BLT Pasta Salad Avocado (Print Version)

A fresh pasta salad combining bacon, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and crisp lettuce with a creamy dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10 oz short pasta such as fusilli, rotini, or penne
02 - 1 teaspoon salt for boiling water

→ Bacon

03 - 6 slices bacon

→ Vegetables

04 - 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 large ripe avocado, diced
06 - 3 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
07 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

08 - 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
09 - 2 tablespoons sour cream
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Optional Garnish

14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or chives

# How To:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool, then set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, place bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until crisp, turning occasionally, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Once cooled, chop into bite-sized pieces.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, green onions, and most of the bacon, reserving a small portion for garnish. Add the dressing and toss gently to coat.
05 - Just before serving, gently fold in the diced avocado to prevent browning.
06 - Transfer to a serving platter or bowl. Garnish with remaining bacon and optional herbs. Serve immediately, or chill for up to 2 hours for a colder salad.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which means you can make it the day someone invites you over without stress.
  • The creamy mustard dressing tastes homemade but requires zero fancy technique or special ingredients.
  • It actually gets better if you chill it, so meal prep becomes your friend instead of your enemy.
02 -
  • Add the avocado last or it will brown and turn an unappealing color, even if the flavor is still fine, which teaches you that presentation matters when you're feeding people.
  • Cool the pasta completely before mixing because warm pasta will cook the delicate lettuce and make everything limp and sad.
03 -
  • Cut the tomatoes and avocado right before serving so they don't have time to oxidize or get sad.
  • If your avocado is hard when you need it, wrap it in a paper towel and sit it in a warm spot for 20 minutes, which surprises people with how well it works.
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