BLT Pasta Salad Recipe

I brought this to a potluck and everyone loved it. I think it tastes best with the packaged ranch dressing mix, adding buttermilk and mayo to it, rather than bottled ranch. Also, next time I think I'd add sharp cheddar cheese to it. Yum!

I like this recipe. More importantly, my husband LOVES this recipe. It is terribly simple to make, which is a plus. However, I have made a few changes as I have made this recipe again. I thought the pasta soaked up too much of the dressing as it sat and it kindof lost it's ranch flavor. I add more ranch as it sits until it is the consistency I like. Also, I started using Bacon Ranch to up the ranch flavor. Also, I use green onions instead of regular onions, and add about 2 cups of peas.

Very yummy recipe. I now get requests for it...made a couple adjustments though...use mayonnaise and ranch dressing and add more than recipe calls for since it gets absorbed by the pasta. Also- use farfelle pasta and also add peas.

I think that when I rate this as 5 stars, I'm rating the concept more than the actual recipe. Conceptually, this is awesome! Here are the changes I made to end up with my final product. 1. Instead of 1.5 cups of ranch-style dressing, I used two cups. 2. I used a bundle of green onions instead of a small onion. I combined cooled, cooked pasta, chopped tomatoes with seeds removed, chopped green onions and 1.5 cups of the ranch dressing the night before. And about an two hours before the party, I fried up already chopped bacon, let it cool and combined it with the pasta along with 0.5 cups of ranch dressing. Everyone loved it!!!

I was going to make 1/2 recipe but after cooking 1/2 the pasta and bacon I decided to go for the whole thing. I read many suggestions and substituted 3 green onions, bought grape tomatoes, some finely grated sharp cheddar cheese, and a package of baby spinach. Also added 1/2 c. mayo. Refrigerated it overnight. Added spinach to mixture and topped with bacon right before serving. Didn't need any extra Ranch dressing. This salad is big! It filled a 4 qt. glass bowl. It was all gone except for a portion that my husband can eat for two separate lunches, and he doesn't eat a big lunch. By far the hardest thing to do was to cook the lb. of bacon until it was really crispy and to cut that bacon up into small pieces. I seldom have a use for salads such as this, but if I did, I would certainly make it again.

This was soooo soooo good. I made this for a work party. I did change some stuff after reading reviews, and everyone loved it and came back for more. I used green onion instead. I feel like this recipe didn't have enough dressing. I used two cups of Marzetti ranch, and 1/2 cup of Duke's Mayo, added some pepper and Garlic Powder to taste. When taking it out of the fridge in the AM, it was kind of dry looking so I added a little more ranch and stirred it in. It was fantastic!

BEST PASTA SALAD I HAVE MADE SO FAR! Thank you people for the helpful comments, I read through them and followed suggestions. Here's what I did: cooked 13oz shell pasta, 1 pkg bacon, and 1/2 pkg frozen peas. Afterward I cut up 2 tomatoes and let them warm in the bacon grease, and added salt/pepper. Cooled pasta, and added 1/2 c milk to it. Added bacon ranch dressing mixed with some mayo, 3 chopped green onions, the peas, the tomatoes, the bacon, about 1.5c shredded cheddar, fresh chopped spinach (I chopped maybe 30 leaves, some more wouldn't have hurt), and a little bit of shredded chicken that I had leftover. In the words of the miz AWEEESOMEEEE *update 6/14/12 I made a "lite" version of this with shell pasta, turkey bacon, light cheese, lite ranch/mayo, tomato, spinach, peas. Couldn't taste the difference at all it was delish :D

Made it for a Fourth of July barbecue and it was a hit! Used ranch dressing packet mixed with mayo and buttermilk. Halved cherry tomatoes. Used green onion and added diced sharp white cheddar cheese. Made it night before. Before serving I added more dressing and the crumbled bacon. Yummy!!

I suggest making this salad the night before for best flavor. The other modification I like to make is I use Hidden Vally Ranch Bacon Ranch dressing (hard to find). It will give you a more bacon taste. I think thick cut Peppered Bacon taste awesome on this salad & I add about 3/4lb to the top of the salad (it will not get soggy/soft). Fresh green onions & fresh chives give this salad a great fresh from the garden taste too! My sister has even added a cup of finely chopped celery to this salad to give it a extra crunch, yummy! I like to cut up about 2-3 large tomatoes to mix into the salad and then I will add a few to the top for a fresh look. For a baby shower I served this salad on a large romaine leaf & all the girls thought I worked so hard. It looked great & tasted awesome.

made this today using hidden valley dry ranch mix, grape tomatoes, bacon,mayo and sour cream, fridge for a few hours before serving - there wasn't any leftovers. very good. and very easy!

I thought it was a little bland but the hubby and party folks ate it up quick. Throw all the cherry tomatoes between 2 plates and cut between the plates to cut them all at once. I made the ranch dressing using the powder, mayo and milk as others did. Also, used green onion instead of onion as I am not a fan, so perhaps that was why it was bland. Mini bowties are adorable for this pasta salad!

Substituted green onions for the red onions. Needed a boost of flavor so I sprinkled Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning to taste. Definitely making this again, great on a hot night. Looks to be a good potluck dish, adding the romaine just before serving.

Super easy to make and delicious! The only thing I would change is baking the bacon rather than pan frying, because less messy and time consuming. Add a little more ranch dressing if you like it more creamy.

Bland as all get out.

Didnt change a thing!! And as party goers left asked me to send them the recipe!!

Love it

I loved it! I followed the recipe except I used scallions instead of red onion and 1 carrot shaved for color. I didn't use the whole box of pasta either. I made homemade ranch dressing that turned out perfect. Next time I may add a little more lettuce and for sure more bacon😂

Even my dog looked jealous.

It really is true; everything tastes better with bacon! An excellent dish!

Delicious. I added sour cream and mayo.