This Crispy BLT Pasta Salad is made with crispy oven-roasted pasta, crunchy bacon, fresh tomatoes and romaine, and a creamy bacon tomato dressing that ties everything together. This will make you re-think everything you thought you knew about pasta salad!
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BLT salads are great. BLT pasta salads are better. But a BLT pasta salad where the pasta is roasted in bacon drippings until the edges are golden and crisp? That's the BEST.
Crispy pasta has been having a moment and I'm here to tell you it deserves every bit of the hype.
The technique of roasting cooked pasta in the oven until it gets crunchy and golden around the edges has been all over social media and once you try it, you'll understand why. It adds a texture element that traditionally cooked pasta can't deliver. And in a salad context, it means you're getting a little crunch in every bite instead of a bowl full of soft noodles.
This crispy BLT pasta salad is the pasta salad I want at every summer cookout, potluck, and "I need to bring something" situation. It's packed full of flavor, has great textures, and is tossed in a dressing that ties the BLT flavors together (hint: it's a creamy bacon tomato dressing made with bacon drippings).
❤️ Why this recipe works
It's made with roasted pasta: which means crispy pasta! Tossing the farfalle in bacon drippings and baking it at 425 degrees F gives you crispy, golden edges with a satisfying texture that holds up in the salad. It's like a crouton, but better.
The dressing ties the dish together: the dressing is made with mayonnaise, tomato paste, and bacon drippings (among other things) and honestly takes like a BLT sandwich as is!
Many elements can be made ahead: while the full salad shouldn't be tossed together until right before you're ready to serve it, lots of elements can be made in advance, like roasting the pasta, cooking the bacon, chopping the tomatoes and onions, etc.
It's totally customizable: from the shape of the pasta you use to the types of veggies you add into the dish, you can make this BLT pasta salad however you like it or using the ingredients you have on hand.
🗒 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make this crispy BLT pasta salad (be sure to view the recipe card at the bottm of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):
- Bacon: cooked crispy. Be sure to reserve the oil after you cook it.
- Cherry or grape tomatoes: halved
- Romaine lettuce: chopped
- Red onion: diced
- Parsley: finely chopped
- Mini farfalle pasta: or the pasta shape of your choice
- Garlic powder
- Salt & pepper
- Smoked paprika: optional
And here's what you need for the creamy tomato dressing:
- Reserved bacon drippings: slightly cooled
- Tomato paste: if you don't have any, you can substitute with ketchup.
- Mayonnaise
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Buttermilk
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Dijon mustard
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt & pepper
🥗 Recipe tips
- Dry your pasta really well before roasting. After draining it, I like to let the pasta sit in the colander for a few minutes. Then I spread it on a kitchen towel and gently pat it dry. It doesn't have to be perfectly dry, but drying as much as possible will help it crisp up in the oven.
- Place parchment paper on your baking sheet to prevent sticking (and for easy cleanup!) and be sure not to crowd the pasta on the tray. Spread it in an even layer so it roasts (instead of steams).
- Don't forget to save the bacon grease! And be sure to let it cool a bit before using it in the dressing.
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- If you're not a mayo fan, you can use all Greek yogurt in the dressing instead or a Greek yogurt and sour cream mixture. Mayo does bring BLT vibes, though!
- Don't add the dressing and romaine lettuce to the salad until right before you're ready to serve.
I can't even tell you how much this tastes exactly like a BLT sandwich. I also can't tell you how much crispy pasta I ate during this recipe testing process. Because I'm embarrassed.
If you're a BLT fan, I highly recommend making this as a a dinner entree or side. Or bringing it to your summer BBQs and parties. I guarantee everyone will be loving it!
⏲️ How to store
This pasta salad is best eaten the day it's made as the pasta and bacon will still be at their crispiest. But if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
The pasta will soften as it sits and absorbs the dressing, but the flavors will still be great.
For make-ahead prep: roast the pasta, cook the bacon, make the dressing, and chop the vegetables up to a day in advance.
Store each component separately and assemble the salad right before serving.
🎉 Variations on recipe
One of the fabulous things about this crispy pasta salad is that you can make it any way you want! Here are some fun additions and variations:
- Add avocado: if you love an avocado BLT, you can definitely add it here.
- Use turkey bacon: just be aware that it won't render as much fat as regular bacon, so you may need to add a splash of olive oil for roasting the pasta roasting and to the dressing.
- Add corn: charred corn cut off the cob (or thawed frozen corn) adds sweetness and even more summer vibes.
- Use any pasta shape you want: I love mini farfalle, but you can use full-size farfalle, rotini, cavatappi, or even small shells. Shapes with edges and crevices work best as they crisp up really well.
- Add cheese: I've never met a pasta salad that isn't made even better with cheese and this one is no exception! Crumbled blue cheese, shaved parmesan, or shredded sharp cheddar would all be great here.
- Add more protein: if bacon isn't quite cutting it, feel free to add grilled chicken, steak, shrimp, salmon, or the protein of your choice.
- Add some spice: include a pinch of cayenne to the pasta seasoning or a few dashes of hot sauce to the dressing for a little kick.
- Add chopped hardboiled eggs: slice or quarter them and layer on top before serving.
- Use just Greek yogurt in the dressing: swapping the sour cream and mayonnaise for all Greek yogurt makes the dressing lighter and tangier and perfect for anyone who isn't a fan of mayo.
- Leave out the lettuce: if you want a more traditional pasta salad, but with crunch, you can skip the romaine.
🥬 More easy salad recipes
There's something about summer that calls for salads and these are some of my favorite recipes packed with fresh seasonal ingredients:
And if you're just here for the BLTs, try my BLT pizza or my salmon BLT sandwich.
If you've been curious about the crispy pasta trend, this is the recipe to try! The crispy roasted pasta, bacon, fresh romaine and tomatoes, and that creamy bacon tomato dressing all come together into something that will be the hit of the summer party.
But make sure you save a little pasta on the side. Because crispy pasta chips are heavenly and the best snack ever.
📖 Recipe
Crispy BLT Pasta Salad
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Ingredients
- 10 slices bacon
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- ⅓ cup finely chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoon chopped parsley plus more for topping (optional)
Crispy Pasta
- 12 oz. mini farfalle pasta (can also use regular-sized farfalle or pasta shape of your choice)
- 2 tablespoon reserved bacon drippings
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika optional
Bacon Tomato Dressing
- 2 tablespoon reserved bacon drippings slightly cooled
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste (can substitute with ketchup if needed)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup buttermilk plus more to thin if needed
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cook bacon on a griddle or in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve about 4 tablespoons of the bacon drippings for crispy pasta and dressing. Once bacon is cool, crumble it.
- In a large bowl, combine the crispy pasta, tomatoes, red onion, about ¾ of the bacon, and parsley if using. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to coat.
- Right before serving, fold in the chopped romaine.
- Top with the remaining bacon and additional parsley, if desired. Serve right away for the best crispy texture of pasta and bacon.
Crispy Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook farfalle according to package directions until just al dente. Drain well and let pasta sit in the colander for a few minutes so excess moisture can evaporate. Spread pasta on a clean kitchen towel and gently pat it dry. It doesn't need to be bone dry, but try to get rid of surface moisture.
- While pasta is boiling, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Add drained pasta to the baking sheet and toss with bacon drippings, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika if using. Spread into an even layer on baking sheet.
- Bake for 18-25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the edges of pasta are golden and crisp. The pasta should be crispy around the edges but not rock-hard all the way through. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes; it will crisp a little more as it cools.
Bacon Tomato Dressing
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the slightly cooled bacon drippings and tomato paste until smooth.
- Whisk in mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, lemon juice, dijon, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and salt. Add another splash of buttermilk if you want dressing thinner.
Notes
- For the best texture, serve this shortly after assembling. If it sits too long, the pasta will still taste great, but it will soften as it absorbs the dressing.
- To make ahead, prep all components separately and assemble right before serving.
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