Description
A delicious and hearty BLT Pasta Salad combining crispy bacon, fresh vegetables, rotini pasta, and a creamy ranch dressing, perfect for gatherings and quick meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta Salad Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce box Rotini Pasta cooked, drained, and rinsed with cold water
- 13 slices bacon cooked and chopped
- ½ large red onion finely diced
- 1½ cups cheddar cheese cut into cubes
- 2 cups romaine lettuce cut or torn into bite size pieces
- 1 avocado cut into small pieces
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes cut in half
- ¼ cup parsley chopped
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 1-ounce packet Hidden Valley Dressing Mix dry
- 1½ cups mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Prepare Dressing: In a medium mixing bowl, combine dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Whisk thoroughly until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to let flavors meld.
- Cook Pasta: Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta, rinse with cold water to cool it down, and drain again to remove excess water. Transfer pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- Combine Ingredients: Add cooked and chopped bacon, finely diced red onion, cubed cheddar cheese, cut avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped parsley, and torn romaine lettuce to the bowl with pasta.
- Toss Salad: Pour the chilled dressing over the salad ingredients. Using tongs, gently toss the salad until all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Serve: Serve the BLT pasta salad immediately for best texture and freshness.
Notes
- The romaine lettuce does not save well in this salad; serve immediately or add lettuce and dressing just before serving.
- Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container and consume within 24 hours. Avoid refrigerating for longer to maintain freshness.
- This recipe makes a large bowl suitable for about 10 servings; halve the ingredients for smaller groups.
- You can shred the cheddar cheese instead of cubing if preferred.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
