This creamy BLT pasta salad with an easy, homemade dressing is a healthier take on the classic and perfect for summer picnics, cookouts and parties!

I feel like I am clinging to the last bits of summer...

The kids go back to school next week, but we've already got conferences and open houses and doctor's appointments and all the craziness going on.

And I'm over here like, "Can we just hang by the pool and have a movie night?"

Sigh... I'm so not ready for real daily life. Maybe we can manage to carry the feel of summer into the fall with us this year... let me know if you have any tips on that!

For now though, we're still totally eating summertime. 😍

And what says summer more than pasta salad?

It’s endlessly versatile, entirely portable and always a crowd pleaser!

And this creamy BLT pasta salad? Oh yeah, everyone’s gonna be coming back for another scoop. Or two or three 😉

We’ve got carb-alicious pasta, crisp rich bacon, sweet fresh cherry tomatoes, crunchy romaine and cheddar cheese, plus the creamy, dreamy dressing that coats it all.

You’re going to be throwing more parties just to make this again and again!

(I made it for my girls boat day earlier this summer and it’s on the menu for our Labor Day cookout as well. 👍)

A few notes on this creamy BLT pasta salad:

• Since this calls for 8 slices of bacon (and since we don’t need to use the bacon grease), I prefer to cook my bacon in the oven. I included instructions in the recipe card.
• I use cherry tomatoes because they’re available year-round and I’m always craving this salad, no matter the season. You can definitely use fresh summer local tomatoes or heirlooms if you can find them.
• I use romaine lettuce for the crunch, but I've also made this with baby spinach before and that was great, too.
• You can use gluten-free pasta for this salad if you are making it for a party and have some gluten-free folks.
• You can also add diced avocado to this salad to make a BLAT pasta salad.
• My creamy dressing is basically a mock buttermilk dressing that’s been lightened up. You could use a store-bought buttermilk dressing or even Ranch dressing in this if you don’t want to make your own.
• You can prep this ahead, but I recommend adding the dressing and bacon when you’re ready to serve. This helps keeps everything fresh and creamy (and helps to keep the bacon crispy).
• Still, leftovers are great! It’ll keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can add some extra lemon juice to brighten it up, if you’d like.

I hope you give this a try and treat your friends to this healthier BLT pasta salad at your next get together. It’s sure to be a hit!

And speaking of pasta salad, if you need some more ideas and inspiration, check out my summer veggie pasta salad and classic spaghetti salad. Pasta salad forever!

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

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Yield: 8-10 servings

Creamy BLT pasta salad

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This creamy BLT pasta salad with an easy, homemade dressing is a healthier take on the classic and perfect for summer picnics, cookouts and parties!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the pasta salad:

• 12 oz. whole wheat rotini or farfalle pasta
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 cups romaine lettuce, roughly chopped (see notes)
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

For the dressing:

• 1 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
• ⅔ cup skim milk
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce (optional - see notes)

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, prep the remaining ingredients: cook the bacon, slice the tomatoes, chop the spinach and shred the cheese. (See notes.)
3. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and mix well with a fork, until smooth.
4. Once pasta is cooked, drain it and rinse it with cold water for a minute to cool the pasta. Drain well.
5. Add the pasta to your serving bowl and add tomatoes, spinach and cheese. Stir well to combine.
6. If ready to serve, pour the dressing over the pasta salad and stir to get everything well coated. Top with bacon and serve.
7. If making ahead, store the pasta salad, dressing and bacon separately and mix together when ready to serve.

Notes

I like to cook my bacon in the oven for this recipe. Turn on the oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Lay the bacon in a single layer and put in the oven (it doesn’t need to be preheated). It takes 15-20 minutes total, but keep an eye on the bacon as it gets close to being done so it doesn’t burn. You can also cook your bacon in a pan if you prefer.

You can also use baby spinach as the lettuce for this pasta salad. I’ve done that before and it’s delicious that way too.

I like to add some sriracha sauce if it’s an adult-only party. It gives the salad a little kick and a great depth of flavor.

I use cherry tomatoes because they’re available year-round and I’m always craving this salad, no matter the season. You can definitely use fresh summer local tomatoes or heirlooms instead if you can find them.

You can use gluten-free pasta for this salad if you are making it for a party and have some gluten-free folks.

You can also add diced avocado to this salad to make a BLAT pasta salad.

My creamy dressing is basically a mock buttermilk dressing that’s been lightened up. You could use a store-bought buttermilk dressing or even try Ranch dressing in this if you don’t want to make your own.

You can prep this ahead, but I recommend adding the dressing and bacon when you’re ready to serve. This helps keeps everything fresh and creamy (and helps to keep the bacon crispy).

Still, leftovers are great! It’ll keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can add some extra lemon juice to brighten it up, if you’d like.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 163Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 450mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 10g