This Banza pasta salad is packed full of delicious BLT flavors and is perfect for a picnic, BBQ, or dinner at home. If you've never had Banza pasta, it is a gluten-free pasta made from chickpeas. It tastes just like normal pasta and is the perfect choice for this easy dinner or weekly meal prep.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This Banza pasta salad is a take on the classic BLT and traditional pasta salad. The bacon crumbles, fresh tomatoes, red onion, crisp lettuce, and Banza pasta are all tossed in a delicious jalapeno ranch dressing. It's easy to prepare and a great simple lunch or meal prep option. It's also a great option to take to a party on a hot summer day. The Banza pasta makes this recipe gluten-free and it can easily be made dairy-free, making it the perfect option for a crowd.
Ingredient Notes
- Banza chickpea pasta - if you haven't had the chance to try Banza pasta, you're going to be pleasantly surprised! Banza pasta is made from chickpeas and is a good source of plant protein. It might sound strange, but it tastes just like normal pasta and is also gluten-free. Choose any shape of Banza pasta except the spaghetti noodles. If you don't have Banza pasta, feel free to switch it for your favorite pasta and you'll have similar results. You could also use quinoa pasta or brown rice pasta.
- Bacon - no BLT is complete without bacon, of course! The bacon in this recipe provides the perfect salty element. Choose any method to cook your bacon. We prefer the oven or air fryer method. If you want to simplify things, you can buy bacon already cooked and crumbled at the store.
- Tomato - cherry or grape tomatoes are best for this recipe, but feel free to swap for another variety. Simply cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
- Lettuce - romaine lettuce provides the perfect crispness for this salad. You can wash and chop a head of romaine or buy bagged and pre-chopped lettuce for convenience.
- Red Onion - just a little finely chopped red onion completes the pasta salad.
- For the dressing - you'll combine ranch dressing, jalapeno, apple cider vinegar, salt & pepper in a blender. Feel free to adjust the amount of jalapeno depending on your spice tolerance. For a dairy-free ranch dressing option, we prefer Chosen Foods or Primal Kitchen. For a dairy option, Bolthouse Farms Greek Yogurt ranch is great.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Equipment You’ll Need
- A large pot
- A large bowl
- Cutting board and knife
- Blender or food processor
Step by Step Directions
1: In a large pot of salted water, prepare the Banza pasta al dente according to package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, you can also cook the bacon and cut the lettuce, onion, and tomatoes. Once the pasta is fully cooked, drain the water and drizzle a small amount of olive oil on the pasta to prevent it from sticking. Place the cooked pasta in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the salad.
2: In a blender or food processor, add all of the dressing ingredients and blend on high until the dressing is smooth.
3: Add all of the pasta salad components to a big bowl. Add the dressing to the entire pasta salad or individual portions if you plan to have leftovers. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
Tips & Variations
- We prefer cold pasta salad, so we like to make the salad ahead of time and store it in the fridge for dinner later.
- For added protein, grilled or shredded chicken breast is a great option.
- Green onions, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, red bell pepper, parmesan cheese, and other fresh veggies would be a good addition to this recipe.
FAQ
This pasta salad should be stored in an air-tight container or a bowl with plastic wrap to prevent the pasta from drying out. If you will be storing the pasta salad, we recommend that you individually dress each salad portion so that your salad does not get soggy.
Yes, this pasta salad is gluten-free and easily dairy-free with the choice of a dairy free ranch dressing.
If you like this recipe, check out a few of our other easy salads:
If you make this BLT Banza pasta salad, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!
BLT Banza Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 8 oz Banza pasta
- 6 pieces bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 cups chopped romaine
- 1/2 cup red onion
For the dressing:
- 3/4 cup ranch dressing
- 1/2 of a jalapeño (adjust according to preference)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Begin with cooking the Banza pasta noodles according to package directions.
- While you are waiting for the pasta water to come to a boil and for the pasta to cook, begin to cook the bacon according to your preference—using a skillet over the stove top, the oven, or the air fryer are all great options! Once the bacon has cooled, break or chop it into small pieces.
- Drain the cooked noodles and add them to a medium bowl. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil or avocado oil on them to prevent them from sticking. Place them in the fridge to cool.
- Cut the lettuce, onion, and tomatoes.
- Next, prepare the dressing. Add the ranch dressing, jalapeno, apple cider vinegar, salt, and black pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend for 20-30 seconds or until the dressing is smooth.
- Assemble the salad. Add the chopped romaine, cooled Banza noodles, chopped bacon, cherry tomatoes, and red onion. Toss the salad. Next add the desired amount of dressing. If you plan to have leftovers, we recommend dressing each individual portion of salad.
The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB BLT Banza Pasta Salad" and "BWB BLT Banza Pasta Salad Dressing".
The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
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