BLT Pasta Salad

This BLT pasta salad is fully loaded with so many delicious add-ins! Smoky bacon, roasted corn, tomatoes, crisp lettuce, avocado, cheese, and ranch dressing make this the ultimate crowd-pleaser.

Pasta salads feel like a summer food since they’re so often a part of backyard barbecues and picnics. But you know what? I’m kind of loving the idea of pasta salads for the fall too. It’s a busy time of year and pasta salad can be made in advance—and this BLT pasta salad is definitely filling enough that you can make it a meal. (PS – Try adding Instant Pot shredded chicken to make it even more satisfying!)

What You’ll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

For the Roasted Corn

• Corn – You’ll need two ears, but if it’s not fresh corn season, you can use 1 1/2 cups of frozen thawed corn instead. 
• Olive oil 
• Salt and ground black pepper 

For the Pasta Salad

• Bacon – Turkey bacon or regular bacon both work!
• Salt – To season the pasta water. This makes the pasta extra tasty.
• Bowtie pasta – Or another shape you like for pasta salad, like rotini.
• Cherry tomatoes – Grape tomatoes work too! I just like to avoid regular-size tomatoes because they release a lot of liquid into the salad. 
• Red onion 
• Romaine lettuce – You can’t have a BLT pasta salad without the L(ettuce)! I use romaine because it stays crisper longer than other varieties.
• Hass avocados 
• Crumbled blue cheese – Or shredded cheddar if you prefer a milder option.
• Ranch – Use your favorite homemade or store-bought ranch.

How to Make BLT Pasta Salad

• Prep. Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a paper plate with paper towels.
• Roast the corn. Coat the ears of corn with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap in foil and roast at 425ºF for 25 minutes. 
• Remove the kernels. Once the corn is cool, slice off the kernels and add them to a large bowl. 
• Cook the bacon. Crisp the bacon in a skillet set over medium heat. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. 

• Boil the pasta. Cook the pasta in a pot of salted water according to the package instructions for al dente. Drain.
• Assemble. Add the pasta to the bowl with the corn. Toss with the bacon, tomatoes, red onion, romaine, avocado, cheese, and dressing.
• Chill. Cover the BLT pasta salad and refrigerate for an hour before serving. 

Tips and Variations

• Make sure you remove all the silk from the corn. It’s annoying to get a piece of silk in your teeth when you’re eating corn! There are tools for removing silk, but I find that just rubbing it off with my hands and then rinsing the ears to remove the rest is easiest.
• Drain the pasta well. If it’s still wet when you add it to the pasta salad, it will water down the dressing.
• Make it vegetarian/vegan. Use your favorite plant-based bacon, vegan ranch, and either omit the cheese or use a vegan cheese.
• Adjust for meal prep. If you want to make this BLT pasta salad more than an hour before serving, I recommend leaving out the avocado and lettuce. You can chop the lettuce and store it in a separate container in the fridge; add it to the pasta salad along with the avocado right before serving. 

Serving Suggestions

Serve this BLT pasta salad as a side dish with grilled chicken or burgers, or on its own as a main dish. If you’re making it for a party, serve it with other make-ahead salads like healthy potato salad and grape salad.

How to Store Leftovers

If you have leftover BLT pasta salad, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days; stir well before serving to redistribute the dressing. The avocado will start to brown, but it’s still fine to eat. 

More Pasta Salad Recipes

• Creamy Hummus Pasta Salad
• Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
• Vegan Caesar Pasta Salad
• Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad
• Healthy Soba Noodle Salad with Almond Butter Dressing