BLT Ranch Pasta Salad

Packed with tender pasta, a creamy ranch dressing, and BLT fixings, your favorite sandwich gets a makeover in with this easy BLT Pasta Salad!

BLT Pasta Salad … with Ranch! 

Packed with tender pasta, a creamy ranch dressing, and BLT fixings, your favorite sandwich gets a makeover in this easy pasta dish!

If you like pasta and love BLT’s, then this bacon ranch pasta salad was made for you! It has all of the flavors of the sandwich, such as bacon, lettuce and tomato, topped with a creamy ranch dressing mixture that is sure to make you dream of summer all year long.

Not only is this BLT Pasta Salad the perfect side to bring to those summer gatherings, but it’s also so easy to make, too!

You knew that was coming, right? From start to finish, you can have this dish made in less than a half hour. And that means more time to spend outside and less time being cooped up in the kitchen. It’s kind of a win-win situation in my book!

Ingredients in BLT Pasta Salad

As promised, this BLT pasta salad with ranch dressing is easy peasy and requires minimal ingredients.

Here’s what you’ll need to make the BLT salad with pasta: 

• Plain Greek yogurt
• Mayonnaise
• Dry ranch dressing mix
• Pasta
• Cherry tomatoes
• Bacon
• Romaine lettuce
• Salt and pepper

How to Make BLT Pasta Salad

One bite of the BLT Pasta Salad and you’ll want to make this all year long! The BLT flavors and zesty ranch dressing are the perfect topping for the tender pasta.

And because it’s so easy to whip up, you have no excuse not to make this for parties, graduations, or just when you’re in the mood for a delicious pasta salad. Here’s how the easy BLT pasta salad recipe comes together: 

1. Make the ranch dressing and refrigerate for at least an hour (or overnight) so that the flavors blend together.
2. Prepare the bacon, slice the tomatoes, and chop the lettuce.
3. Toss the BLT toppings with some cooked pasta, mix in the ranch dressing, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

What’s the Best Pasta for Pasta Salad? 

Because this bacon ranch pasta salad has lots of hefty mix-ins, I recommend using a short, sturdy pasta for this recipe. Something like elbow macaroni, penne, or rotini would be best. 

Can I Prep This BLT Pasta Salad in Advance? 

To ensure this remains a creamy pasta salad, I recommend waiting to add the dressing and lettuce until just before you serve it. Otherwise you’ll wind up with a soggy BLT pasta salad. 

However, you’re welcome to cook the pasta and chop up the veggies ahead of time so you can quickly throw the salad together later! 

Storage Instructions 

Once the ranch dressing is mixed into the pasta salad, you’ll need to consume it within four days. Store the BLT salad with pasta in an airtight container in the fridge. 

I do NOT recommend freezing pasta salad. Between the raw veggies and the ranch-coated pasta, the salad would change texture once frozen. 

Ingredient Substitutions  

This is a very easy BLT pasta salad recipe with a short ingredients list. However, there are some swaps you can make, if desired. 

• Pasta: Use whole wheat or gluten-free pasta instead of regular. 
• Ranch dressing mix: Use 1 cup pre-bottled ranch dressing instead of making your own using the ranch dressing mix. 
• Greek yogurt / mayo: Feel free to use all Greek yogurt or all mayo. 
• Cherry tomatoes: Use finely diced regular tomatoes or grape tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes. 

Tips for Making BLT Pasta Salad

• The dressing is a mixture of Greek yogurt, mayonnaise and dry ranch dressing mix, which keeps it on the lighter side. But if you’re not a fan of Greek yogurt, feel free to swap it out with mayonnaise.
• I used regular pork bacon in this pasta salad with ranch dressing, but you’re welcome to use any bacon you’d like. 
• Be sure to salt your pasta water so that the pasta itself has some flavor to it. You don’t want to serve a bland pasta salad! 

What to Serve with BLT Pasta Salad 

This pasta BLT salad recipe pairs well with your favorite sandwiches, burgers, wraps, and bbq dishes. Here are some entrees that pair well with this BLT salad with pasta:

• Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
• Instant Pot Sloppy Joes
• BBQ Pulled Pork
• Turkey Panini
• Grilled Haddock Sandwich

So what are you waiting for? Grab those ingredients and whip up this BLT Ranch Pasta Salad for your next party!

Looking for more pasta salad recipes? I’ve got you covered!

• Easy Italian Pasta Salad
• Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
• Caprese Pasta Salad
• Roasted Mushroom and Tomato Pasta Salad
• Cherry Balsamic Pasta Salad
• Pizza Pasta Salad