Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Macaroni Salad

Absolutely delicious. Make sure you crumble crisp bacon well and put in close to the time that you serve this salad so it will be nice and crisp. The celery takes the place of lettuce, and the macaroni takes the place of bread. Walla.....you have a BLT

This really is good. I used reduced fat mayo and cheddar and center cut bacon to lighten it, and it tastes delicious. The white vinegar really gives a little tang to the mayo-based dressing. I did squeeze out some of the tomato seeds and juice for fear of it thinning out the dressing. I agree with the last reviewer, add the bacon right before serving, otherwise, it will get soggy.

made this for lunch @ work, got rave reviews. Must use real mayo but you can 1/2 it

Okay, this is like the best food ever. The husband, who is not a fan of macaroni salads loved it. I made no changes to the recipe and it was delicious. I was thinking I might add a seeded cucumber next time, but it is perfect as is. Yummy!!!

This is a perfect combination for a macaroni salad! I have to say to the reviewer that said she couldn't find the lettuce that I have never before heard of a macaroni salad with lettuce, though it would certainly be pretty sitting on top of a leaf. I do like the idea of adding the hard boiled eggs though and will next time. I have to wonder who determined that dill pickles and jalapeno are mandatory in such a dish. Ugh. Delicious salad and thanks for posting it.

Very nice salad, however I didn't find the lettuce. I assume you serve it over a bed of chopped lettuce. I also added halved cherry tomatoes (kept it cleaner and tidy) and diced hard-boiled eggs (my husband's request). I also included some fresh dill (our love). I will make this again!

Really enjoyed this. The only change I made was to use grape tomatoes and cut them into quarters....no need to seed. Reminds me of the traditional Midwestern macaroni salad my grandmother made when I was a kid. This is no nonsense....no relish, no red or green peppers, no pimentos, no eggs and no sugar. I'm sure you could add one or more of the above BUT there is no need for it. The green onion makes the salad crunchy and the last minutes addition of the bacon makes this a true winner. I will repeat what another reviewers said, "I will never again buy premade grocery store macaroni salad". Additionally, a nice change from the oil and vinegar-based pasta salads that I have been making.

I made this recipe today and it tasted great, but I did make some changes. I was trying to use up some produce I had on hand, so I used the following: 1/2 cup chopped leeks instead of green onions, 12 oz. rainbow rotini instead of elbow (did have elbow on hand), I used red wine vinegar (like so much better than white), 4 roma tomatoes, seeded instead of large, 1/2 orange pepper, diced, 2 T. fresh parlsey, 1/2 cup pre-cooked bacon, 1 tsp. Mural of Flavor seasoning -salt free (from Penzey's Spices)Just bought it and thought it would add that little something I think some people said it was missing, no salt, all other ingredients stayed the same, It made about 1/2 gallon of salad. Very colorful and I'm waiting till flavors meld and it sits in refrigerator before adjusting seasonings, if needed.

I liked this recipe very much! I'm always counting my calories so I used light mayo, nobody noticed the difference, try it this way.

I used cut cherry tomatoes cut in half and more celery than the original recipe. Everyone loved it! Might turn out to be my favorite pasta salad. Thank you!

My family LOVED this recipe! It was fresh and creamy and loaded with bacon and tomato flavor! I normally take liberties with the recipes here, but the only thing different I did was just use 1/2 pound of bacon. It was still amazing!

I made this to take to a pot luck supper and it was the first and only salad that was gone. I had several people ask for the recipe. I followed the recipe exactly except for the pasta. I used bowties because that was what I had on hand. Very good year round salad.

I'm not a big fan of macaroni salads but my husband is so when I saw this recipe I made it for him. It is now one of both our favorites. He went back for seconds, big seconds, and I thought I would have some left for later. After his lunch today I'm not sure. The flavors are right on. The only thing we added was a little more salt and course ground black pepper. I also used a Vidalia onion instead of green onions which I didn't have. As the saying goes...Try it you'll love it!

Really good macaroni salad! Our new favorite! I actually forgot to put the cheese in it and it doesn't need it.

Made this today. It is different then my macaroni salad. Thought I would try it. Followed the exact recipe. But did add a cucumber. It was delicious and quicker to make than mine. Thanks for sharing will absolutely be making again. Five stars to you.

Made recipe with just ingredients stated, however did double cheese and tomatoes, my family loved it, took it to a family BBQ and it was a great hit.. Thanks for the recipe

Very good Recipes although a little lacking in some mandatory ingredients. In addition to the above, I added chopped dill pickles and 1 jalapeno chopped and deveined. I used red wine vinegar instead and I also added marinated green olives. This is the best Macaroni Salad ever!

Very good recipe, although mistitled. I followed suggestions about adding bacon at the last minute and it stayed crispy. My tasters didn't find it really tangy so next time I'll up the vinegar by a couple of tablespoons, and will make it with 1/2 cup chopped red pepper added as well for extra crunch. It is a keeper that can be adapted easily for personal tastes.

Really good salad, wouldn't make any changes to it. Nice version of a macaroni salad.

Delicious!! I made this exactly as written and we really enjoyed it. Will certainly make this again. thank you for sharing

I cooked this tonight for family and friends...everyone loved it! It is delicious! But I agree u should def add the Bacon at the end. I did that and the Bacon was nice and crispy.

Made it for my very picky husband. If he likes ii, it's a real winner. I confess to cheating and using real bacon crumbles but couldn't tell any difference.

This is delicious. No need to change a thing. A keeper for sure.

Bland

I made this for a work Pot Luck Lunch, and everyone loved it! I used Mezza Rigatoni instead of Elbow Pasta, just to be different, and it worked out great. I passed along the recipe (link to website) and several folks then made it for holiday parties- also a big hit! This is a keeper- may become a family tradition.

The recipe is really good except for the 1 1/4 cups mayo. When do you think something has too much mayonnaise?

Great flavor and something different. Followed recipe with the exception that I used half light mayo and half miracle whip light for the dressing. Will make again and might add some diced bread and butter pickles to it

I made this as a side to go with Cheeseburgers that my husband made on the grill. Absolutely delicious. I used precooked bacon to make it quick and easy and left out the vinegar. Definitely not a diet food, but what a treat!

A really nice twist on pasta salad! I usually make either tuna mac or ham-n-cheese, but wanted a change. This fit the bill perfectly. I did cut back on the vinegar and added a little sugar when whisking the dressing just to cut the acid a tad. Love this recipe, thanks!

I made this salad and did not change a thing, everyone loved it. I will be making again!!

I love this recipe, but I hate cooking bacon. I used ready made instead. Delicious!

This is delicious; it really tastes like a BLT. I agree with oth reviewers that the bacon doesn't stay crisp so add it last. Thanks for the great recipe. :)

This is my new go to pasta salad. The only change I made is is I switched miracle whip for the mayo. The bacon really makes this dish. Thanks for posting this.

I made this for a baby shower and everybody liked it. How often does that happen?

I made this recipe just now, exactly as stated except for the white vinegar. I used Apple cidar vinegar, but everything else was exact. While it is a good macaroni salad, and I would probably add some dill to amp up the flavor a little. I rated it based on the recipe .

Would have been just fine without cheese and bacon.

Oh my goodness!! I will make this many more times. Absolutely delicious. I did add more tomatoes and used lower sodium bacon. Best salad I've had in years!

We surprisingly loved this and I didn't think we would.

It is now a favorite and a quick go-to. wonderful! I make seasoning adjustments for our taste.

Made this salad as written, and my family really enjoyed it. It goes down very easily! I served chopped avocado on the side, and that was a nice addition for those who, like me, enjoy a blta sandwich. This recipe is a keeper--will make again!

BEST. Pasta salad. Ever. I observed folks at the potluck I brought this to, and they were.. shall I say.. enraptured. I was thoroughly praised for nothing other than this very dish. I did add Siracha (to taste. .. and some, of course, like it hotter). A decent amount of garlic powder & onion powder were added too. Also added provel, and a packaged Mexican cheese blend. Mixed the 'sauce' separately, and tasted as I went. Also used 50% oven-baked bacon (which is by far the most flavorful, crispiest, and most delicious of all the bacon-cooking methods), and 50% precooked bacon both crumbled by hand.

I will be making this again. My family loved it so much, it was gone before I could get a picture! Pre-cooked and crumbled "recipe bacon" makes this recipe super quick to put together.

Fantastic... Made for neighborhood court party and everyone loved it! Made a changes... some because I didn't have all ingredients on hand and some because I just can't leave a recipe alone! That said, I think this is a keeper and will be making often!!

I added some fresh dill and more salt and pepper

I think this is perfect! I had to increase the amount to feed 20 people for Easter. Fortunately, it was easy to adjust...sometimes I don't do well when doing that! It is pretty, fresh tasting, and easier than potato salad, which is what I was going to initially make. I chopped and prepared everything last night, then put it all together before leaving for church. I will absolutely be making this again!

Just made this salad for a group of friends. They loved it! I did make some changes. I'm not a huge pork eater, so I used turkey bacon. Also the recipe calls for 1 1/4 cups of mayo....one cup was enough for the consistency I was looking for. This recipe will definitely be on repeat!

It was ok, but good chance I won't be making it again. The flavors weren't what we were expecting. Even after letting it sit in the refrigerator for a day. It tastes bland. Tried some of the suggestions others had done. Still not crazy about it. I'll stay with the other Mac salad from here

Made for a family picnic. Added 1/2 cup sour cream and 1 cup mayonnaise instead of 1 1/4 cup mayonnaise. Also used 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved instead of one tomato. Was delicious. Also, baked the bacon on foil in oven 35 minutes at 400 degrees. (A lot easier than frying and cleanup was easy.)

love this recipe! even the people who dont normally eat macaroni salad like it! Make it 'as is' or make it your own by adding more tomato, more vinegar, more celery, whatever you like! But DO use good bacon! I tried a cheaper brand once, to much fatty grisle!

First of all, have never had a BLT that didn't have lettuce but then had celery, green onion and cheese which I am not accustomed to. So probably this salad needs renaming but I LOVED IT!!! We hit temperature records where I live today so wasn't into cooking/chopping a lot. Used ReadyBacon and crumbled it as well as grape tomatoes which I didn't chop. Only used 1 cup of half fat mayo based on the 2 cups of pasta. No salt required as bacon is salty and did serve on a bed of spring mix. :)

I just made this and it tasted a little sour to me so I added some sugar and that helped a little. Next time I make this I will use the dressing for the recipe classic macaroni salad instead I liked the taste of that one better.

One of my family’s favorite summer salads. I get asked all the time to make this for gatherings.

I now make this for picnics all the time, without the cheese or onions, and it tastes EXACTLY like a BLT. People always ask for the recipe. It makes it a 5 star recipe. The bacon must be added right before serving. I only put about 3/4 of the bacon on it. Then about an hour later, I'll add the rest of the bacon just to keep it crunchy.

pretty tasty.

I make this exactly as written except no celery, this pasta salad is amazing. Everyone raves over it every time. I will make this from now on.

For some very simple ingredients, this macaroni salad is to die for. It doesn't get dry. The ingredients aren't competing with each other and its quite creamy and just down right good. I ended up with an empty bowl which I've never had happen with macaroni salads. I truly appreciate simplicity and this recipe being shared. Thank you!

Made this for dinner today. My husband and I both loved it. The dressing I made with mayo and a bit of ketchup. For my husband to say this was really good because he is so picky, was a big thumbs up

This is absolutely my favorite macaroni salad! It's great as is, and it's also great with various additions and substitutions. I have tried adding chopped green pepper while leaving out the celery and tomato, and it's just as good. Keeping the bacon is non-negotiable, though!

Thank you it's a really big hit with my wife and her co-workers. I get a lot brownie points for it.

I made this two times. First was with walla walla sweet onion as that was what I had, second time was with green onion. The walla walla sweets went over way better. Also, be liberal with the vinegar. My family loved it.

Really delicious! Made this for a barbecue & it was a hit! No leftovers lol the crunch in the bacon & celery is the best part!

This is absolutely my favorite macaroni salad! It's great as is, and it's also great with various additions and substitutions. I have tried adding chopped green pepper while leaving out the celery and tomato, and it's just as good. Keeping the bacon is non-negotiable, though!

This was great! My husband usually like macaroni salad but he loved this as did the rest of my family. I didn’t have any vinegar so I just omitted it and I used schallot because I didn’t have green onion. It tasted fantastic but I remake when I have all the ingredients.

Thanks so much for a macaroni salad recipe that doesn't include sugar as one of it's ingredients. I love macaroni salad and have never put sugar in it. I've read 6-8 macaroni salad recipes and they all say to add sugar to taste. This macaroni salad is very good and flavorful without sugar.

I prepared this for a hamburger cookout. Seriously, everyone loved it. I used canned fire roasted diced tomatoes, because I had no fresh ones. My husband is already asking for more of this dish for a main entree this week. Thanks for posting.

I made this salad I left out the onions did not use celery as its a blt salad so I shredded lettuce for it . I put all the remining ingredients in it and chilled it. Then when it came time to serve I made a bed of the shredded lettuce put the pasta salad onto the lettuce that way it would not wilt if it were in the salad itself and it was a big hit with my family and friends.

Made this for a pot luck and received many complements. I added cucumbers based on other reviews and am glad I did. It added more color to an already colorful dish and a tasty crunch. For serving, I topped the bowl with extra bacon and cheese. Thanks for posting and I'll be making again!

I needed a dish for a last minute potluck and had box of ripe cherry tomatoes that really needed to be used. So this sounded like a perfect choice. I knew I was taking a risk as pasta salads usually don't go over well with this group. I used 8oz of a small pasta and 8oz of bacon because that's what I had and left everything else the same. This salad was gone in the first four hours. I was so surprised. We could stop talking about how the celery really invoked the lettuce without having to deal with an ingredient that gets soggy so easily.

This was delicious! In macaroni salads I normally do a combo of mayo and sour cream for the dressing. But to keep this one more like a BLT, I don't think it needed the sour cream this time. I did add in some extra seasonings such as parsley, garlic, and a smidgen of sugar. I think next time I will add in a touch of red onion and double the tomato. I really liked this pasta and it is one of the best BLT macaroni salads that I have tried. It does taste really similar to a BLT, especially if you get a nice juicy summer ripened tomato to put in it. This is a great recipe and the leftovers the next day were SO flavorful. So for those that may be concerned of it lacking in flavor, just let it sit longer to marinate a few extra hours in the fridge. Thank you for the recipe! I will definitely make again in the summer time!

Way, way, WAY too much vinegar. I would omit it entirely. Without the vinegar, the recipe would get 4 stars. Lose the vinegar, and add 3 chopped hard-boiled eggs, and 1/4 teaspoon of celery seeds, and it would be 5 stars. I'd be tempted to stir in half a head of romaine lettuce, too.

Made according to recipe, super easy to make and was very good. It makes a lot.

I didn't change a thing. This is the best tasting salad. It is much like you get in a salad bar. Delicious!

We really enjoyed this meal! Made as written, except used dried shallots instead of the green onions I didn’t have. Wanted it as a main dish, so added diced leftover rotisserie chicken. Second time around, added olives & heavier all-purpose seasoning. Will make again!