BLT Pasta Salad Recipe

This easy to make BLT pasta salad recipe has a couple healthy twists and is packed with flavor! It’s the perfect side dish for any summer BBQ, potluck, or picnic.

Course Pasta, Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword BLT Pasta Salad, BLT Pasta Salad Recipe, Easy BLT Pasta Salad, Healthy BLT Pasta Salad

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 422kcal

Author Faith Gorsky

Ingredients

Salad:

32 ounces canned no-salt-added white beans such as Navy beans or Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
8 ounces bowtie pasta or any small pasta shape you like
8 ounces cherry tomatoes rinsed (leave them whole or cut them in half)
1 small white onion quartered and thinly sliced
4 ounces beef bacon cooked until crispy and crumbled (or any kind of bacon you like)
8 ounces baby spinach leaves

Dressing:

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 large clove garlic crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Rinse, drain, and let it cool to room temperature.
Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing in a large bowl.
Toss the beans, pasta, tomatoes, and onion in the dressing. Serve or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Right before serving, toss in the bacon and spinach; serve cold.

Notes

To Use Dried Beans Instead of Canned Beans: Instead of using canned white beans, you can use 8 ounces (230g) dried white beans (such as Navy beans). To cook them, add the beans to a large bowl and fill the bowl about 3/4 full of cold water. Soak the beans overnight and then drain. Add the beans to a medium-large pot and fill the pot 2/3 full of water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down slightly, cover the pot, and simmer until the beans are cooked through (taste a few to make sure they’re soft). Stir them occasionally and be sure to add more water if needed (the beans should always be covered by a few inches of water). Once they’re cooked, drain and cool the beans.
Storage: Once you mix together the salad components (except for the bacon and spinach), you can refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Right before serving, toss in the bacon and spinach.

Nutrition