Want to add a little more heat to your summer BBQ? Introducing a mouthwatering fusion of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. This Fire Roasted Pepper and Bacon Spicy Pasta Salad will add a zesty twist to your next cookout!
This recipe will elevate your salad game to a whole new level. This simple cold pasta salad is also a side dish you can put together in less than 15 minutes. It is one of my family’s all time favorite recipes and hopefully it will be yours as well.
How to Make this Spicy Pasta Salad
Cook Pasta
Boil a Medium pot of water, be sure to salt well before adding the dry pasta. Cook the pasta according to package instructions to just a touch over al dente, but not soft. Be sure to drain all of the excess water.
Chop
Chop up your roasted peppers real small, finely chop up your parsley, crisp up some bacon if you haven’t already and then chop it small.
Prepare Creamy Spicy Dressing
While you’re cooking the pasta, you can go ahead and prepare your dressing in a mixing bowl. Just add the mayo, sriracha, lemon juice, pickle juice, honey and spices to a mixing bowl for the salad and mix well into a creamy mixture. Add cooked and cooled pasta to the same bowl with the chopped peppers, stir and then chill about 1 hour. After chilling or when ready to serve, go ahead and add the chopped bacon and parsley and enjoy!
Spicy Pasta Salad Ingredients
- Short Pasta– The type of pasta really depends on your preference. I like to make this with small shells, rotini, fusilli or casarecce.
- Roasted Peppers– I like to use the jarred kind and fire-roasted for extra flavor.
- Bacon– I like to use my favorite hickory smoked thick cut bacon.
- Mayonnaise– Good quality mayo.
- Sriracha hot sauce– This is what makes this pasta salad “spicy.” BUT, not all sriracha sauce is the same. The Huy Fong kind has no flavor and no heat anymore. Underwood Ranches sriracha uses the original hot peppers if it is just awesome if you haven’t tried it yet! It has amazing rich flavor and great heat. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this one (no-noone paid me to say it). We just love it!! We buy it at our local Jungle Jim’s.
- Lemon Juice– If you don’t have lemon you can substitute with lime juice.
- Pickle Juice– Can you go without? Totally. I just really like adding pickle juice to pasta and potato salads.
- Honey– I like to use raw honey.
- Fresh Parsley– I just like the taste of fresh herbs in pasta salad and I think parsley adds a nice balance and color to the salad without being overwhelming.
- Garlic– I prefer granulated garlic, but garlic powder is fine as well.
- Onion Power
- Smoked Paprika
- Salt and pepper
Optional Ingredients
Why not add these to the original recipe, you ask? Because I try to keep this as simple for the general public as possible. It’s perfect as is with the original ingredients, but these optional ingredients can just elevate it even more if you have certain preferences for certain occasions.
- Jalapeno peppers– Instead of just raw chopped up jalapenos, candied or pickled jalapenos chopped small would be fabulous here.
- Red onion– Just for a nice color and extra bite, if you like that.
- Sweet Corn– corn would add a nice color and texture.
Fire Roasted Pepper & Bacon Spicy Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 oz. short pasta dry (Examples: small shells, rotini, fusilli or casarecce)
- 2/3 cup fire roasted red pepper jarred, chopped small
- 5 slices thick apple-wood smoked bacon cooked crispy & chopped
- 1.5 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley chopped fine
- 1/3 cup real mayonnaise
- 1.5-2 Tbsp. Sriracha Put in the lesser amount to start. Spiciness will vary depending on the sriracha you use as well. We use Underwood Ranches which has a great kick!
- 1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
- 1/2 Tbsp. Pickle Juice From your refrigerator pickle jar
- 1/2 Tbsp. Honey
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp.. onion powder
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, chop the roasted peppers and fresh parsley. Â (If you don't have the bacon pre-cooked already, go ahead cook until crispy)
- In a medium bowl, (the bowl you will be making the pasta salad in) add and whisk together the mayo, sriracha sauce, lemon juice, pickle juice, granulated garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and onion powder to make the dressing.
- Once the pasta is done cooking, drain the cooked pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process while stirring for about 30 seconds.Â
- Then add the pasta, pepper, bacon, and fresh parsley to the bowl with the dressing in give it a good stir. (If you're chilling the pasta salad for a few hours, I'd wait to add the bacon and parsley when you are ready to serve. Â It'll just look fresher that way.)
- Chill the pasta salad in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. Â (If you don't have time to wait you can enjoy the salad immediately.)
- Once you're ready to serve the pasta salad, go ahead and add the chopped parsley and bacon.
Video
Notes
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
- Garnish with additional parsley and/or green onions or chives if desired.
- Pair with grilled meats, BBQ or enjoy as a picnic side.
- Enjoy with about 3-4 days, but I guarantee you it will not last that long! Â
Can’t wait to try this. Sounds delicious!
Jackie, Thanks! I hope you do try it. Let me know what you think?