Creamy BLT Pasta Salad with Jalapeño-Herb Dressing

Level up your next backyard BBQ with the ultimate summer side dish! This vibrant BLT Pasta Salad pairs smoky, crispy bacon and sweet, garden-fresh corn with a show-stopping, creamy jalapeño-herb dressing.

Refreshing, crunchy, and packed with flavour! Easy to prep ahead of time, it's the perfect crowd-pleaser to serve alongside your favourite grilled meats and proteins all season long.

Why We Love This Recipe

• That Show-Stopping Dressing: Move over, boring mayo dressings! The homemade creamy jalapeño-herb dressing adds a fresh, zesty, and slightly tangy kick that completely elevates this pasta salad from ordinary to extraordinary.
• The Ultimate Texture Combo: Every single forkful is packed with the perfect bite. You get smoky, crispy bacon, sweet juicy corn, tender pasta, and fresh zucchini. It's a texture explosion that keeps everyone coming back for seconds (and thirds).
• The Ultimate Companion for the Grill: This salad is practically made for outdoor dining. It pairs beautifully with just about anything you're cooking up, whether you’re smashing burgers on the griddle, smoking a brisket, or keeping it simple with grilled chicken.
• Potluck and Party Approved: There's nothing better than a side dish you can prep ahead of time. It holds up incredibly well in the fridge, making it our absolute go-to for summer potlucks, long weekend cookouts, and casual backyard gatherings.

Ingredients

Jalapeño-Herb Dressing

• Fresh basil
• Fresh cilantro
• Jalapeño
• Dijon mustard
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Garlic clove
• Green onions
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Greek yogurt
• Mayonnaise 
• Buttermilk

Pasta Salad

• Corn
• Salt
• Short cut pasta of your choice
• Grana Padano 
• Romaine lettuce
• Radicchio
• Cherry tomatoes
• Zucchini
• Cooked bacon
• Chives, optional

See recipe card below for quantities.

Instructions

Prepare the Dressing

Place the basil, cilantro, jalapeño, Dijon, lemon juice, garlic, green onions, salt, and pepper in a food processor, with the steel blade. Blitz for 20 to 30 seconds. 

Add the yogurt, mayonnaise, and buttermilk, then blend until smooth. Pour the dressing glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, then refrigerate for an hour before using. This is a good time to prep your veggies and cook your bacon.

Cook the Corn

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the corn in and boil for 3 to 5 minutes or until the corn is tender and bright yellow. Use tongs to remove the corn to a plate to cool before slicing off the kernels. Keep the water on a boil.

Cook the Pasta

Add salt to the boiling water, then boil the pasta until al dente for 9 minutes or as per the package directions. Drain.

Assemble the Salad

In a large bowl, toss together the hot pasta with the Grana Padano and half the dressing.

Gently mix in the lettuce, radicchio, tomatoes, corn, and zucchini to combine.

When ready to serve add the bacon and toss to combine. Then sprinkle with fresh chives, and more grated Grana Padano if desired.

Delicious served at room temperature or cold. Enjoy!

Tips for the Perfect Pasta Salad

• Dress it Up: Let the dressing chill for at least an hour (or overnight) to enhance the flavours.
• Corn Tips: Fresh corn is best, but frozen corn can be a quick alternative. Just thaw, cook and pat dry before adding to the salad.
• Pasta Perfection: Ensure your pasta is al dente to prevent it from getting mushy when tossed with the dressing and veggies.
• Make Ahead: Prepare the components ahead of time and assemble just before serving for optimal freshness.

Watch how this recipe was made here

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📖 Recipe

Creamy BLT Pasta Salad with Jalapeño-Herb Dressing

Level up your next backyard BBQ with the ultimate summer side dish! This vibrant BLT Pasta Salad pairs smoky, crispy bacon and sweet, garden-fresh corn with a show-stopping, creamy jalapeño-herb dressing.

Refreshing, crunchy, and packed with flavour, it’s the perfect crowd-pleaser to serve alongside your favourite grilled meats and proteins all season long.

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Inactive Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Lunch, Salad

Cuisine American, North American

Servings 8 -10 People for an appetizer portion

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

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Dressing

• ½ cup fresh basil
• ½ cup fresh cilantro
• 1 jalapeño seeded, if desired, diced
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove chopped
• 2 green onions white and green parts, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup buttermilk

Pasta salad

• 2 cups boiled corn approximately 3 ears
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 pound fusilli or short cut pasta of your choice
• ½ cup Grana Padano plus more for serving
• 1 head romaine lettuce shredded
• 1 radicchio shredded
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 zucchini diced
• 8 slices cooked bacon crumbled
• Chives chopped for garnish, optional

Instructions

 

Prepare the Dressing

• Place the basil, cilantro, jalapeño, Dijon, lemon juice, garlic, green onions, salt, and pepper in a food processor, with the steel blade. Blitz for 20 to 30 seconds.
• Add the yogurt, mayonnaise, and buttermilk, then blend until smooth. Pour the dressing glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, then refrigerate for an hour before using. This is a good time to prep your veggies and cook your bacon.

Cook the Corn

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the corn in and boil for 3 to 5 minutes or until the corn is tender and bright yellow. Use tongs to remove the corn to a plate to cool before slicing off the kernels. Keep the water on a boil.

Cook the Pasta

• Add salt to the boiling water, then boil the pasta until al dente for 9 minutes or as per the package directions. Drain.

Assemble the Salad

• In a large bowl, toss together the hot pasta with the Grana Padano and half the dressing. Gently mix in the lettuce, radicchio, tomatoes, corn, and zucchini to combine.
• When ready to serve add the bacon and toss to combine. Then sprinkle with fresh chives, and more grated Grana Padano if desired.
• Delicious served at room temperature or cold. Enjoy!

Rate this Recipe

• Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!

Video

Notes

TIPS:

1. Dress it Up: Let the dressing chill for at least an hour (or overnight) to enhance the flavours.
2. Corn Tips: Fresh corn is best, but frozen corn can be a quick alternative. Just thaw, cook and pat dry before adding to the salad.
3. Pasta Perfection: Ensure your pasta is al dente to prevent it from getting mushy when tossed with the dressing and veggies.
4. Make Ahead: Prepare the components ahead of time and assemble just before serving for optimal freshness.

Keyword bacon and tomato pasta salad, bacon corn pasta salad, bacon lettuce and tomato pasta salad, creamy blt pasta salad, jalapeno dressing recipe, pasta salad with bacon and tomatoes

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