BLT Pasta Salad

There are certain foods that are nearly impossible to improve on, and a really good BLT is one of them. Crispy bacon, cold crunchy lettuce, juicy tomatoes, creamy mayo, and lots of black pepper. Simply delicious.

So naturally, I HAD to turn it into a pasta salad. And... this might even be better.

The pasta really catches all the creamy dressing, there's bacon in every bite, the cucumber and green onion add another layer of freshness and crunch, and the lettuce, of course, makes it feel a little healthier than any other pasta salad.

But the thing that really brings the whole thing together? Bacon grease.

WAIT. Hear me out.

I keep just a tablespoon from the pan and mix it into the mayonnaise. It really brings that salty, smoky bacon flavor throughout the whole dish. And no, it doesn't make it greasy!

I'm not going to pretend that bacon grease is healthy. But is it delicious? Absolutely, yes! THE LETTUCE GOES IN LAST

This is important.

Iceberg is exactly what I want here, because it gives you that crunchy, cold, crisp BLT crunch. But leave it too long and it will become sad, wilted lettuce floating around your pasta salad. If you're not serving this right away, save the lettuce for later. Make the rest of the salad and refrigerate for later. When you're ready to serve, simply toss in the shredded lettuce and serve right after. The extra bit of effort makes a world of difference in this salad.

PERFECT FOR...

This is the kind of cold side dish I want for cookouts, camping weekends, picnics, or those summer nights when turning dinner into a whole production sounds absolutely terrible.

Serve it alongside burgers, grilled chicken, or just eat a giant bowl of it like we do. It's definitely got enough bacon to be a meal!

Bacon in every bite. Yum.

Basically, a BLT, but make it a salad.

Serves: about 6 Prep time: about 15 minutes Cook time: about 15 minutes Ingredients

• 8oz ditalini pasta

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1/2 English cucumber, seeded and diced

• 3 green onions, thinly sliced

• 1 1/2cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

• 1 lb bacon, diced

• 1 tablespoon reserved bacon grease

• 3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

• Salt, to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper, generously, to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ditalini until al dente.

2. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking. Let it drain really well - you don't want excess water thinning out the dressing.

3. While the pasta cooks, add the diced bacon to a skillet and cook until crisp.

4. Remove the bacon and set it aside. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease.

5. In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, reserved bacon grease, a little salt, and black pepper.

6. Add the cooked pasta, cucumber, green onions, cherry tomatoes, and crispy bacon. Toss until everything is evenly coated.

7. Just before serving, gently fold in the shredded iceberg lettuce.

8. Taste and add more salt or black pepper if needed.

MAKING IT AHEAD?

Prepare the salad through Step 6, cover it, and refrigerate.

Keep the shredded iceberg separate and fold it in right before serving.

That way you get creamy pasta, crispy bacon, juicy tomatoes, and actual crunchy lettuce instead of the sad little green ribbons that happen when lettuce spends three hours swimming in mayo. Haha.