20 Pasta Salad Recipes to Make All Summer Long | BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado
Easy classic pasta salads are the trademark of summer BBQs, picnics, pool parties, and potlucks. This list of 20 pasta salads will keep your picnic table full all summer long. In this easy, creamy BLT pasta salad, healthy tomatoes, arugula, and avocado mingle with crispy bacon that's all topped with a super simple-to-make Ranch-style dressing made with mayo and Greek yogurt.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword BLT Pasta Salad
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Total Time 40 minutesminutes
Servings 12
Calories 404kcal
Ingredients
Pasta Salad:
1poundshort pasta noodles, (such as shells, farfalle, cavatappi)
1poundbacon
1pintcherry tomatoes, sliced in half
2cupsarugula leaves
1avocado, chopped
¼cupthinly sliced red onion
Dressing:
½cupplain Greek yogurt, (low-fat or full-fat)
½cupmayonnaise
2tablespoonswhite vinegar
1tablespoonfresh minced chives
1tablespoonfresh minced flat leaf parsley
1teaspoongarlic powder
1teaspoonkosher salt
1teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions just until al denté and still a bit firm. Rinse under cool water and drain well. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
While the pasta is cooking, chop the bacon into ½" pieces and cook in a large skillet over medium heat until desired crispness. Transfer the cooked bacon to a plate topped with a paper towel to drain well.
Add the bacon, tomato, arugula, avocado and red onion to the pasta.
In a small bowl, mix the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, chives, garlic powder, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Thin with milk, water or buttermilk if desired.
Drizzle the dressing over the pasta and gently toss. Taste for seasoning. Serve chilled.
Notes
Note: If you're out of ingredients or out of time to make the easy homemade dressing, feel free to use a quality bottled Ranch dressing instead.