This crowd-favorite pasta salad is everything you love about a classic BLT- crispy bacon, fresh lettuce, and juicy tomatoes – tossed in a creamy homemade ranch. It’s refreshing, hearty, and perfect for summer BBQs, potlucks, or meal prep!
Catch the full recipe and more on Episode 24 of Come On In, tune in every Tuesday across all my socials!!
The recipe:
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and bake the bacon for 12–15 minutes, until crispy. Let cool, then chop or crumble into bite-sized pieces.
Cook pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and let cool.
Dice the tomatoes and finely chop the romaine. If using grilled chicken, slice it into bite-sized pieces.
Make the ranch dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, sour cream, buttermilk, chives, parsley, dill, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and salt until smooth and well combined.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, tomatoes, romaine, bacon, and optional chicken. Pour in your homemade ranch and toss until everything is evenly coated.
Serve immediately or chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. Enjoy!! xxOptional: Add a squeeze of lemon on top for extra brightness.
BLT Pasta Salad with Homemade Ranch
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 1/4 cups tomatoes diced
- 2 cups rotini pasta cooked
- 3 cups romaine lettuce finely chopped
- 6 –8 slices bacon diced
- 1 lb grilled chicken optional
For the Homemade Ranch
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons chives finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon dill
- 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1.5 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and bake the bacon for 12–15 minutes, until crispy. Let cool, then chop or crumble into bite-sized pieces.
- Cook pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and let cool.
- Dice the tomatoes and finely chop the romaine. If using grilled chicken, slice it into bite-sized pieces.
- Make the ranch dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, sour cream, buttermilk, chives, parsley, dill, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and salt until smooth and well combined.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, tomatoes, romaine, bacon, and optional chicken. Pour in your homemade ranch and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Serve immediately or chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. Enjoy!! xx Optional: Add a squeeze of lemon on top for extra brightness.
