BLT Pasta Salad Recipe

By Becky Hardin

Updated Jul 17, 2025

ShareJump to Recipe

If you enjoy a good BLT as much as I do, this BLT Pasta Salad Recipe has your name on it. Loaded with juicy tomatoes, crispy bacon, fresh lettuce, and tiny toasted croutons tossed in a flavored mayonnaise dressing, it is the ultimate easy pasta salad recipe! BBQs, parties, and holiday celebrations need this amazing side dish. 

Easy BLT Pasta Salad Recipe

This BLT Pasta Salad Recipe has me so dang excited for summer! Bring on all the BBQs, tailgates, holiday parties, and most importantly, warm weather. I’m so over cold and chilly St. Louis, and this pasta salad is helping me look forward to sunnier days. Loaded with bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes just like your favorite BLT sandwich—it even has toasted bread bites and is tossed in a mayo vinaigrette. I am completely obsessed!

I’ve made several BLT Recipes in the past, but this BLT pasta salad recipe has my heart. It just tastes like summer in a bowl. I’m always on the hunt for pasta salad recipes, and this is my favorite.

Tips for Beginners

• Use a pasta with some nooks and crannies: I used a medium flared elbow macaroni, but farfalle and rotini also work well.
• Serve in a chilled bowl: Pasta salad is great on a hot day, but hot pasta salad is gross. Serving in a chilled bowl helps keep your party contribution fresh longer, even on a balmy summer day.
• Always use fresh ingredients: I’m all for recipe hacks, but I better not catch you using anything but freshly crumbled bacon in this recipe.
• Use real mayonnaise: This recipe isn’t the same with an ingredient like Miracle Whip.

Recipe Card

BLT Pasta Salad Recipe

4.48 from 67 votes

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 5 minutes mins

Total: 20 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Author: Becky Hardin

Print Rate Pin

This BLT Pasta Salad Recipe is loaded with juicy tomatoes, crispy bacon, fresh lettuce, and tiny toasted croutons, tossed in a flavored mayonnaise dressing. It is the ultimate easy recipe for BBQs, parties, and holiday celebrations like the 4th of July.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Save this recipe!

Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you, plus new recipes weekly!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Name *

Email *

Go

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

For the BLT Salad:

• ▢ 1 lb. medium-size pasta uncooked
• ▢ ½ loaf rustic bread to make 1 cup toasted bread crumbs
• ▢ 2 tbsp butter unsalted or salted; melted
• ▢ 12 slices bacon cut crosswise into ¼” slices & cooked crisp, divided
• ▢ 2½ cups iceberg lettuce washed & chopped
• ▢ 2½ cups green leaf lettuce leaves washed & chopped
• ▢ 1 cup cherry tomatoes washed & halved

For the Flavored Mayonnaise:

• ▢ ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ▢ ¼ tsp chili powder
• ▢ ¼ tsp sweet paprika
• ▢ 2 tsp granulated sugar
• ▢ ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions 

• Chop the lettuce and cut the tomatoes.
  2½ cups iceberg lettuce, 2½ cups green leaf lettuce leaves, 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• Slice an 8-inch chunk of rustic bread (preferably day-old bread) off a whole loaf. Tear the bread apart into smaller chunks and place in a food processor. Process the bread until it is in small-medium sized crumbs. Place the breadcrumbs into a medium bowl and add the melted butter. Mix together until the butter is well incorporated.
  ½ loaf rustic bread to make 1 cup toasted bread crumbs, 2 tbsp butter
• Toast breadcrumbs in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or to your liking.
• Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1-cup pasta water and drain the pasta.
  1 lb. medium-size pasta
• Slice and cook the bacon.
  12 slices bacon
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, chili powder, paprika, sugar and black pepper; set aside.
  ¼ cup mayonnaise, ¼ tsp chili powder, ¼ tsp sweet paprika, 2 tsp granulated sugar, ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• In a large bowl, combine the drained pasta, ½ cup breadcrumbs (reserve ½ cup for serving), half of the crisped bacon (reserve the other half for serving), lettuce, tomatoes and flavored mayonnaise. Toss to mix and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve.
• Toss the salad lightly to freshen. If needed, add the reserved pasta water (1-tbsp-at-a-time) until you get the desired consistency.
• Sprinkle with reserved breadcrumbs and bacon, and season with salt & pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Calories: 441kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 9gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 663mgPotassium: 262mgSugar: 21gVitamin A: 1660IUVitamin C: 7.9mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make BLT Pasta Salad Step by Step

Prep the veggies: Chop 2 ½ cups lettuce, and halve 1 cup tomatoes.

Make the breadcrumbs: Slice an 8-inch chunk of rustic bread (preferably day-old bread) off a whole loaf. Tear the bread apart into smaller chunks and place in a food processor. Process the bread into small to medium-sized crumbs. Place the breadcrumbs into a medium bowl and add the melted butter. Mix until the butter is well incorporated.

Toast the breadcrumbs: Transfer the crumbs to a baking sheet and toast in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until toasted to your liking.

Cook the bacon: Chop 12 slices of bacon and cook.

Cook pasta: Cook 1lb pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.

Make the mayonnaise: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together ¼ cup mayonnaise, ¼ tsp chili powder, ¼ tsp sweet paprika, 2 tsp granulated sugar, and ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper and set aside.

Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine the drained pasta, ½ cup breadcrumbs (reserve ½ cup for serving), half of the crisped bacon (reserve the other half for serving), lettuce, tomatoes and flavored mayonnaise. Toss to mix and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Freshen the salad: Toss the salad lightly to freshen. If needed, add the reserved pasta water (1 tbsp at a time) until you get the desired consistency.

Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with reserved breadcrumbs and bacon, and season with salt & pepper to taste. Enjoy!

How to Store

This is a recipe that you can make ahead, but not far in advance because you don’t want everything to get soggy. If making ahead, toss in the lettuce and tomatoes right before serving. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Serving Suggestions

Ah, summer BBQs and the options are endless! I love firing up the grill and pairing this pasta salad with juicy feta and sundried tomato chicken burgers, this cheese stuffed grilled caprese stuffed chicken, or this copycat Applebee’s grilled tequila lime chicken! It’s also the perfect side to a grilled hot dog!

more pasta salads

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

Green Goddess Pasta Salad Recipe

Strawberry Avocado Pasta Salad Recipe

Pesto Pasta Salad