Creamy BLT Pasta Salad

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Nothing screams summer quite like this pasta salad recipe. We took the popular potluck favorite, creamy pasta salad, and tossed in bacon, lettuce, and tomato to liven it up even more for the season.

Creamy BLT Pasta Salad
Photo: Blaine Moats
Total Time:
25 mins
Servings:
6
Yield:
12 cups

Ingredients

  • 4 cup dried gemelli or cavatappi pasta

  • 12 ounce sliced bacon

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • ¾ cup sour cream

  • ½ cup mayonnaise

  • cup chopped fresh chives or green onions

  • 2 tablespoon cider vinegar

  • 2 tablespoon milk

  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

  • 3 cup chopped heart of romaine lettuce

  • 1 ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 oz.)

Directions

  1. Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain and cool.

  2. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tsp. drippings in skillet. Coarsely chop bacon. Add garlic to reserved drippings. Cook and stir 1 minute or until golden and fragrant.

  3. For dressing, in an extra-large bowl combine sour cream, mayonnaise, chives, vinegar, milk, pepper, and garlic.

  4. Add pasta, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese to dressing; toss to coat. If needed, stir in additional milk to reach desired creaminess. If desired, sprinkle with additional chives.

To Make Ahead

Transfer dressing to a small airtight container. In a large airtight container combine pasta, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. Store in refrigerator up to 24 hours. To serve, combine salad ingredients and dressing as directed.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

558 Calories
32g Fat
48g Carbs
19g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 558
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 32g 41%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Cholesterol 57mg 19%
Sodium 525mg 23%
Total Carbohydrate 48g 17%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 19g 38%
Vitamin C 9.2mg 10%
Calcium 196mg 15%
Iron 2.5mg 14%
Potassium 442mg 9%
Folate, total 183.6mcg
Vitamin B-12 0.5mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.3mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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