Creamy BLT Pasta Salad
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!
Yield: 8 -10 servings
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
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, prep the remaining ingredients: cook the bacon, slice the tomatoes, chop the spinach and shred the cheese. (See notes.)
- For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and mix well with a fork, until smooth and very well combined. It will be liquidy.
- Once pasta is cooked, drain it and rinse it with cold water for a minute to cool the pasta. Drain well.
- Add the pasta to your serving bowl and add tomatoes, spinach and cheese. Stir well to combine.
- If ready to serve, pour the dressing over the pasta salad and stir very well to get everything well coated. Top with bacon and serve.
- If making ahead, store the pasta salad, dressing and bacon separately and mix together when ready to serve.
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Notes
Bacon: To cook in the oven: Turn on the oven to 400 degrees F 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 all the way 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 or in the microwave if you prefer.
Lettuce: You can use baby spinach as the lettuce for this pasta salad. I’ve done that before and it’s delicious that way too, just has a little less crunch than the romaine.
Sriracha: 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.
Tomatoes: 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.
Leftovers: Leftover pasta salad will keep in the fridge, in a covered container, for 4-5 days. It'll lose a bit of crunch over time. You can add some lemon juice to brighten it back up if needed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 450mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g
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