BBQ Pasta Salad

5 from 3 votes

BBQ Pasta Salad is a potluck winner! Loaded with BBQ pulled pork, sharp Cheddar, crisp corn, and fresh veggies, all tossed in a creamy BBQ dressing—it’s a crowd-pleaser!

Prep Time35

Total Time35

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: BBQ Pasta Salad

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $8.21

Equipment

Medium pot

Ingredients

8 ounces bowtie pasta 1/2 of 1 box; about 2-1/2 cups
2 small ears fresh corn or 1 cup frozen corn
1 small red bell pepper diced, 3/4 cup
2 stalks celery 1/2 cup
1/2 heaping cup sharp Cheddar cheese cut into small cubes
2 thinly sliced green onions 1/4 cup
1 cup seasoned and fully cooked BBQ pork cooked according to package instructions, see note 1

Salad “Dressing”:

1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce like TABASCO
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Salt and pepper
chopped cilantro optional

US - Metric

Instructions

Prepare pasta according to package directions. (Don’t cook all the pasta, only 3 cups!) Generously salt the water to season. (I add 1 teaspoon to every 4 cups water.) If using frozen corn, add it to boiling pasta water 1 minute before pasta will be done. Drain pasta, rinse under cold water, let cool, and allow to dry thoroughly before adding to other ingredients. Add cooked and cooled pasta to a large bowl.
While pasta is cooking, prep veggies/salad additions. Cook pork according to package directions and allow to cool to room temperature. Use two forks to shred pork a bit more if needed. If using fresh corn, grill (see note 2) or simply cut it off the cob and add to the salad raw. Dice the pepper, thinly slice celery, cube Cheddar pieces, and thinly slice green onions. In a large bowl, add pulled pork, corn, pepper, celery, Cheddar, and green onions.
In another small bowl, whisk together mayo, BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, hot sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. (Add to taste—I add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.) Whisk until combined and smooth.
Pour dressing over salad (adding to preference—you may not want it all). Gently toss ingredients until combined. Taste again and season with additional salt/pepper as needed. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.

Video

Notes

Note 1: Either use leftover BBQ pulled pork or get some from the freezer/fridge section in the grocery store. (My personal favorite is Jack Daniel’s Pulled Pork with BBQ Sauce.) Cook according to package directions. If you’d like the salad to have more meat, add the entire container.

Note 2: If you’d like to grill the corn, preheat grill to 400℉. Shuck and remove silk from corn. Rub oil all over the sides (about 1/2 teaspoon) and lightly sprinkle with sea salt. Place corn on the grill and with the lid closed, turn every 3–5 minutes (check at 3 minutes, turning 4 times total) until corn is nicely charred and crisp-tender. Remove corn from grill, allow to cool slightly, and cut off the cob.

Storage: This salad is best enjoyed the same day it is made. If making it ahead of time, I recommend keeping the salad and dressing separated and combining the two right before eating.

Nutrition