Description
A refreshing and delicious BLT Pasta Salad combining crispy bacon, fresh vegetables, creamy avocado, and cheddar cheese, all tossed in a tangy Hidden Valley Ranch dressing. Perfect for potlucks, picnics, or a light meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta Salad Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce box Rotini Pasta cooked, drained, and rinsed with cold water
- 13 slices bacon cooked and chopped
- ½ large red onion finely diced
- 1½ cups cheddar cheese cut into cubes
- 2 cups romaine lettuce cut or torn into bite size pieces
- 1 avocado cut into small pieces
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes cut in half
- ¼ cup parsley chopped
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 1-ounce packet Hidden Valley Dressing Mix dry
- 1½ cups mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Prepare Dressing: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Whisk together until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Cook Pasta: Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking and cool the pasta. Drain again thoroughly and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: Add the cooked and chopped bacon, finely diced red onion, cheddar cheese cubes, diced avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped parsley, and bite-sized romaine lettuce to the bowl with the pasta.
- Toss Salad: Pour the chilled dressing over the salad ingredients. Using tongs, gently toss everything together until the salad is evenly coated with dressing.
- Serve: Serve the BLT pasta salad immediately for best freshness and texture.
Notes
- The romaine lettuce does not hold up well in the salad, so it’s best to add it along with the dressing right before serving.
- Leftovers can be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but the salad is best fresh.
- This recipe yields a large bowl of salad; halve the ingredients if serving a smaller group.
- You can shred the cheddar cheese instead of cubing it if preferred.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
