Description
This BLT Pasta Salad combines the classic flavors of bacon, lettuce, and tomato with rotini pasta and a creamy ranch dressing for a refreshing, hearty dish perfect for picnics, potlucks, or family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Bacon
- 1 16-ounce box Rotini Pasta (cooked, drained, and rinsed with cold water)
- 13 slices bacon (cooked and chopped)
Vegetables and Cheese
- ½ large red onion (finely diced)
- 1½ cups cheddar cheese (cut into cubes)
- 2 cups romaine lettuce (cut or torn into bite size pieces)
- 1 avocado (cut into small pieces)
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
- ¼ cup parsley (chopped)
Dressing
- 1 1-ounce packet Hidden Valley Dressing Mix (dry)
- 1½ cups mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Whisk them together until fully blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Cook the pasta: Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse it with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down. Drain again thoroughly and transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- Combine salad ingredients: Add the cooked and chopped bacon, finely diced red onion, cheddar cheese cubes, diced avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped parsley, and bite-sized romaine lettuce to the bowl with the pasta.
- Toss the salad: Pour the chilled dressing over the combined ingredients. Using tongs, gently toss everything together until the salad is well coated with the dressing.
- Serve: Serve the BLT pasta salad immediately for the best texture and freshness.
Notes
- For best taste, prepare the dressing at least 30 minutes before assembling the salad to let the flavors develop.
- If you prefer, bacon can be cooked in the oven or on the stovetop until crisp before chopping.
- Add additional fresh herbs like chives or dill for an extra punch of flavor.
- This salad is best eaten fresh but can be kept refrigerated for up to 1 day. Lettuce may wilt if stored longer.
- To make it lighter, substitute low-fat mayonnaise and sour cream.
