BLT Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe (Gluten Free, Vegan/Vegetarian Options)

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It’s almost Memorial Day and that means the kick-off or BBQ season!  We love having friends (and sometimes family if we’re lucky to have them in town) over to kick back, relax, and enjoy the great outdoors. And this BLT ranch pasta salad is the perfect summer side dish to take your BBQ to the next level. This creamy dish is SO simple to make and is great to make ahead for your next party.

• Rotini Pasta: I used  this rotini for a fun twist, but you can use any pasta of your choice. And if you’re gluten free or cooking for someone who may be, this great GF rotini can be found here.
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Fresh Spinach
• Crumbled Bacon or Bacon Bits: An essential element of the BLT, bacon adds a great salty flavor to this pasta salad and a nice crunch. You can use cooked bacon that you’ve crumbled, or these great bacon bits which are vegan and vegetarian, so anyone who is eating plant based can enjoy this pasta salad too.
• Ranch Dressing – I love this gluten free and vegan ranch dressing, which gives this salad an amazing flavor and creaminess!  I prefer to use a dairy free ranch dressing if my pasta salads will be sitting outside or on the counter for a while… you don’t want to leave dairy at room temperature for long.
• Plant Based Mayonnaise: like ranch dressing, I prefer to use a plant-based mayo for the dressing, especially if the pasta salad will be sitting outside for a while. This plant based mayo has such a great flavor, it’s hard to tell it from real mayonnaise!  I honestly can’t tell the difference.  The mayo gives this dish a little extra creaminess and classic flavor in the dressing.  Or you can make my 5-minute plant-based mayo recipe here!
• Apple Cider Vinegar, which gives this dressing a little extra tang which is really fantastic! I love using this organic apple cider vinegar with the mother which has a great flavor.  I think it gives a nice extra sweetness and depth.
• Italian Seasoning Blend: usually has thyme, basil, rosemary, parsley, etc. I love this bright and flavorful Italian season mix which brings this amazing dish to life.
• Tellicherry Peppercorns: Like the salt, it’s amazing the flavor difference you can get with really good tellicherry black pepper.  Amazon has a generic brand tellicherry peppercorn which is the same price is buying pre-ground, and has a million times more flavor… so I use these really great tellicherry peppercorns, which I would definitely recommend. 

A Great Make-Ahead BLT Pasta Salad for Entertaining

This fresh BLT pasta salad recipe is fantastic to make ahead of time for a party, potluck, or gathering. Making this recipe in advance allows you to skip any cooking or prep on the day-of. This is a great recipe to entertain with, or bring to an event… and the dressing tastes even better after being refrigerated overnight. A true crowd-pleaser that everyone is sure to love!

How Do I Make This Creamy BLT Pasta Salad Recipe?

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain in a colander and rinse pasta under cold water to cool noodles.
2. Add pasta to a large bowl. Toss in tomatoes, spinach, and bacon crumbles.
3. In a separate bowl add the ranch dressing, mayo, apple cider vinegar, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Whisk well to combine, then pour dressing over the pasta salad.  Toss until noodles are well coated in dressing and chill before serving.