Over-The-Top BLT Pasta Salad Recipe

The BLT is hands-down the quintessential summer sandwich. Toasty, crispy, juicy, and creamy, a BLT is a pure harmony of flavors and textures. The key to a really delicious BLT is in using the best-quality ingredients, especially sun-ripened tomatoes and fresh lettuce. Recipe developer Julie Kinnaird shares with us her favorite spin on the beloved sandwich with this over-the-top BLT pasta salad. Kinnaird's deconstruction features curly radiatore pasta as the base, juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp romaine lettuce, thick-cut applewood smoked bacon, and a homemade bacon fat mayo dressing that is so good you will want to eat it by the spoonful. The dish is finished with crunchy toasted sourdough breadcrumbs for a taste that takes you back to a BLT in every bite.

The beauty in the simplicity of a basic BLT is that it is easily customizable for any taste. Kinnaird says that this salad is also a great base for adding personal preferences, such as chopped avocado or red onion, additional protein like chicken or hard-cooked eggs, or mixing up the pasta shapes or breadcrumb flavors (pumpernickel, anyone?). Additional greens such as arugula or watercress would also add unique flavor and visual appeal.

For this recipe you will want to select a curly, short-cut pasta such a radiatore or fusilli. This shape with curves and grooves allows sauce (or in this case the dressing) to cling to the pasta. You also want the pasta to be sturdy enough to hold up in the salad and not become broken or mushy with mixing. You will need a pound of thick-cut applewood smoked bacon (or your favorite preference). Kinnaird prefers using romaine in this salad because it tends to wilt less and has more flavor than green leaf or iceberg. Grape or cherry tomatoes in a variety of colors not only add visual appeal, but have a nice firm exterior and juicy center that works well in the salad. To make the bacon mayo dressing, you will need a couple of super fresh egg yolks, some avocado oil, whole grain mustard, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, freshly cracked black pepper, and kosher salt. The mayo is quickly made in a food processor with ingredient ratios that will yield a pourable dressing. Just be sure to have all of the ingredients at room temperature and add the fats in a very slow drizzle for proper emulsification. The pasta salad is finished with toasted sourdough breadcrumbs made from about 3 slices of bread (for a total of 1 cup of fresh crumbs), along with some chopped fresh chives.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon kosher salt.

Add the pasta and cook until just al dente (do not overcook).

Immediately drain the pasta and rinse with cold water.

Transfer the pasta to a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon avocado oil.

Chill the pasta until ready to use.

Line a baking sheet with parchment and a rack to fit.

Lay the bacon slices over the rack and on the pan, if needed.

Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the slices and bake for an additional 10-15.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool.

Pour off ¼ cup rendered bacon grease from the pan to a glass jar or other heat-proof container and cool to room temperature in the refrigerator.

To make the breadcrumbs, tear the bread into smaller pieces and place in the bowl of a food processor.

Process until fine crumbs form.

Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a saute pan over medium heat.

Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and cool.

To make the bacon mayo dressing, whisk together the remaining ½ cup avocado oil and cooled bacon fat in a small bowl.

Add the egg yolks, mustard, vinegar, paprika, black pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt to the food processor bowl (wiped down to remove any remaining crumbs).

With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the avocado and bacon fat blend until the mixture emulsifies and thickens. Transfer the mayo dressing to a jar or other container and chill for about 20 minutes.

Chop the bacon into smaller pieces.

Shred or finely chop the romaine.

To assemble the salad, stir the tomatoes and chives into the chilled pasta.

Gently fold in the shredded romaine.

Pour on the bacon mayo dressing to coat.

Add the bacon.

Finish with half of the toasted breadcrumbs.

Serve the over-the-top BLT pasta salad in bowls with a sprinkle of the remaining breadcrumbs.

Although this over-the-top BLT pasta salad is best eaten shortly after it is assembled, there are plenty of steps that can be done in advance to ease the preparation. First, the breadcrumbs can be made a day or two ahead, stored in an airtight container, and refreshed briefly in a hot pan on the stove if needed. The bacon can also be baked ahead of time, re-crisped in an oven or air fryer, and then chopped and added to the salad shortly before serving. 

The lettuce and tomatoes can be cut several hours before assembling and stored in the refrigerator, and the bacon mayo dressing will hold well for up to 5 days in a well-sealed container (such as a glass jar). The pasta can be cooked up to a day in advance, tossed with the avocado oil, and kept chilled until everything is ready to assemble. Your salad will be at its best if the bacon and breadcrumbs are added right before serving to keep their crisp texture.

The raw egg yolks used in making homemade mayo — like this bacon mayo dressing — help to emulsify the mixture for a smooth and creamy texture. However, using raw eggs in preparations like this does carry some degree of risk. According to the CDC, the leading cause of food poisoning in the US comes from salmonella and can be linked to about 1 in 20,000 commercially produced eggs coming from infected chickens. 

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to reduce this risk by using proper refrigeration, and being careful when storing and handling the eggs. Kinnaird says that she always makes sure to use the freshest eggs possible when making homemade mayo, and also relies on the vinegar component to both stabilize the mixture as well as fight any potential bacteria. Keeping the bacon mayo dressing stored under refrigeration at all times and wrapping and chilling any salad leftovers will also minimize risk. Using pasteurized eggs is another option to avoid contamination.