BLT Bowtie Pasta Salad

This easy BLT bowtie pasta salad recipe has crispy bacon and a delicious creamy smoky dressing that will have everyone wanting seconds! Perfect for summer BBQs, picnics, or potlucks. Ready in 30 minutes.

I’m always glad when it’s time to make pasta salads again for the blog because that means it’s warming up outside. In theory, anyway. It’s still winter outside here (srsly), but I’m optimistic. We keep getting what everyone thinks is the last of winter, but then it cools down again and it’s baaaaack. Ugh!!

Anyway, this bowtie pasta salad will become a new favorite if you like BLTs and pasta. 😉 I am dreaming of being able to eat food outside again.

How do you make a BLT pasta salad?

This BLT pasta salad has what you’d expect… crispy bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and pasta. I didn’t feel the need to overly complicate it.

The dressing is a simple combo of mayo and sour cream (or use Greek yogurt to lighten it up a bit) to give it that ranch flavor, and I added a bit of garlic, lemon juice, and smoked paprika to give it some zing.

I debated including onion in this easy bowtie pasta salad recipe, but I ended up leaving it out. I didn’t feel the salad was missing anything, but you could definitely add it in if you wish!

You could make this pasta salad ahead of time and assemble it just prior to serving it so the lettuce stays crisp.

Sounds good to me.

Hope you enjoy this BLT pasta salad recipe!

Questions? Feel free to ask in the comments below. 🙂

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BLT Bowtie Pasta Salad

By Natasha Bull

This easy BLT bowtie pasta salad recipe has crispy bacon and a delicious creamy smoky dressing that will have everyone wanting seconds! Perfect for summer BBQs, picnics, or potlucks. Ready in 30 minutes.

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6

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Ingredients 

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• ▢ 3 cups uncooked bowtie pasta
• ▢ 8 slices bacon cut into small pieces
• ▢ 1 (10.5 ounce) package little tomatoes (grape, cherry, etc.), cut into halves
• ▢ 1 head romaine lettuce chopped

Dressing:

• ▢ 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
• ▢ 1/4 cup mayo
• ▢ 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ▢ Salt & pepper to taste

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Instructions 

• Boil a large, salted pot of water for the pasta. Cook the pasta al dente according to package directions. Once cooked, drain it, rinse under cool water, drain it again thoroughly, and add it to a large salad bowl.
• While the pasta is cooking, cut bacon into small pieces (I find using kitchen shears makes this easy). Fry the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crispy. 
• Meanwhile, prep your other ingredients and add them to the salad bowl. Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
• Assemble the salad and serve immediately. 

Notes

• Salad can be made a few hours ahead, but I suggest adding the dressing right before serving it.
• Serves 4-6+, depending on how much people eat/whether it's a side or a main dish. 

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Love pasta salad? You may also like my balsamic caprese pasta salad, my spinach tortellini salad, my chicken bacon ranch pasta salad, or my chorizo pasta salad.