How to Video
BLT Pasta Salad with Ranch Dressing
This creamy BLT pasta salad with Ranch dressing combines the classic flavors of a BLT with fresh avocado and crisp red onion, all tossed in a creamy, herb-packed healthier Ranch dressing with Greek yogurt. Bright, and flavorful, it’s the perfect side dish for potlucks, picnics, and summer barbecues.
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used 2% fat but any will work; sub: sour cream)
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise (I used avocado oil mayonnaise; sub: more yogurt or sour cream)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (sub: 1 teaspoon dried parsley)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives (sub: 1 teaspoon dried chives)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill (sub: 1 teaspoon dried dill)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salad:
- 8 ounces rotini pasta (Note: half pound box per batch)
- 8 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)
- 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce (about half a romaine heart per batch; sub: pre-washed store-bought lettuce)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved; about 1 1/2 cups per batch)
- 1 large ripe avocado (diced; about 3/4 cup per batch)
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion (sub: pickled red onions)
Instructions
- Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, mayo, lemon juice, parsley, chives, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper until combined. Set aside. Place in the refrigerator, covered, until needed.
- Pasta: Cook pasta according to package directions, making sure to salt the water once it comes to a boil. Drain and rinse with cold water. (Tip: While water boils and pasta cooks, cook the bacon and chop all your other ingredients.)
- Combine: In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta with bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and onion.
- Toss: Add only 3/4 cup of dressing to the salad and toss until the ingredients are evenly combined. Taste and add more dressing and/or salt, if desired.
- Serve: Serve immediately or store in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Notes/Tips
- Like our Caesar Pasta Salad, this makes a lot and leftovers don’t keep well after adding dressing. Consider meal prepping each ingredient and the dressing and storing separately for individual salads or to toss together at the time you want to serve it. (Tip: Squeeze lemon juice over the diced avocado to help prevent browning.)
- This salad is best prepared immediately before serving. As it sits in the refrigerator, it will slowly absorb the dressing, causing both the lettuce and bacon to lose crispiness and the avocados to brown.
- Short Cuts:
- About 1 cup of store-bought green goddess salad dressing, ranch, or avocado ranch can be substituted for the homemade dressing.
- Use pre-washed, shredded or chopped crispy lettuce from the store.
- Optional Add-Ins:
- Vegetables: pickled red onions, sliced or chopped cucumber, bell peppers, grilled corn
- Cheese: shaved Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese
- Protein: grilled or shredded chicken, sliced or diced hard-boiled eggs, cubed deli meat (ham, turkey, etc)
- Crunch: homemade croutons or toasted breadcrumbs
- This recipe is an overhaul of an old one called Avocado Pasta with Basil and Bacon (click the link to download that old recipe).
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 414 kcal (21%) | Carbohydrates: 38 g (13%) | Protein: 13 g (26%) | Fat: 23 g (35%) | Cholesterol: 21 mg (7%) | Sodium: 466 mg (20%) | Fiber: 5 g (21%) | Sugar: 5 g (6%)
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