Bacon is super trendy. I’m not sure it will ever be “out of style,” because let’s face it, bacon is delicious. While I may not be sporting bacon band aids or t-shirts, I will gladly add it to my meals and crumble it over salads. My husband loves BLT sandwiches (and I do, too!) but with all the heavy bread and hot bacon, it can be a chore to eat in the hot Georgia summer. There’s a cooler way to eat your bacon!
My BLT Pasta salad is chilled, fresh and has plenty of crunch to satisfy a hearty bacon lover! I’ve made this for many family get together and there are hardly any leftovers (which I promptly eat when I get home…). I even snack on it when I’m making it; it’s that good! You can easily make elements of this ahead of time and toss it together when you’re ready to serve. It’s a snap to make, quick to serve and easy to eat! Happy summering!
BLT Pasta Salad (serves 7-8)
INGREDIENTS
- 14 oz. bag of pasta (macaroni, rotini, etc)
- 5 large tomatoes, medium chopped and partially drained
- 1 small green pepper, finely diced (this is an accent, not a must-have element)
- 1 lb. bacon crumbled (I’ve used pre-cooked and it works great!)
- ¾ cup light mayo
- 1 t. salt, 1 t. black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook pasta in gently boiling water for approximately 6 minutes or as directed, until tender but firm. Drain well and rinse with cool water.
- Chop veggies and cook bacon as directed.
- Combine pasta and all other ingredients in a very large serving bowl.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated.
Remember, you can make elements of this pasta salad a day ahead of time – just keep the veggies chopped and stored separate from the mayo and add a few drops of olive oil to the noodles. Add your bacon right before serving to keep it super crunchy.
what about the lettuce?
The “L” actually comes from the green bell pepper in this pasta salad. Though you could add some taco-style shreds if it suited you!