta
- large pinch salt
- splash of olive oil
- 16 slices of streaky bacon
- 400g baby plum tomatoes – halved
- 2 little gem lettuce – shredded
- 4 spring onions – finely sliced
- handful of grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup creme fraiche
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- handful of finely chopped flat leaf parsley
- handful of finely chopped chives
- splash of tabasco sauce (optional)
- splash of Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- sprinkle of paprika (optional)
- clove garlic – finely grated
- salt and pepper to taste
How to make BLT pasta salad
- Cook the pasta as per the packet instruction in salted boiling water with a splash of olive oil to prevent it sticking – once cooked drain and rinse under cold running water to cool quickly. Set aside.
- Heat the oven to 200C – cook the bacon in the oven for around 15 minutes or until crispy and cooked through – be careful not to burn it. Once cooked rest the bacon on kitchen paper to absorb the grease – once cool cut into strips.
- Mix up the ranch dressing – add the creme fraiche, mayonnaise, herbs and garlic – season with salt and pepper. Optional – add a dash of tabasco, Worcestershire sauce and sprinkling of paprika to taste.
- Put the pasta, bacon, grated cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and spring onions into a large bowl and mix gently – pour in the creamy ranch dressing and toss everything well to coat it all.
Make BLT salad your way
- Skip the bacon for a vegetarian version.
- Try with sliced hot dog sausages in place or bacon (or add both)
- Use shop bought ready made ranch dressing.
- Add in more veggies – try cooked and cooled mushrooms or tinned sweetcorn.
Summer Pasta Recipes
You know how much we LOVE a pasta salad here at Daisies & Pie. They’re just so easy to make, and when you’ve a house full of kids, they’re great to have made up in the fridge for easy lunches or snacks.
Here’s a few of our favourite pasta salads for you to try.
- Easy Ranch Pasta Salad – a loaded pasta salad with shredded home cooked ham and lots of salad vegetables. Dressed in a creamy ranch dressing.
- Greek Orzo Pasta Salad – all the flavours of a classic Greek salad but with added pasta. This one is LUSH, we love it for packed lunches.
- Big Italian Pasta Salad – a big flavour pasta salad with salami, baby mozzarella balls, olives, peppers and plenty of fresh herbs.
BLT Pasta Salad
BEST BLT pasta salad recipe
Ingredients
- 500g dried penne pasta
- 1 tsp salt
- 16 slices streaky bacon
- 400g baby plum tomatoes
- 2 little gem lettuce - shredded
- 4 spring onions - finely sliced
- 100g grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup creme fraiche
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbs flat leaf parsley - finely chopped
- 1 tbs chives - finely choppped
- splash tobacco sauce (optional)
- splash Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- 1 clove garlic - finely grated
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta as per the packet instruction in salted boiling water - once cooked drain and rinse under cold running water to cool quickly. Set aside.
- Heat the oven to 200C - cook the bacon in the oven for around 15 minutes or until crispy and cooked through - be careful not to burn it. Once cooked rest the bacon on kitchen paper to absorb the grease - once cool cut into strips.
- Mix up the ranch dressing - add the creme fraiche, mayonnaise, herbs and garlic - season with salt and pepper. Optional - add a dash of tabasco, Worcestershire sauce and sprinkling of paprika to taste.
- Put the pasta, bacon, grated cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and spring onions into a large bowl and mix gently - pour in the creamy ranch dressing and toss everything well to coat it all.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 425Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 922mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 16g
Nutritional content will vary depending on the exact ingredients you use and how careful you are with measuring - this nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate - you should always calculate your own nutritional information especially if you have specific dietary requirements.
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