Description
A creamy, flavorful BLT Pasta Salad combining crunchy bacon, fresh vegetables, and tender rotini pasta tossed in a zesty ranch dressing. Perfect as a refreshing side dish or light main course, this salad balances rich cheddar and avocado with crisp romaine and juicy tomatoes, all coated in a homemade ranch-style dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Salad
- 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 (cubed, measured after cutting)
- 2 cups romaine lettuce (cut or torn into bite size pieces, measured after cutting)
- 1 avocado (cut into small pieces)
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes (halved, measured after cutting)
- ¼ cup parsley (chopped)
Dressing
- 1 1-ounce packet Hidden Valley Dressing Mix (dry)
- 1½ cups mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Whisk the ingredients thoroughly until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the rotini pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta, rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop cooking and cool it, then drain again. Transfer the cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: Add the cooked and chopped bacon, finely diced red onion, cubed cheddar cheese, avocado pieces, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped parsley, and bite-sized romaine lettuce to the bowl with pasta.
- Toss the Salad: Pour the chilled ranch dressing over the combined ingredients. Using tongs or salad spoons, gently toss everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated with dressing.
- Serve: Serve the salad immediately for the freshest taste and crunch, or refrigerate briefly before serving if preferred chilled.
Notes
- For best texture, cook the pasta just until al dente and rinse well with cold water to prevent clumping.
- Bacon can be pan-fried or baked until crispy, then drained on paper towels before chopping.
- If preparing ahead, keep the dressing separate until ready to toss to avoid soggy lettuce.
- This salad is best served fresh but can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
