Creamy Pea and Bacon Pasta Salad (2024)

Bacon Pasta Salad is loaded with peas, crispy bacon, freshly grated parmesan cheese and smothered in a simple creamy tangy dressing. Not only is this pasta absolutely adored by everyone at parties, it’s one of the easiest pasta salads you can make.

This creamy pea and bacon pasta salad comes together in less than 20 minutes and doesn’t require any chopping! People will ask who brought this pasta salad to the party and ask for the recipe.

Why You’ll Love Creamy Pea and Bacon Pasta Salad

• No Chopping – arguably my second favorite reason to make this creamy decadent salad
• 20 Minutes Only – boil your water while you crisp the bacon. Mix together the dressing and toss it all together in a cinch
• Umami Flavor – the creamy dressing and bacon give this dressing a salty, savory umami flavor and the peas add sweetness
• Pops of Texture – the bacon, peas and dressing work their way into the crevices of the pasta shells while creates the most satisfying texture.

Pro Tip for Bacon Pasta Salad

We can all agree the saddest pasta salads are the ones where all the yummy dressing gets absorbed into the pasta as it refrigerates, making it a bit on the dry side. In this recipe, you’ll have a bit of dressing leftover and I recommend using the preserved dressing to toss into the pasta salad before serving.

Key Ingredients

This creamy pea and bacon pasta salad couldn’t be easier to make. Look how short this ingredients list is! You may already have a lot of these ingredients in your kitchen. (Be sure to see the recipe card toward the bottom of the page for measurements)

Pasta Shells – these are usually called salad shells

Bacon – one pack of bacon (1 lb.) is used

Parmesan – using freshly grated good quality parmesan makes a big difference

Peas – Birds Eye frozen sweet peas are my favorite

Mayonnaise – one cup of mayonnaise is needed

Vinegar – apple cider vinegar or lemon juice works great in this recipe

Seasonings – garlic powder, onion powder, salt and freshly cracked pepper

Olive oil – we’ll use just a few tablespoons in the dressing and also a little to the drained pasta

Sugar – just a touch of sugar to round of the flavor

How to Make Bacon Pasta Salad

Boil the Pasta and Cook Bacon

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and get the pasta cooked to al dente. While it’s cooking, cook the diced bacon in a large skillet until it’s crispy. Drain the pasta and drizzle with some olive oil to prevent it from sticking together, allow to cool for a few minutes while preparing the dressing.

Make The Dressing

Combine all of the dressing ingredients together in a small mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside 1/3 cup of the dressing to rehydrate the pasta salad before serving.

Toss It All Together

In a large bowl, add in the pasta, then the bacon, peas and pour over the dressing. Toss well to combine, then add in the parmesan cheese and toss again.

Looking for More Party Foods?

Candied Bacon Parmesan Crackers

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers

Chuy’s Creamy Jalapeno Dip

Italian Sausage Rolls

I hope you enjoy this Bacon Pasta Salad recipe. Be sure to comment below with any questions or feedback!

If you make these or any other recipes, don’t forget to tag me on IG @BadBatchBaking to be featured on my story. Seeing your recreations makes my day!