BLT Macaroni Salad

This bacon, lettuce and tomato summer pasta salad makes a perfect side dish, or if you increase the portion size, main meal. You decide which pasta you prefer and if you are on a gluten-free diet, brown rice pasta is pretty good! Centre cut bacon has less fat than regular bacon if you like the taste of real pork bacon, or, you can use turkey or chicken bacon instead if you don’t eat pork.

 

BLT Macaroni Salad

Ingredients

• 8 oz uncooked elbows, low carb or whole grain (or brown rice pasta for gf)
• 4 slices 25% reduced fat centre cut bacon
• 2 large ripe tomatoes, beefsteak or vine ripe, diced small
• 4 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise
• salt and fresh pepper to taste
• 2 cups baby spinach, or other salad greens

 

Method

1. In a large pan cook bacon on medium-low heat until crispy on both sides.
2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions.
3. Chop tomatoes and combine it along with any accumulated juice with mayonnaise and pepper in a medium bowl.
4. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water to cool.
5. Combine pasta with tomatoes and spinach mixing well.
6. Toss in bacon just before serving.
7. To avoid having to add too much mayonnaise, make this right before serving as macaroni salads with mayo tend to dry out if they sit too long.

Serves 7 – Serving Size: 1 cup – Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 149, Fat: 4g, Carbohydrate: 26g, Fibre: 4g, Protein: 5g