Bacon, lettuce, and tomato are a few of the delicious ingredients in this easy BLT pasta salad. It’s almost no-cook and comes together in minutes. You get all of the creamy, tomato, crunchy bacon flavors as the BLT sandwich, but in pasta salad form. Make this delicious side dish for summer BBQs, potlucks, or picnics!
What’s In BLT Pasta Salad?
If you’ve never experienced the deliciousness of the classic BLT sandwich, let’s break it down! BLT stand for “bacon lettuce and tomato.” The summer sandwich features toasted bread surrounding crispy bacon, fresh lettuce and juicy tomatoes all slathered with creamy mayo.
This BLT pasta salad recipe has everything in a classic BLT! And everything you want in a summer pasta salad side dish. It features the best summer produce, it’s quick to bring together, and it has every texture: juicy tomatoes, crisp lettuce, and crunchy bacon.
The only changes from sandwich to pasta salad are crunchy red onion to round out the flavor and a few fresh herbs and lemon juice in the dressing to brighten it up. I promise everyone at the potluck will be asking you for this recipe!
Need another pasta salad? Try Mexican street corn pasta salad, chicken caesar pasta salad, or roasted vegetable pasta salad next.
How to Make BLT Pasta Salad
Here are the quick steps with photos to make this BLT pasta salad! Skip to the recipe card for the exact instructions and measurements.
- Cook bacon: Bake the bacon at 425 for about 20 minutes, until it’s nice and crispy. You could also make it in the air fryer.
- Make dressing: mix all of the dressing ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Mix the pasta salad: Chop the rest of the ingredients and mix with al dente pasta and the chopped bacon. Toss with the dressing.
- Serve: garnish with more bacon bits, fresh chives, and dill.
What Kind of Pasta To Use
The best pasta for pasta salad is a short and twisty one with lots of nooks and crannies to catch all the creamy dressing. Rotini and fusilli are classic pastas for pasta salad. But you can also use small shells, farfalle (bowtie), or gemelli.
Quality chickpea gemelli held up well when I tested it! I love to use chickpea pasta because it’s high in fiber and naturally gluten free.
I also love the extra twisty fuilli corti bucati I used in this Mexican street corn pasta salad.
Storing Leftovers
This BLT pasta salad is best served the same day, and even benefits from chilling in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. You can make this the same day and have it ready in the fridge for when guests comes.
You can store leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pasta starts to absorb the moisture of the dressing and will eventually dry out some. By day three, make extra dressing and serve it with the pasta salad for best results.
Feels like Breakfast on the Beach!
- Thick and delicious with tons of coconut flavor
- Takes 5 minutes to make
- Easy to customize with your favorite toppings
- Full of healthy fats
- Add protein powder for a complete breakfast
- Sweet tropical flavors
Love refreshing smoothies? Try this pitaya smoothie bowl, blueberry raspberry smoothie, or tropical kale smoothie next!
Why You’ll Love This Smoothie Bowl
- Thick enough to scoop with a spoon. Not a drink.
- 5 minutes from freezer to bowl.
- One blender, no extra dishes.
- Add 25g of protein with a scoop of vanilla protein powder. Full breakfast, full morning.
- Naturally Gluten-Free, Paleo, Dairy-Free, and Vegan. No swaps needed.
- Pre-portion the fruit ahead so weekday mornings are zero decisions.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Frozen banana. One whole. Banana is the texture anchor; don’t skip.
- Frozen pineapple. ¾ cup. Pre-cut from the freezer aisle works.
- Frozen mango. ½ cup. Same rule.
- Full-fat coconut milk. ⅓ cup, from the can. Shake the can well before measuring or you’ll pour off only the watery part.
- Coconut extract. Optional, ¼ teaspoon. Boosts the coconut flavor without making it taste like sunscreen. A little goes a long way.
- Vanilla protein powder. Optional, one 25g scoop. I use Be Well by Kelly because the ingredient list is short. If you add protein powder, add an extra splash of coconut milk to keep it blendable.
- Toppings. Whatever’s in the kitchen: shredded coconut, chia seeds, fresh fruit, granola, nut butter.
How to Make a Coconut Smoothie Bowl
- Add the Frozen Fruit First. Dump all the frozen into a high-speed blender. Don’t add the liquid yet. Start dry.
- Add the Liquid Slowly. Add the coconut milk, coconut extract, and protein powder if using. Blend on low first, then high. Stop and stir or tamp down as needed. If the blender stalls, add coconut milk one tablespoon at a time until it moves. Don’t drown it.
- Pour and Top. Pile the toppings on, hit it with a drizzle of nut butter or honey if you want, and serve immediately. Smoothie bowls melt fast.
Coconut Smoothie Bowl Toppings
The toppings are where you make it yours. A few that work:
- Chia seeds: crunch and fiber. Half a tablespoon goes a long way.
- Granola: crunch. Use one with chunky clusters.
- Shredded coconut or coconut flakes: doubles down on the coconut.
- Nut butter: coconut almond butter, macadamia butter, or cashew butter for a tropical feel. Warm it slightly so it drizzles.
- Extra fruit: kiwi, banana slices, mango, fresh pineapple. Sparingly, because there’s already a lot of fruit in the bowl.
- Bee pollen, hemp hearts, or cacao nibs if you want to lean health-y.
Prefer a more decadent smoothie? Try our cake batter protein shake, chocolate peanut butter protein smoothie, or chocolate and cherry smoothie.
FAQS
Too much liquid. Add more frozen fruit a handful at a time and blend until it thickens. Or remember the rule for next time: 2 parts frozen fruit to 1 part liquid, max.
Not enough liquid, fruit not chopped small enough, or the blender isn’t powerful enough. Stop, scrape the sides, tamp the fruit toward the blades, and pulse instead of running on high.
Yes. The recipe works as-is without protein powder. If you do add protein, add an extra splash of coconut milk so it blends.
Yes. With coconut milk and a plant-based protein powder, it’s naturally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo, and Vegan.
Yes. Pre-portion the frozen fruit into individual zip-top bags. In the morning, dump one bag in the blender, add coconut milk and protein powder, and blend.
Store the smoothie base (without toppings) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. After that, it separates and loses creaminess. Give it a stir or a quick re-blend before serving.
Coconut Smoothie Bowl
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Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- 3/4 cup frozen pineapple
- 1/2 cup frozen mango
- 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk shaken
- 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract optional
- 1 scoop (25g) vanilla protein powder optional
- Toppings: mango, banana, granola, chia seeds, cherries, nut butter, or coconut
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a highs-speed blender. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until a smooth and thick consistency. If you don't have a high powered blender it may take a little longer or you may need to add another splash of coconut milk.1 frozen banana, 3/4 cup frozen pineapple, 1/2 cup frozen mango, 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk, 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract, 1 scoop (25g) vanilla protein powder
- Pour into a bowl and top with your favorite toppingsToppings: mango, banana, granola, chia seeds, cherries, nut butter, or coconut
Notes
- Use frozen fruit as the base.
- Start with less liquid and add more as needed to get the desired texture.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tips for Thick Smoothie Bowls
- Use frozen fruit as the base.
- Start with less liquid and add more as needed.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results.
Prep and Storage Tips
Prep ahead: Pre-portion the frozen fruit into individual zip-top bags so weekday mornings are just dump-and-blend.
Storage: Store the smoothie base in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. It separates after that.
Freezing: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight, give it a stir, and pour into the bowl.
More Smoothie Recipes
BLT Pasta Salad Recipe
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Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 10 slices bacon
- 1 lb short cut pasta such as rotini, fusilli, or bowtie I used chickpea gemelli
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 3 cups shredded romaine lettuce or baby spinach
- 1 medium red onion finely chopped
Dressing
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 Tablespoons buttermilk or regular milk
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)
- 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped dill
- 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped chives
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Place a wire rack on top (optional) and lay the bacon flat. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool. Chop cooked bacon into bite-sized pieces.
- While it's cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta.
- While the pasta and bacon are cooking, halve the cherry tomatoes, chop the lettuce and finely chop the red onion. Mix the dressing ingredients together in a medium bowl.
- Add the pasta, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and red onion to a serving bowl. I like to reserve some of each to garnish at the end. Drizzle 3/4 of the dressing on top and toss to coat. Before serving, garnish with any remaining bacon, lettuce, and tomato. Drizzle with the remaining dressing, top with fresh dill and chives, serve and enjoy!
Equipment
- Sheet Pan for cooking bacon
- Large Mixing Bowl
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Family favorite! We’ve made this BLT pasta salad 3–4 times now and it’s always a hit. It’s the perfect side dish for grilling nights and also great to bring to potlucks. Everyone loves it and it never lasts long. Highly recommend!
Thank you so much Brittany!!