1poundbow tie pasta(or gemelli, fusilli, small shells, penne rigate, or other small chunky shaped pasta)
½cupmayonnaise
½cupRanch or Caesar dressing(store-bought or homemade)
¼cupmilk
Juice of 1 lemon
¼cupgrated Parmesan cheese
1avocado(diced; optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper(to taste)
Instructions
Line a plate with paper towels. Place the bacon in a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Cook until crispy on both sides, about 8 minutes in all. Use tongs to remove the bacon to the paper towel-lined plate. Pour off the fat from the pan, then add the tomatoes, lettuce, and scallions to the hot pan. Off the heat, toss the vegetables in the warm bacon fat until everything is lightly coated with bacon grease and the lettuce wilts just a bit.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until tender. Drain the pasta, give it a quick rinse in cool water, and set aside to cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ranch dressing, milk, lemon juice, Parmesan, avocado (if using), salt, and pepper. Add the vegetables to the pan. Crumble or slice the cooked bacon, and add all but about ½ cup to the bowl. Add the cooled, cooked pasta. Toss well to thoroughly mix, and top with the reserved ½ cup crumbled bacon. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
Cubes of avocado are a nice addition to this salad (which I guess would be called a BLTA Pasta Salad). Make sure to cut and add the avocados right before serving so they don’t turn brown.
Giving the pasta a quick rinse in cool water after cooking helps stop the cooking and prevents the pasta from becoming gummy. You don't want to do this with hot pasta dishes (it rinses off some of the starch, which would prevent the sauce from sticking), but it's helpful with pasta salads.