BLT Pasta Salad

Avg. rating 4 from 7 votes.

Recipe Information

Recipe Created By: Kathy Przywara

Ingredients

1/2 lb penne pasta, wheat or gluten-free

1/2 lb bacon, diced

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1 small bunch basil

1 small bunch flat leaf parsley

1 clove garlic, pressed

to taste salt and pepper

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 head romaine lettuce, shredded

2 cups seasoned croutons, wheat or gluten-free

Directions

Prepare pasta according to directions. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.

In a wide frying pan, cook bacon until crispy. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Make dressing. Remove leaves from basil. Stack them and roll them into a tight tube. With a very sharp knife, thinly slice the tube. You will be left with long shreds. Do the same with the parsley - finely shred it. In a large bowl, combine vinegar, pressed garlic, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Slowly pour in the olive oil while continually whisking. Add herbs and stir to combine. Add cooled pasta and cherry tomatoes and toss to coat. If not serving immediately, refrigerate. Bring back to room temp before assembling salad.

To assemble salad in a wide bowl, put down a bed of shredded Romaine. Add crispy bacon pieces to pasta and toss to combine. Arrange pasta on top of lettuce bed. Top with croutons. Garnish with additional parsley and/or basil if desired.

Notes

This is a great salad to take to a pot luck. I just take a large serving bowl along. I have the lettuce, croutons and bacon in ziplock bags and the pasta in a sealed bowl. Just assemble it when you get there and it looks fabulous and doesn't get soggy and tossed around on the way!

This also makes a great light summer lunch!

I make my Croutons seasoned with olive oil, fresh pressed garlic, dried parsley flakes, and some salt and pepper. Sometimes I use a garlic bread seasoning and olive oil.

Copyright © 2005 Kathy Przywara. All rights reserved. The copyright of this recipe is retained by the original recipe creator. If you would like to publish this recipe elsewhere in print or online, please contact us to find out how to obtain permission.

Substitutions

Use gluten-free pasta and croutons if needed. Gluten-free pasta often changes texture when it is chilled, so this is best made and served immediately if using gluten-free pasta. Don't use all corn pasta.

Gluten: Gluten is a protein found in specific grains (wheat, spelt, kamut, barley, rye). Other grains are naturally gluten-free but may have cross-contact with gluten-containing grains. Look for certified gluten-free products if you need to avoid gluten. Find out more about wheat and gluten substitutions.

Courses Side Dishes

Read it online: https://kidswithfoodallergies.org/recipes/blt-pasta-salad/