With a rainbow of ingredients and a creamy, zesty, homemade dressing, this incredibly simple and customizable pasta salad is sure to be your new favorite! 

Prep this at the beginning of the week for an easily packable, workplace lunch.  It’s also a great way to use up lettuce, tomatoes, and any other veggies that may be hanging around in your fridge.  And, beware, this salad will steal the show if you bring it to a potluck!  

This quick and easy recipe includes all of the elements of a BLT, plus a bit of avocado for richness, mixed into a colorful pasta base.  A traditional BLT, of course, is slathered with mayo, but we’ve lightened up this salad by using non-fat Greek yogurt.  The powerful punch of flavor in the dressing comes from the addition of zaatar.

You may be asking yourself what is zaatar? It's a Mediterranean spice mix with mainstay ingredients (if premium brand) of wild thyme (native to Middle East region), sumac, and sesame seeds. Za'atar is a great way to add a delicious Mediterranean flair to just about any dish, and it even offers health benefits. Read hear about zaatar benefits. If you’ve never tried cooking with zaatar before, this recipe is the perfect excuse to buy some!  

 

BLT Pasta Salad with Creamy Zaatar Dressing

Prep Time: 20 mins, Cook Time: 0 mins, Total Time: 20 mins
Servings: 6
Serving Size: About 2 cups 
Calories: 418, Fat: 13g, Protein: 15g, Carbs: 63g, Fiber: 5g

 

Ingredients
1 pound tri-color rotini pasta
4 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and diced
1 ½ cups halved cherry tomatoes
5-6 large romaine lettuce leaves, roughly chopped
1 avocado, diced
2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon zaatar

 

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to the package instructions.
2. While the pasta cooks, chop the vegetables and prepare the dressing.
3. To prepare the dressing, combine the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, and zaatar in a small bowl and whisk until well blended.
4. Strain the pasta and rinse with cold water.
5. Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl along with the dressing and toss until well coated.
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve.