Green chilies and avocados give this easy Ranch BLT Pasta Salad a spicy twist that everyone will love.  This pasta salad recipe is an easy side dish to share at summer picnics or barbecues.

Pasta salad is my go to during the hot summer months.  If we get invited to picnics or dinners it is safe to say I will be bringing some type of easy pasta salad.  

Then there are those times that I make a pasta salad or this Italian Veggie Salad when I do not know what else to make for dinner.  It’s safe to say veggies and pasta are always my go to.

It’s ok though, because pasta goes with just about any meal, right? 

A few weeks ago we made this Southwest Avocado Ranch Pasta Salad, and we still had extra bottle of dressing in our refrigerator.  We always keep an extra bottle of Ranch dressing because our kids love it on salads, veggies, and pizza crust.

One of my favorite summer salads is a BLT pasta salad. When I was growing up my parents used to buy a box mix that we would eat with hamburgers and hot dogs all summer long.

I decided to recreate that ranch pasta salad from scratch since we had most of the ingredients on hand. All I had to do was thaw out the package of bacon from the freezer before I could get started.

Did you know that I am not a huge bacon fan?  Yes, I know you all probably just gasped out loud.  Don’t shoot me!

What I have found is that I do actually like bacon on things like BLT sandwiches. Well, as long as the bacon is crispy.  

I also really like it in cheesy pasta dishes like this Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Bake. The key must be ranch and tomatoes because so far everything I like with bacon has those two ingredients.

How to make a Ranch BLT Pasta Salad:

1. Cook and drain pasta according to the package directions. (full recipe at bottom of post)
2. Cook bacon and place on paper towels to drain.
3. Chop tomatoes, spinach, and avocados. Open and drain the green chilis.
4. Add the pasta, veggies, crumbled bacon, and ranch dressing in a large bowl.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

PRO TIP: This can be eaten right away, but if you have time to refrigerate it for an hour or more the flavors come together even more.

Other summer salads you may enjoy:

• Mom’s Potato Salad
• Veggie Pasta Salad
• Grape Pecan Chicken Salad
• Strawberry Orange Spinach Salad
• Everything Tuna Salad

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Yield: 8 cups salad

Ranch BLT Pasta Salad

Print

Green chilies and avocados give this easy Ranch BLT Pasta Salad a spicy twist that everyone will love.  This pasta salad recipe is an easy side dish to share at summer picnics or barbecues.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounce box shell pasta
• 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon
• 1 cup finely diced baby spinach leaves
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced chilies
• 1/4 cup ranch dressing
• 1 avocado, diced
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the box directions. Drain and cool.
2. Mix together the pasta, tomatoes, bacon, spinach, chilies, and ranch dressing in a large bowl.
3. Gently stir in the avocado chunks.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 77Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 104mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 3g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.

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*The post for Ranch BLT Pasta Salad was first published July 22, 2015. The post and pictures were updated and republished August 1, 2020.