Description
A smoky, creamy, and crowd-pleasing BBQ pasta salad featuring bacon, cheddar, and a tangy BBQ dressing. This make-ahead friendly side dish is perfect for summer BBQs and potlucks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) rotini or fusilli pasta
- 8–10 strips thick-cut bacon
- 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4–5 stalks green onions, sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup black olives, sliced (optional)
- ¾ cup BBQ sauce (molasses-based)
- ½ cup full-fat mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente (8-10 minutes).
- Drain pasta in a colander and immediately rinse under cold running water for 1 minute to stop cooking. Shake off excess water and place in a large mixing bowl to cool.
- Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp but chewy. Drain on paper towels, crumble into bite-sized pieces, and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together BBQ sauce, mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Add shredded cheddar, green onions, red bell pepper, and crumbled bacon to the cooled pasta.
- Pour the dressing over the ingredients and toss gently but thoroughly until everything is coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours) before serving to allow flavors to meld.
Notes
Do not skip the cold rinse step to prevent mushy pasta. Shred your own cheese for better texture. Balance salt carefully as bacon, cheese, and BBQ sauce are already salty. For a lighter version, swap half the mayo for Greek yogurt. Do not freeze this salad as the dairy may separate.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 12
Keywords: BBQ pasta salad, Labor Day recipe, summer side dish, make-ahead salad, bacon pasta salad, cheddar pasta salad, easy potluck recipe