BLT Pasta Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe
BLT (Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato) Sandwiches are a Southern Tradition, best enjoyed in late Summer when the homegrown tomatoes ripen on the vines. Creamy Pasta Salads are a tradition in the South enjoyed at cockouts, gameday parties and tailgating, family reunions, picnics and field parties.
So combining the two favorites into Southern BLT Pasta Salad is a No-Brainer. And a Summer party hit every time.
Photo by Mark
BLT Pasta Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
BLT (Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato) Pasta Salads, while not as everyday common as their sandwich namesakes, still appear quite often at get-togethers, parties and even on the menus of some restaurants in the South. The goal was not to find a recipe – that was easy – the goal was to make it as good as we possibly could.
We think this one nails it. And it turns out it was simple all along.
The trick was to pare the salad back to only the bare sandwich necessities – bacon, lettuce, tomato – and pasta salad necessities – pasta, celery, onion and dressing – but make sure they are the absolute best quality we can find.
Which means, real sun-ripened homegrown tomatoes, from your own vines or a Farmer’s Market, top quality Bacon (like Benton’s) freshly-cooked and freshly-crumbled (not bagged bacon bits), fresh tender lettuce, we used Bibb, and homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing made from Real Buttermilk (we’ve included a link to our recipe).
The Best Ingredients – Real, Fresh, In-Season, Homemade – DO Make the Best Salads.
Try these Southern Favorite Recipes with Your BLT Pasta Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
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- Cracker Barrel Fried Apples Recipe
- Famous Dave’s Shakin’ the Shack Potato Salad
- Texas Roadhouse Fried Pickles Recipe
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- The Black-Eyed Pea Broccoli-Cheese Soup
- Sriracha Aioli Cole Slaw Recipe
- Cracker Barrel Baby Carrots Recipe
- Dinosaur Bar-B-Que BBQ Beans Recipe
- Famous Dave’s Baked ‘Wilbur’ Beans Recipe
- O’Charley’s Beer Battered Onion Rings Recipe
.
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Pasta Salads
Pasta Salads are a versatile and popular dish with a history that spans many cultures. Their origins can be traced back to ancient Rome, where they made use of a wide variety of pasta shapes and paired them with simple ingredients like olive oil and herbs. Over the centuries, this concept evolved into diverse forms of pasta salads around the world.
Modern pasta salads typically feature cooked pasta, such as macaroni, penne, or rotini, combined with a medley of ingredients. These ingredients can include vegetables like cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers, along with proteins like diced chicken, salami, or shrimp. The whole dish is bound together with a flavorful dressing, often vinaigrette or mayonnaise-based, which infuses the ingredients with a delightful taste.
Pasta salads are known for their versatility, making them suitable for everything from picnics to potlucks. They can be served cold, allowing for a refreshing, tangy experience, and they offer a perfect canvas for culinary creativity, allowing for endless variations and flavor combinations. Pasta salads are celebrated for their ability to please a wide range of palates and dietary preferences while offering a satisfying and convenient meal option.
BLT Pasta Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe
BLT (Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato) Sandwiches are a Southern Tradition, best enjoyed in late Summer when the homegrown tomatoes ripen on the vines. Creamy Pasta Salads are a tradition in the South enjoyed at cockouts, gameday parties and tailgating, family reunions, picnics and field parties. So Southern BLT Pasta Salad is a No-Brainer. And a Summer party hit every time.
Equipment
- Skillet
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Large Sealable Bowl
Ingredients
- 8 - 12 ounces Rotini or Corkscrew-Shaped Pasta
- 16 ounces good Bacon divided
- 2 - 3 large Heirloom or Vine-Ripened Tomatoes chopped roughly
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced Celery
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup very finely chopped Red Onion
- 16 ounces Normanda's Buttermilk Ranch Salad Dressing (Click HERE Now for the Recipe (Coming Soon) ), 16 ounces of your Favorite Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing or one 16-ounce bottle Buttermilk Ranch or Bacon Ranch Salad Dressing
- Bibb Lettuce or other Leaf Lettuce for serving
- 4 tablespoons chopped Parsley, chopped Chives or chopped Scallion Greens to garnish
Instructions
- Prepare pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain again. Set aside to cool.
- Cook bacon crisp on stove top or in oven, according to package directions. Remove from pan to a paper towel-covered plate to drain.
- When bacon is cool to the touch, remove 3 to 4 slices and set aside.
- Roughly chop the remaining slices of bacon.
- In large bowl, mix together cold pasta, roughly-chopped bacon (See Note below), tomatoes, celery and onion. Mix slightly.
- Add salad dressing. Toss well to coat all pieces.
- Place several nice lettuce leaves on a serving plate or 1 - 2 leaves on individual serving dishes.
- Spoon the salad onto the lettuce leaves.
- Finely chopped the 3 - 4 pieces of bacon you set aside in step #3 above. Lightly sprinkle bacon over the top of the salad in the bowl, or on the individual servings. Go easy - don't cover up the beautiful salad too much.
- Lightly sprinkle parsley, chives or scallion greens over salad.
- Store in a tightly sealed container, in the refrigerator, for at least 4 hours or until ready to serve. Serve cold.
Notes
You can prepare this salad in advance, even the day before you will be serving it. If you are preparing it in advance, leave out the bacon. Cover the salad and place in the refrigerator. Wrap the bacon separately and place in the refrigerator, also. Add the bacon to the salad just before serving and toss to coat. This will keep the bacon crisp.
If You Like This Recipe You May Also Like These FREE Cookbooks Click on Any Cookbook Below to Download
Free Cookbook - Pasta Salad Recipes
Includes 35 In-Book Recipes and 26 Enhanced Recipes
SPOTLIGHT RECIPE
Bacon and Blue Cheese Potato Salad
Bacon and Blue Cheese Potato Salad is a tantalizing combination of creamy potatoes, crispy bacon, and pungent blue cheese, creating a harmonious blend of textures and flavors that elevate the classic potato salad.
This savory twist on a traditional favorite adds a smoky richness and tangy kick, making it a standout side dish perfect for those who crave a deliciously bold and satisfying experience.
Click HERE Now to Make Bacon and Blue Cheese Potato Salad at Home
Here are a Few More Recipes From Across Our Family of Websites You Will Love
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- Olive Garden Salad and Dressing Recipe
- KFC Macaroni Salad Recipe
- Cheesecake Factory Luau Salad
- Cosi Signature Salad Recipe
- Benihana Ginger Salad Dressing Recipe
- Kraft Catalina French Salad Dressing Recipe
- Famous Dave’s Shakin’ the Shack Potato Salad Recipe
- Cherry Tomato Summer Pasta with Lemony Croutons Recipe
- Golden Corral Seafood Salad Recipe
- Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad Recipe
- J. Alexander’s Orzo and Wild Rice Salad Recipe
- O’Charley’s Pecan Chicken Tender Salad Recipe
- Suddenly Salad Ranch and Bacon Pasta Salad Recipe
- The Original Brown Derby Cobb Salad Recipe
Photo is by Mark and is released for sharing or using under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) License. BLT Pasta Salad Recipe is Original – from traditional recipes and the recipes in Farmland Foods and The Food Network Magazine 2.2 June/July 2009 amongst others. Additional Information Courtesy of Wikipedia and is used by permission.
