Creamy Bacon Pasta Salad

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Looking for your next favorite pasta salad? This creamy bacon pasta salad is a real winner. It’s creamy, crunchy, and loaded with flavor.

Filled with tender rotini, crispy bacon, fresh veggies, and lots of cheddar cheese. It’s a large batch recipe that’s perfect for family gatherings, BBQs, potlucks, or meal prepping for the week.

Quick to prepare and always a hit, this hearty pasta salad is sure to disappear fast whenever you serve it. Enjoy it as an easy dinner idea or a quick side dish.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds rotini pasta, cooked and cooled
• 1 pound bacon, cooked and chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, diced
• 1 cucumber, sliced and diced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1/4 -1/2 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
• 3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3-5 green onions, chopped
• 3 3/4 cup Miracle Whip (whipped dressing)
• Sprinkle of paprika (optional)

How To Make Creamy Bacon Pasta Salad

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water is boiling, add your rotini pasta and cook according to package directions until it’s al dente, about 10 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking, place the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook until it’s evenly browned. Then drain the grease and chop up the bacon.

When the pasta is done, drain and rinse it in cold water to cool it down quickly. Then drain and pour into a large mixing bowl.

Add the Miracle Whip and stir until the pasta is well coated.

Next, add the prepared vegetables, bacon, and seasonings. Toss to combine until the ingredients are well coated in dressing.

Optionally, sprinkle the top with paprika and serve.

Substitutions

• Pasta: Rotini holds the dressing well, but penne, bow-tie, or shells also work great.
• Bacon: Turkey bacon can be used for a lighter option.
• Miracle Whip: You can swap it with mayonnaise easily. Greek yogurt, or sour cream, will also work for a tangier dressing.
• Cheddar Cheese: Colby Jack, mozzarella, or marble cheese would work for a different flavor.
• Veggies: Bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce are classic flavors, but you can add zucchini, broccoli, or sweet corn if that’s what you have on hand.

Storage Tips

Once mixed, cover tightly with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Before serving, give the salad a stir as the dressing can settle at the bottom.

More Pasta Salad Recipes

• Cheeseburger Pasta Salad
• Broccoli Pasta Salad
• Creamy Pasta Salad

FAQ’s

Creamy Bacon Pasta Salad

This bacon pasta salad is creamy, flavorful, and packed with fresh vegetables, cheddar cheese, and crispy bacon. It makes a big batch, so it's perfect for BBQs, potlucks, or easy family dinners.

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Rate

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Serving Size 12 to 14 servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds rotini pasta cooked and cooled
• 1 pound bacon cooked and chopped
• 2 red bell peppers diced
• 1 cucumber sliced and diced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes cut in half
• 1/4 -1/2 head iceberg lettuce chopped
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3-5 green onions chopped
• 3 3/4 cup Miracle Whip
• Sprinkle of paprika optional

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water is boiling, add your rotini pasta and cook according to package directions until it’s al dente, about 10 minutes.
• While the pasta is cooking, place the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook until it’s evenly browned. Then drain the grease and chop up the bacon.
• When the pasta is done, drain and rinse it in cold water to cool it down quickly. Then drain and pour into a large mixing bowl.
• Add the Miracle Whip and stir until the pasta is well coated.
• Next, add the prepared vegetables, bacon, and seasonings. Toss to combine until the ingredients are well coated in dressing.
• Optionally, sprinkle the top with paprika and serve.

Notes

This recipe makes a large batch, 12 to 14 servings as a main dish, 24+ servings as a side dish. It’s easily cut in half if your family size is smaller.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 643kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 1175mg | Potassium: 540mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1440IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 243mg | Iron: 2mg

These values are from a nutritional database and automatically calculated, and should only be used as an approximation.

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Kim

Kim Mills is a homeschooling mom of 6 and lives on an urban homestead in Ontario, Canada. Blogging at Homestead Acres she enjoys sharing tips to help you save money, grow and preserve your own food.