This Vegan BLT Pasta Salad features crispy tempeh bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion and pasta all tossed in a creamy ranch dressing. Perfect for light weeknight dinners, summer BBQs and potlucks!
Today's pasta salad is inspired by the BLT sandwiches I used to love having for a 'special' lunch as a kid, specifically from Tim Hortons.
Crusty bread, bacon, lettuce, tomato and a creamy ranch-mayo dressing-- such a classic combo. Since I already knew these ingredients worked well together, my heart was tellin' me to turn it into a pasta salad because whats summer without pasta salads?
Plus, this is super easy to make which is perfect for bulk making for picnics, BBQs, potlucks and more.
Ingredients
All you need are 8 ingredients to make this super easy summer pasta salad:
- Tempeh + Smoky Marinade: For an easy tempeh bacon!
- Vegan Mayo + Vegan Ranch: The dressing for this pasta salad. I use homemade vegan mayo and ranch but you can also use store bought or a ranch mix.
- Pasta: I love using chickpea pasta here for extra protein but you can use your favourite pasta for salads!
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Lettuce
- Onions: Raw onions can make or break a pasta salad-- to get rid of the strong pungent taste, soak them in some cold water for 10 minutes.
I also love throwing in a chopped avocado if I have one on hand. Avocado makes pasta salads x1000 more delicious IMO.
How to Make Vegan BLT Pasta Salad
For the Tempeh Bacon: Marinate the tempeh for 15 minutes or longer (the longer it marinates the better). Then pan fry it until all the marinate is absorbed and the tempeh is crispy on the edges. You can follow my tempeh cooking guide on how to bake or air fry the tempeh too.
For the Dressing: Mix the mayo and ranch dressing together. Tadahhh! The perfect, creamy and flavourful dressing. I make a double batch to keep in my fridge because it's such a good dressing for any salad or to dip veggies in.
For the Pasta Salad: Lastly, just combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and toss it with the dressing. I like to let it sit for a couple of hours before serving. And yes, you can make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. I do however, recommend adding the lettuce 2-3 hours before serving to keep it from getting soggy.
Has pasta salad ever looked so dreamy creamy? This is how to make raw veggies dangerously delicious. ♡
More Vegan Summer Salads to Love!
- Kale Miso Caesar Pasta Salad with Smoky Tempeh
- Vegan Mexican Taco Pasta Salad
- Vegan Broccoli Salad with Creamy Dressing
- Vietnamese Vermicelli Noodle Salad
If you recreate this Vegan BLT Pasta Salad Recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
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Vegan BLT Pasta Salad
Highly delicious Vegan BLT pasta salad with tempeh bacon, lettuce and tomato all tossed in a dairy free creamy ranch dressing-- perfect for summer BBQs and potlucks!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: entree
- Method: mixing
- Cuisine: vegan, gluten free, north american
Ingredients
Tempeh Bacon
- 8 oz tempeh (224g)
- 1 batch smoky marinade
Dressing:
- ⅓ cup vegan mayo (82g // store bought or homemade)
- ½ cup vegan ranch (120g // store bought or homemade)*
Pasta Salad
- 8 oz gluten free pasta (224g // I love this one)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (150g)
- 3-4 cups lettuce, chopped (200g)
- ⅛ cup thinly sliced red onion soaked in water (30g)
- 1 medium avocado, optional (120g)
Instructions
Tempeh Bacon
- Slice tempeh into strips and then pour smoky marinade over. Let it marinate 15 minutes (better for longer or overnight). When ready, pan fry over medium high heat for 3 minutes. Flip the tempeh and cook for another 3-5 minutes until slightly browned and marinate has fully cooked off. If you would like a baked or air fried version, see my tempeh cooking guide on how to make it. Slice the tempeh bacon into bite size pieces or into 'bacon crumbles'.
Dressing
- Mix vegan ranch and vegan mayo together until combined.
Pasta Salad
- Cook pasta following instructions, rinse with water and add to a large salad mixing bowl. Add in cherry tomatoes, lettuce and red onions. Pour the sauce in and toss. Add the tempeh bacon and avocado if using and gently toss. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- *When I don't have a bottle of vegan ranch on hand, I make a quick version using this ranch blend and vegan mayo. If you don't have a ranch blend use: mix together ½ cup vegan mayo, 1-2 tablespoon non dairy milk (depending on thickness of your mayo), 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp dried parsley, 1 tsp dried dill, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp paprika, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper and ⅛ teaspoon of salt.
- Helpful Equipment: large salad mixing bowls, tongs
- Nutritional Information Disclaimer: Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated on an online tool (Cronometer) without the avocado and dressing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 9.8g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 8.6g
- Saturated Fat: 2.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.3g
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 49.2g
- Fiber: 10.6g
- Protein: 28.9g
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: BLT pasta salad, pasta salad, vegan pasta salad
SAVE IT FOR LATER! ↓
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Baylee says
This is one of my go-to summer recipes, its so tasty and easy to throw together!!
★★★★★