This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This BLT Pasta Salad is a delicious twist on the classic BLT sandwich! Crispy bacon, arugula, tomato, corn, avocado, and bowtie pasta are combined with a rich and creamy mayo-based dressing for the ultimate cold pasta side dish or main meal. Perfect for summer cookouts and barbecues!
This BLT Pasta Salad turns a classic sandwich into a mouth-watering summertime pasta salad perfect for lunch, dinner, potlucks, or summer BBQs! Made in 35 minutes, it combines tender bowtie pasta in a sweet and tangy mayo dressing and packs crispy chopped bacon, juicy tomatoes, corn, fresh arugula, and creamy avocado.
It’s the perfect pasta salad for potlucks and large family gatherings and can be enjoyed as a side dish or as a hearty main meal.
What is a BLT?
“BLT” stands for bacon, lettuce, and tomato. It’s a familiar abbreviation for the classic BLT sandwich, which grew in popularity in the United States after World War 2. Although the sandwich was first recorded in the late 1920s in British cookbooks, today, “BLT” appears to be used as a prefix for all kinds of BLT-inspired dishes, including this delicious BLT pasta salad!
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Bowtie pasta: This recipe uses bowtie pasta, but you could vary it by using another short-cut pasta, such as small shells, rotini, or elbow macaroni.
- Sour cream: Adds to the creamy texture and tangy flavor of the sauce to toss the pasta in. Greek yogurt could be used instead as a healthier alternative.
- Mayonnaise: Use store-bought or homemade mayonnaise.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice offers the best flavor, but you could use bottled lemon juice in a pinch.
- Dijon mustard: Adds a delicious spicy bite to the creamy dressing.
- Salt and black pepper: To taste.
- Bacon: Regular or thick-cut bacon that is cooked and chopped. You could also use lean turkey bacon to reduce the fat content in this pasta salad.
- Arugula: Wash and dry thoroughly. This adds a lovely peppery flavor to the pasta salad and a healthy dose of leafy greens. You could use chopped Romaine lettuce or fresh spinach instead.
- Tomato: I’ve used a slicer tomato, seeds removed and chopped. Halved grape and cherry tomatoes can also be used.
- Corn: You could use drained canned corn or corn from cooked corn on the cob.
- Avocado: Cut into ½-inch cubes.
How to Make BLT Pasta Salad
1. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Prepare the creamy dressing: Whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, salt, black pepper, lemon juice, and mustard in a large bowl.
3. Assemble the pasta salad: Toss the chopped bacon, arugula, tomato, and corn into the mayo dressing. Then, gently fold in the pasta and cubed avocado.
4. Garnish and serve: If desired, garnish the salad with freshly chopped parsley and additional bacon. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Due to the mayonnaise in the creamy dressing, it is not safe to let this pasta salad sit at room temperature for more than an hour.
- This BLT pasta salad can be made 24 hours in advance. To preserve the texture and flavor, wait to add the cubed avocado, tomato, corn, and fresh arugula just before serving.
- Stored pasta salad will naturally absorb the dressing or sauce. If you feel that your leftover BLT pasta salad has dried out a bit, mix more creamy dressing into the BLT pasta salad before serving again.
- Use a salad spinner to remove excess water from the rinsed arugula or pat it dry with a clean paper towel. Excess moisture will make the pasta salad soggy.
- You can serve this BLT pasta salad immediately after assembling it or allow it to chill in the fridge for 15-30 minutes for the flavors to meld.
- Toss the cubed avocado in some lemon juice to prevent it from turning brown too quickly.
Serving Ideas
This BLT pasta salad can be enjoyed as a side dish with grilled chicken skewers, veggie skewers, air fryer chicken wings, pulled pork sandwiches, or turkey burgers. Leftover whole chicken or rotisserie chicken from earlier in the week can be chopped up and added to the BLT pasta salad for added protein.
Storage
Store this BLT pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. If the pasta has absorbed a lot of the dressing, refresh with additional creamy dressings like Ranch dressing, a little bit of sour cream, or mayo. Freezing is not recommended as the fresh ingredients won’t hold up well from the freezing and thawing process.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
- Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
- Macaroni Salad
- Easy Pesto Pasta Salad
- Mediterranean Orzo Salad
- Asian Pasta Salad
- Italian Pasta Salad
If you make this Easy BLT Pasta Salad Recipe, please leave me a comment below! I always love to read your thoughts and feedback!
BLT Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bowtie pasta
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped
- 2 cups arugula, washed and dried thoroughly
- 1 slicer tomato, seeded and diced
- ½ cup corn
- 1 large avocado, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add the pasta and cook 2 minutes less than the package instructions, until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper to a large bowl and whisk well to combine.
- Add the bacon, arugula, tomato, and corn to the bowl and mix well, then fold in the avocado and cooled pasta.
- Serve with additional chopped bacon and garnish with freshly chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
