Name: BLT Pasta Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 oz. bacon ($3.06); 3/4 cup mayonnaise ($0.92); 1/4 cup ranch dressing ($0.30); 2 Tbsp lemon juice ($0.12); 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02); 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02); 12 oz. bowtie pasta ($1.18); 1 pint grape tomatoes ($3.28); 1/4 red onion ($0.11); 2 cups fresh spinach (packed, $0.46)

BLT Pasta Salad

This BLT pasta salad recipe is the perfect summer meal! It's easy to make, full of flavor, and perfect for a potluck or picnic.

35 min total 10 min prep 25 min cook 8 466 cal

Instructions

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1 Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until brown and crispy. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool. Once cooled, chop or crumble the bacon into smaller pieces.
2 While the bacon is cooking, prepare the dressing. Stir together the mayonnaise, ranch dressing, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Set the dressing aside.
3 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until tender (7-8 minutes). Drain the pasta in a colander, rinse it briefly with cool water to cool it down, then let it drain very well.
4 While the pasta is cooking and draining, prepare the vegetables. Slice the grape tomatoes in half, finely dice the red onion, and roughly chop the spinach.
5 Once the pasta is cooled and drained, add it to a large bowl along with the spinach, tomatoes, onions, and dressing. Stir everything together until evenly combined and coated in dressing. Let the pasta sit for 10-15 minutes for the flavors to blend, then stir once more and serve.