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BLT Pasta Salad

August 10, 2023 by Gina +

Bacon, lettuce, and tomato in a pasta salad with a creamy dressing? Sign me up. This combination of ingredients is so delicious and with the added chicken, it makes a great meal.

Jump to Recipe

A good BLT is a classic everyone loves. So why not add it to a pasta salad and bulk it up with some chopped chicken? So much flavor. It’s healthy while still being hearty and satisfying. I also add red onion, green onion, and some shredded cheese. Yum! It comes all together will a creamy ranch sauce. Even my kids love this, though they do pick around the lettuce.

Ingredients needed for the Pasta Salad

  • Cooked pasta – 10oz
  • 8 pieces cooked bacon
  • 3 cups finely chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
  • 2 diced green onions
  • chopped or shredded chicken
  • FOR THE DRESSING
  • sound cream
  • Mayonnaise
  • Ranch seasoning
  • lemon

How to make the BLT Pasta Salad

  • Preheat the oven to 400. Cook the bacon for 12 ish minutes, until crispy. Remove and pat dry.
  • Cook pasta according to directions. Drain.
  • While pasta and bacon are cooking, mix the sauce. Chop the veggies too.
  • To a large bowl, add the lettuce, cooked pasta, onions, tomatoes, cheese, chicken, and top with bacon. Before serving dressing the sauce and toss well.
  • If you plan for leftovers, don’t add sauce. It will store for a day without dressing.

Why we love this recipe…

  • A BLT but in pasta form.
  • Healthy and has lots of protein but is hearty and satisfying.
  • Easy and quick to prepare.

More recipes you will like…

  • Corn Fritters
  • Red Lentil Fritters
  • Southwest Veggie Fritters

Tips & FAQ for the Zucchini Fritters

Serve hot or cold?

Both ways are great.

Do I have to add chicken?

I love adding chicken for more protein and heartiness but you can easily leave it out.

How to store leftovers?

Best not to dress any part that will be leftovers. Store in the fridge for a day or two before lettuce wilts.


BLT Pasta Salad

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Servings: 0 4-6 servings
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes
  • 8 slices bacon
  • 2 cups chicken breast, diced or shredded
  • 10 oz pasta something like penne or rigatoni
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheese
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
For the dressing
  • 1 packet ranch dressing (2 tbsp mix)
  • 1/3 cup mayo
  • 1/3 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 lemon
  • salt & pepper

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400. Cook the bacon for 12 ish minutes, until crispy. Remove and pat dry.
  2. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain.
  3. While pasta and bacon are cooking, mix the dressing. Chop the veggies too.
    For the dressing, stir sour cream, mayo, ranch mix, juice from 1/2 lemon, and adjust taste with a litlte salt and pepper.
  4. To a large bowl, add the lettuce, cooked pasta, onions, tomatoes, cheese, chicken, and top with bacon. Before serving add dressing and toss well. If you plan for leftovers, don't add dressing. It will store for a day without dressing.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Filed Under: Dinners, Recipes

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Make sure youโ€™re following @gina_gibson_cooks for easy healthier recipes and save this one. I promise youโ€™ll love it. 

Theyโ€™re packed with protein from eggs, sausage, cottage cheese, and cheese.

Ingredients:
1 lb breakfast sausage
4 eggs (scrambled)
1 egg (mixed in)
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt + pepper

Cook the breakfast sausage in a skillet until browned. Push to one side and scramble 4 eggs.

Add sausage + eggs to a bowl with 1 more egg, cottage cheese, shredded cheese, flour, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.

Scoop with a 2 tbsp scoop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake at 375ยฐF for about 18 minutes, or until golden. Makes about 15 biscuits.
A cheesy, hearty, high protein taco skillet taco s A cheesy, hearty, high protein taco skillet taco skillet. Made with simple ingredients you probably already have. It bakes in the oven for an easy, hands-off dinner and comes together in under 40 minutes.

1 lb ground beef
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
1 cup blended cottage cheese
1 (15 oz) jar salsa
1 cup shredded cheddar or taco cheese blend
1 package taco seasoning
*chips, sour cream, avocado for topping and scooping

Preheat oven to 375ยฐF. In an oven-safe skillet, cook ground beef and onion on medium heat until beef is browned.

Stir in taco seasoning. Add salsa, cottage cheese, the rice, then 1/2 cup water. Mix well.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes

Remove from oven, top with cheese. Serve with sour cream, avocado, and plenty of chips for scooping

Save this for your next quick dinner night.
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The sauce is the real star here. Savory, rich, and packed with flavor from the miso, garlic, soy sauce, and ginger.

2 lb chuck roast
Salt + pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white miso paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1ยฝ cups beef broth
1 tsp sesame 

Mashed potatoes, for serving

Season the chuck roast well with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pan and sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned.

In a bowl, whisk together the miso paste, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, beef broth, and sesame.

Pour the sauce over the roast, cover, and braise at 300ยฐF for about 3 to 3ยฝ hours until the beef is fall apart tender.

Remove the meat and shred or slice it. Simmer the sauce on the stovetop for 5โ€“10 minutes until thickened and glossy.

Serve over mashed potatoes and spoon all that sauce right on top.
Unlocking summer. Iโ€™m so ready and these @bloomsup Unlocking summer. Iโ€™m so ready and these @bloomsupps Ricket blasts are getting us there. Limited time. Whatโ€™s your fave poolside or beach bev?!

#giftedbyoom
#bloompop
Lemon Butter Shrimp Bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice Lemon Butter Shrimp Bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice ๐Ÿค

This might be one of my favorite easy dinners lately. The buttery garlic shrimp, blistered tomatoes, cilantro lime rice, and salty feta all work so well together

Youโ€™ll need 
1 pound shrimp
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic minced
juice of 1 lemon
2 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
juice of 1 lime
crumbled feta for topping 
salt, and pepper.

Cook the rice and mix with chopped cilantro, lime juice, and a little salt. Add olive oil to a hot skillet and cook the cherry tomatoes until blistered and softened. Push the tomatoes to the side of the skillet, then add butter, garlic, and shrimp. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the shrimp are pink and lightly golden. Squeeze in the lemon juice and mix everything together with the tomatoes. Spoon over the cilantro lime rice and top with feta.

Save this for an easy weeknight dinner and follow @gina_gibson_cooks for more easy family meals and Dinner Diaries ๐Ÿฝ๏ธ
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we reused ingredients across multiple meals to keep grocery waste low ๐Ÿ™Œ

The crispy chicken on the protein mac & cheese might be one of my favorite dinners Iโ€™ve made in a while 

Comment DINNER and Iโ€™ll send you all 3 recipes + the grocery list
The higher protein breakfast everyone in my house The higher protein breakfast everyone in my house loves

Make sure youโ€™re following @gina_gibson_cooks for easy healthier recipes and save this one. I promise youโ€™ll love it. 

Theyโ€™re packed with protein from eggs, sausage, cottage cheese, and cheese.

Ingredients:
1 lb breakfast sausage
4 eggs (scrambled)
1 egg (mixed in)
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt + pepper

Cook the breakfast sausage in a skillet until browned. Push to one side and scramble 4 eggs.

Add sausage + eggs to a bowl with 1 more egg, cottage cheese, shredded cheese, flour, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.

Scoop with a 2 tbsp scoop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake at 375ยฐF for about 18 minutes, or until golden. Makes about 15 biscuits.
A cheesy, hearty, high protein taco skillet taco s A cheesy, hearty, high protein taco skillet taco skillet. Made with simple ingredients you probably already have. It bakes in the oven for an easy, hands-off dinner and comes together in under 40 minutes.

1 lb ground beef
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
1 cup blended cottage cheese
1 (15 oz) jar salsa
1 cup shredded cheddar or taco cheese blend
1 package taco seasoning
*chips, sour cream, avocado for topping and scooping

Preheat oven to 375ยฐF. In an oven-safe skillet, cook ground beef and onion on medium heat until beef is browned.

Stir in taco seasoning. Add salsa, cottage cheese, the rice, then 1/2 cup water. Mix well.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes

Remove from oven, top with cheese. Serve with sour cream, avocado, and plenty of chips for scooping

Save this for your next quick dinner night.
2 lb chuck roast, multiple dinners โ€” mashed potato 2 lb chuck roast, multiple dinners โ€” mashed potatoes the first night sandwiches after that

The sauce is the real star here. Savory, rich, and packed with flavor from the miso, garlic, soy sauce, and ginger.

2 lb chuck roast
Salt + pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white miso paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1ยฝ cups beef broth
1 tsp sesame 

Mashed potatoes, for serving

Season the chuck roast well with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pan and sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned.

In a bowl, whisk together the miso paste, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, beef broth, and sesame.

Pour the sauce over the roast, cover, and braise at 300ยฐF for about 3 to 3ยฝ hours until the beef is fall apart tender.

Remove the meat and shred or slice it. Simmer the sauce on the stovetop for 5โ€“10 minutes until thickened and glossy.

Serve over mashed potatoes and spoon all that sauce right on top.
Unlocking summer. Iโ€™m so ready and these @bloomsup Unlocking summer. Iโ€™m so ready and these @bloomsupps Ricket blasts are getting us there. Limited time. Whatโ€™s your fave poolside or beach bev?!

#giftedbyoom
#bloompop
Lemon Butter Shrimp Bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice Lemon Butter Shrimp Bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice ๐Ÿค

This might be one of my favorite easy dinners lately. The buttery garlic shrimp, blistered tomatoes, cilantro lime rice, and salty feta all work so well together

Youโ€™ll need 
1 pound shrimp
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic minced
juice of 1 lemon
2 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
juice of 1 lime
crumbled feta for topping 
salt, and pepper.

Cook the rice and mix with chopped cilantro, lime juice, and a little salt. Add olive oil to a hot skillet and cook the cherry tomatoes until blistered and softened. Push the tomatoes to the side of the skillet, then add butter, garlic, and shrimp. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the shrimp are pink and lightly golden. Squeeze in the lemon juice and mix everything together with the tomatoes. Spoon over the cilantro lime rice and top with feta.

Save this for an easy weeknight dinner and follow @gina_gibson_cooks for more easy family meals and Dinner Diaries ๐Ÿฝ๏ธ
DINNER DIARIES WEEK 11 Bringing back this series DINNER DIARIES WEEK 11

Bringing back this series to help you with easy dinners. 

This weekโ€™s lineup:โ€จโœจ Cheeseburger Sheet Pan Friesโ€จโœจ Chicken Caesar Smash Burger Tacosโ€จโœจ Crispy Chicken Protein Mac & Cheese

we reused ingredients across multiple meals to keep grocery waste low ๐Ÿ™Œ

The crispy chicken on the protein mac & cheese might be one of my favorite dinners Iโ€™ve made in a while 

Comment DINNER and Iโ€™ll send you all 3 recipes + the grocery list
The higher protein breakfast everyone in my house The higher protein breakfast everyone in my house loves

Make sure youโ€™re following @gina_gibson_cooks for easy healthier recipes and save this one. I promise youโ€™ll love it. 

Theyโ€™re packed with protein from eggs, sausage, cottage cheese, and cheese.

Ingredients:
1 lb breakfast sausage
4 eggs (scrambled)
1 egg (mixed in)
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt + pepper

Cook the breakfast sausage in a skillet until browned. Push to one side and scramble 4 eggs.

Add sausage + eggs to a bowl with 1 more egg, cottage cheese, shredded cheese, flour, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.

Scoop with a 2 tbsp scoop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake at 375ยฐF for about 18 minutes, or until golden. Makes about 15 biscuits.
A cheesy, hearty, high protein taco skillet taco s A cheesy, hearty, high protein taco skillet taco skillet. Made with simple ingredients you probably already have. It bakes in the oven for an easy, hands-off dinner and comes together in under 40 minutes.

1 lb ground beef
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
1 cup blended cottage cheese
1 (15 oz) jar salsa
1 cup shredded cheddar or taco cheese blend
1 package taco seasoning
*chips, sour cream, avocado for topping and scooping

Preheat oven to 375ยฐF. In an oven-safe skillet, cook ground beef and onion on medium heat until beef is browned.

Stir in taco seasoning. Add salsa, cottage cheese, the rice, then 1/2 cup water. Mix well.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes

Remove from oven, top with cheese. Serve with sour cream, avocado, and plenty of chips for scooping

Save this for your next quick dinner night.
2 lb chuck roast, multiple dinners โ€” mashed potato 2 lb chuck roast, multiple dinners โ€” mashed potatoes the first night sandwiches after that

The sauce is the real star here. Savory, rich, and packed with flavor from the miso, garlic, soy sauce, and ginger.

2 lb chuck roast
Salt + pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white miso paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1ยฝ cups beef broth
1 tsp sesame 

Mashed potatoes, for serving

Season the chuck roast well with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pan and sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned.

In a bowl, whisk together the miso paste, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, beef broth, and sesame.

Pour the sauce over the roast, cover, and braise at 300ยฐF for about 3 to 3ยฝ hours until the beef is fall apart tender.

Remove the meat and shred or slice it. Simmer the sauce on the stovetop for 5โ€“10 minutes until thickened and glossy.

Serve over mashed potatoes and spoon all that sauce right on top.
Unlocking summer. Iโ€™m so ready and these @bloomsup Unlocking summer. Iโ€™m so ready and these @bloomsupps Ricket blasts are getting us there. Limited time. Whatโ€™s your fave poolside or beach bev?!

#giftedbyoom
#bloompop
Lemon Butter Shrimp Bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice Lemon Butter Shrimp Bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice ๐Ÿค

This might be one of my favorite easy dinners lately. The buttery garlic shrimp, blistered tomatoes, cilantro lime rice, and salty feta all work so well together

Youโ€™ll need 
1 pound shrimp
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic minced
juice of 1 lemon
2 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
juice of 1 lime
crumbled feta for topping 
salt, and pepper.

Cook the rice and mix with chopped cilantro, lime juice, and a little salt. Add olive oil to a hot skillet and cook the cherry tomatoes until blistered and softened. Push the tomatoes to the side of the skillet, then add butter, garlic, and shrimp. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the shrimp are pink and lightly golden. Squeeze in the lemon juice and mix everything together with the tomatoes. Spoon over the cilantro lime rice and top with feta.

Save this for an easy weeknight dinner and follow @gina_gibson_cooks for more easy family meals and Dinner Diaries ๐Ÿฝ๏ธ
DINNER DIARIES WEEK 11 Bringing back this series DINNER DIARIES WEEK 11

Bringing back this series to help you with easy dinners. 

This weekโ€™s lineup:โ€จโœจ Cheeseburger Sheet Pan Friesโ€จโœจ Chicken Caesar Smash Burger Tacosโ€จโœจ Crispy Chicken Protein Mac & Cheese

we reused ingredients across multiple meals to keep grocery waste low ๐Ÿ™Œ

The crispy chicken on the protein mac & cheese might be one of my favorite dinners Iโ€™ve made in a while 

Comment DINNER and Iโ€™ll send you all 3 recipes + the grocery list

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