Tired of boring pasta salads? This Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is sure to please! It features plenty of bacon, peas, and cherry tomatoes all wrapped in a delicious ranch dressing.
Ranch dressing pasta salad
My family loves ranch dressing, so this pasta salad was an instant hit! I used my homemade ranch dressing, but your favorite bottle of ranch dressing also works.
This is a perfect salad to serve at BBQs, potluck dinners, or family dinners. You can serve Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad right away, it gets even better if it's refrigerated for two hours before serving. This gives the flavors a chance to meld together.
Ingredients for ranch pasta salad
- Pasta - Use fusilli or tri-colored rotini pasta. Small shells, elbow macaroni, or bowtie pasta also work well.
- Ranch Dressing - I like to use my homemade ranch dressing, but your favorite store-bought ranch dressing works well too.
- Bacon - Cook up about 8 slices of bacon and chop into pieces. The crispier the better!
- Frozen Peas - Find petite peas. They are the sweetest. Pull the peas out of the freezer so they begin to thaw. It's okay to add if they are still partially frozen. No need to cook the peas!
- Cherry Tomatoes - Adds color and flavor!
Step-by-step directions for making ranch pasta salad
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water to remove extra starch, and to cool the pasta. Drain all excess water.
- Place cooled pasta in a large bowl along with ranch dressing. Stir gently to coat.
- Add peas, bacon, tomatoes, and cheese.
- Stir gently so everything is distributed.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Just before serving, stir again. If the pasta seems dry, add ¼-½ cup of ranch dressing.
Recipe tips
- Make certain your pasta is cool before adding the ranch dressing. Rinsing the cooked pasta under cold water will cool the pasta quickly and will help keep the pasta from sticking.
- The pasta will absorb some of the dressing while in the refrigerator. If the salad becomes too dry, add more dressing. You can also add 1-2 tablespoons of milk to help moisten the salad.
- This salad is best when it has had a chance to meld the flavors in the refrigerator for 2 hours. However, if needed, you can serve it right away.
- Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Frequently asked questions
This pasta salad should last 3-4 days when covered and refrigerated.
Serving suggestions
Serve with your favorite main dishes. Some options include:
- Grilled Beer Can Chicken
- Baked Chicken Legs
- Crockpot Italian Beef Sandwiches
- Blackened Walleye
- Baked Apricot Chicken
More delicious pasta salads
If you love having a variety of pasta salads in your dinner rotation, you'll also want to try these delicious pasta salads:
- Italian Pasta Salad - Dressed with a homemade zesty Italian dressing.
- Deviled Egg Pasta Salad - Creamy and delicious with added hard-boiled eggs.
- Tortellini Pasta Salad - Cheese tortellini is the pasta used in this salad.
- Orzo Pasta Salad - Small rice-shaped orzo pasta makes a great salad.
- Easy Pasta Salad - When you need something fast, easy, and delicious, this is a great pasta salad!
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious salad recipes!
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound tricolored rotini pasta
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- 1 cup crispy bacon (chopped, about 8 strips)
- 1 bag frozen peas, thawed (10 ounce bag)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water to remove extra starch, and cool the pasta. Drain all excess water.1 pound tricolored rotini pasta
- Place cooled pasta in a large bowl along with ranch dressing. Stir gently to coat.1 cup ranch dressing
- Add peas, bacon, tomatoes, and cheese. Stir gently so everything is distributed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.1 cup crispy bacon, 1 bag frozen peas, thawed, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- Just before serving, stir again. If the pasta seems dry, add ¼-½ cup of ranch dressing.
Notes
-
- Make certain your pasta is cool before adding the ranch dressing. Rinsing the cooked pasta under cold water will cool the pasta quickly and will help keep the pasta from sticking.
- It's okay to add the peas while they are still partially frozen.
-
- The pasta will absorb some of the dressing while in the refrigerator. If it becomes too dry, add more dressing. You can also add 1-2 tablespoons of milk to help moisten the salad.
-
- This salad is best when it has had a chance for the flavors to meld in the refrigerator for 2 hours. However, if needed, you can serve right away.
-
- Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Fran @ G;day Souffle' says
Kathy, I'm glad to hear that you are still blogging 'beyond your chicken coop'! This looks like an incredibly flavorful dish, plus something my toddler granddaughter would like!
Kathy says
Hi Fran!
So good to hear from you!!! You'll definitely need to make this for your granddaughter! I hope you're still blogging too!
Kathy 🙂
Fran@ G'day Souffle says
Yep- still blogging! I had a 15-month break though, after suffering from 'blogger's block'! Got inspired again, thank goodness!
Kathy says
Yay!!! We all need a break sometimes! Glad you're still going! 🙂