Tasty BLT Pasta Salad with Mayo

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Finding the perfect potluck dish that’s both crowd-pleasing and easy to transport can feel like an impossible task. Between juggling picnic schedules, trying to keep ingredients fresh, and making sure your dish stands out among the sea of potato salads, bringing food to summer gatherings can get pretty stressful.

That’s why this BLT pasta salad with mayo has become my go-to choice: it combines everyone’s favorite sandwich flavors into a satisfying pasta dish, stays fresh for hours, and comes together in just minutes using ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

What Kind of Bacon Should I Use?

Regular sliced bacon is perfect for this pasta salad, though you can use thick-cut if you prefer more substantial bacon pieces. Center-cut bacon tends to be leaner and works great here, while regular cut will give you that classic BLT flavor you’re probably looking for. If you’re at the store, pick a package that has a good mix of meat and fat – you don’t want it too fatty or too lean. Just avoid using flavored varieties like maple or peppered bacon, as they might overwhelm the other ingredients in your pasta salad. Remember to cook your bacon until it’s nice and crispy since it will soften slightly once it’s mixed with the other ingredients.

Options for Substitutions

This easy pasta salad is super adaptable and here’s how you can switch things up:

• Bowtie pasta: Any medium-sized pasta shape works great here – try rotini, penne, or even macaroni. Just cook according to the package directions for the shape you choose.
• Mayo and ranch dressing: Not a mayo fan? Use Greek yogurt instead, but add an extra splash of ranch and lemon juice to keep things creamy and tangy. For a lighter version, try light mayo or light ranch dressing.
• Bacon: Turkey bacon works well for a lighter option. You could also use pre-cooked bacon bits in a pinch, though the flavor won’t be quite as fresh.
• Spinach: Feel free to swap spinach with chopped romaine, arugula, or even iceberg lettuce. Just make sure to add leafy greens right before serving to keep them crisp.
• Grape tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes work just the same, or you can dice regular tomatoes. Just remember to remove the seeds if using larger tomatoes to prevent the salad from getting watery.
• Red onion: Sweet onion or green onions make good substitutes if red onions are too strong for you. If using regular onion, soak the chopped pieces in cold water for 10 minutes to reduce the sharp taste.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge with BLT pasta salad is preventing your pasta from clumping together – make sure to rinse it under cold water immediately after cooking and toss it with a small amount of oil to keep the noodles separate and silky.

Another common mistake is adding the spinach too early, which can make it wilted and soggy – instead, fold in the fresh spinach just before serving to maintain its crisp texture.

The bacon needs special attention too – cook it until it’s extra crispy since it will soften slightly when mixed with the mayo dressing, and be sure to drain it well on paper towels to prevent excess grease from making your salad too heavy.

For the best flavor development, let the salad chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving, but hold back some of the bacon and add it right before serving to maintain its crunch.

What to Serve With BLT Pasta Salad?

This hearty pasta salad works great as a main dish for summer gatherings, but it’s also perfect as a side! If you’re serving it as the star of the show, try pairing it with some crusty garlic bread or warm dinner rolls to round out the meal. For a lighter option, serve it alongside some grilled corn on the cob or a fresh fruit salad – the sweetness makes a nice contrast to the savory bacon and creamy dressing. Since this pasta salad already has veggies mixed in, you don’t need anything too complicated on the side – sometimes I just add some pickle spears or potato chips for extra crunch.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Pop your BLT pasta salad in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors actually get better after a day as everything mingles together! Just give it a good stir before serving since the dressing might settle at the bottom.

Make Ahead: Want to prep this in advance? Cook the pasta and bacon up to a day ahead, and mix the dressing separately. Store everything in the fridge, then combine it all with the fresh veggies when you’re ready to serve. This keeps the spinach crisp and the tomatoes fresh!

Pack for Lunch: This pasta salad is perfect for lunch boxes! Pack it in a sealed container and keep it cold with an ice pack. If you’re worried about the spinach wilting, you can always pack it separately and toss it in right before eating.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	15-25 minutes
Total Time	25-40 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2500-2700
• Protein: 70-80 g
• Fat: 175-190 g
• Carbohydrates: 200-220 g

Ingredients

• 8 oz bacon
• 3/4 cup mayo
• 1/4 cup creamy ranch dressing
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
• 12 oz farfalle pasta
• 1 pint small grape tomatoes
• 1/4 red onion
• 2 cups packed baby spinach

Step 1: Cook and Prepare the Bacon

• 8 oz bacon

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until it is brown and crispy.

Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease and cool.

Once the bacon has cooled completely, chop or crumble it into smaller bite-size pieces.

I like to make the bacon nice and crispy so it adds a great crunch to the salad.

Step 2: Mix the Dressing

• 3/4 cup mayo
• 1/4 cup creamy ranch dressing
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

While the bacon is cooking, prepare the creamy dressing.

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ranch dressing, fresh lemon juice, salt, and cracked black pepper until smooth and well combined.

Set the dressing aside until ready to use.

Step 3: Cook and Cool the Pasta

• 12 oz farfalle pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the farfalle pasta and cook until tender, about 7–8 minutes or according to package instructions.

Drain the pasta in a colander and briefly rinse under cool water to stop the cooking process.

Let the pasta drain thoroughly so it’s not watery when mixing with the other ingredients.

Step 4: Prepare the Vegetables

• 1 pint small grape tomatoes
• 1/4 red onion
• 2 cups packed baby spinach

While the pasta is cooking and draining, prepare the fresh vegetables.

Slice all of the grape tomatoes in half for bite-size pieces.

Finely dice the red onion and roughly chop the baby spinach.

Having all the veggies ready makes the final mixing step easy and lets the salad come together quickly.

Step 5: Combine Ingredients and Serve

• cooked farfalle pasta (from Step 3)
• chopped baby spinach (from Step 4)
• halved grape tomatoes (from Step 4)
• diced red onion (from Step 4)
• prepared dressing (from Step 2)
• chopped bacon (from Step 1)

In a large bowl, combine the cooled and drained pasta (from Step 3), chopped spinach, halved grape tomatoes, and diced red onions (from Step 4).

Pour the prepared dressing (from Step 2) over the top and gently toss everything together until evenly coated.

Finally, add the chopped bacon (from Step 1) and stir once more.

Let the pasta salad sit for 10–15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend, then stir again and serve.

For an extra fresh flavor, I like to squeeze a little extra lemon juice on top before serving.