Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (2024)

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Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe - bow tie pasta, bacon, cheddar, tomatoes and peas with creamy Ranch dressing make this salad an easy and delicious side dish!

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (1)

Summer dinners call for pasta salad. And lots of it! Add bacon and cheddar along with Ranch dressing and you have a flavor combo bound to be a hit! It's a delicious side dish everyone loves! I love making pasta salads because the options are limitless. You can use any pasta, any veggies, meat or no meat, oil and vinegar dressing or creamy dressing. All you really need to do is toss it all together and enjoy.

This Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is easy to make and perfect for summer BBQ dinners and potlucks. It's a version of our favorite BLT Pasta Salad. You have to try it!

Ingredients:

  • pasta (I used bow tie)
  • bacon
  • cherry tomatoes
  • cheddar cheese
  • green peas
  • mayo
  • sour cream
  • Ranch seasoning mix
  • milk
  • salt and pepper
  • parsley

Instructions:

Pasta salad is one of the easiest side dishes you can make.

  • Simply cook pasta until al dente and mix with cherry tomatoes, peas, shredded cheddar and of course crispy bacon.
  • Toss it all together with a mayo and sour cream dressing with the dry Ranch seasoning mix. This pasta salad is best served after being chilled for 2 hours.

You can use any short, bite-size pasta you like: penne, corkscrew, macaroni, shells or bow tie. You can add sliced olives, red onion and even celery for more texture. If you don't have dry Ranch seasoning mix, skip the milk and use ¼ cup of creamy Ranch salad dressing.

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (2)

Storing:

If you store your pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge, it should last between 3 to 5 days. Place it in the refrigerator within two hours of preparing.

More pasta salad recipes:

  • BLT Pasta Salad
  • Italian Pasta Salad
  • Pesto Pasta Salad
  • Mediterranean Couscous Salad
  • Orzo Pasta Salad
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (3)

If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (4)

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (5)

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe

Author: Anna

Bow tie pasta, bacon, cheddar, tomatoes and peas with creamy Ranch dressing make this salad an easy and delicious side dish!

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Ingredients

for salad:

  • 2 cups dry bow tie pasta
  • 6 slices bacon chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes chopped
  • ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • ¾ cup green peas

for dressing:

  • ¼ cup mayo
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons dry Ranch seasoning mix
  • 4 tablespoons milk
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  • Cook pasta according to instructions on the box. Drain and rinse with cold water. Place in a large salad bowl.

  • In a skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Remove onto a paper towel lined plate to drain the grease. Add to pasta.

  • Add green peas, tomatoes and cheddar to pasta salad. Toss gently together.

  • In a measuring cup, mix together mayo, sour cream, Ranch seasoning, milk, salt and pepper.

  • Pour over pasta salad and toss gently to coat.

  • Refrigerate salad for 2 hours, then serve.

Notes

The pasta salad is good for 3 to 5 days, if kept in air tight container in the fridge. You can use any pasta you like, as long as it's short, bite size.

Nutrition

Calories: 516kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 1172mg | Potassium: 340mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 800IU | Vitamin C: 20.7mg | Calcium: 203mg | Iron: 1.4mg

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment with rating below!

More Salad Recipes

  • Chickpea Quinoa Salad
  • Olive Garden Salad Dressing
  • Homemade Ranch Dressing and Dip
  • Leftover Turkey Salad

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Did you make this recipe? Let me know!

  1. Emily says

    Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (10)
    This was delicious! We loved it!! A nice change from the traditional macaroni salad.

    Reply

  2. C says

    Looks delish. Think I'll try subing cauliflower for the pasta for a low carb version

    Reply

    • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

      I love that idea! Thank you!

      Reply

  3. Kathy says

    Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (11)
    This worked great for our 4th get together. Thank you so much!

    Reply

    • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

      Yay! That's fantastic! Thank you so much, Kathy!

      Reply

  4. Dee says

    Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (12)
    I love how colorful this is! This is a must-make for me!

    Reply

  5. Demeter says

    I can see this disappearing quickly at any potluck or BBQ! Looks fantastic!

    Reply

  6. carrie says

    You can never go wrong with the Ranch & bacon combo! Yum! 🙂

    Reply

  7. Erin says

    This looks heavenly!

    Reply

  8. Delaney says

    This is the perfect summer side dish!

    Reply

  9. Dorothy says

    No summer get together is complete without a great pasta salad! Pasta, bacon, and ranch?? How can you go wrong??

    Reply

  10. Meghan says

    Oh man, this is the PERFECT side dish for summer BBQs!

    Reply

  11. averie says

    What a great simple summer salad that everyone will love!

    Reply

    • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

      Thank you so much, Averie!

      Reply

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (2024)

FAQs

How do you make pasta salad not soggy? ›

Since it's not being served hot or with sauce, the pasta benefits from an extra minute of cooking, but don't let it get mushy. → Follow this tip: For a well-cooked pasta salad, plan to cook the pasta until just past al dente. Adding an extra minute or so of cook time will keep the pasta soft while it cools.

How many calories are in a bacon ranch pasta salad? ›

Betty Crocker Suddenly Pasta Salad Ranch & Bacon (0.75 cup) contains 35g total carbs, 33g net carbs, 1g fat, 6g protein, and 350 calories.

What are the five mistakes to avoid pasta salad? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Pasta Salad
  • Using the wrong pasta. The wrong pasta type or size can make pasta salad soggy, slimy, or just plain hard to eat. ...
  • Salting only once, at the end. ...
  • Too many raw ingredients! ...
  • Overdressing or underdressing the salad. ...
  • Not seasoning again just before serving.

How many carbs are in bacon ranch pasta? ›

Kraft Pasta Salad Classic Ranch With Bacon (1 serving) contains 34g total carbs, 32g net carbs, 1g fat, 7g protein, and 170 calories.

How many carbs in a Mcdonald's bacon ranch salad? ›

McDONALD'S, Bacon Ranch Salad with Grilled Chicken
Amount Per Serving
Total Fat 10g12%
Total Carbohydrate 11g4%
Sugars 5g0%
Dietary Fiber 3g11%
10 more rows

How many carbs are in bacon ranch pasta salad? ›

170 Calories
Fat1 g
Carbs34 g
Fiber1 g
Protein7 g

Should I rinse pasta for cold pasta salad? ›

The starch in the water is what helps the sauce adhere to your pasta. The only time you should ever rinse your pasta is when you are going to use it in a cold dish like a pasta salad or when you are not going to use it immediately. In those cases, rinsing the pasta helps to stop the cooking process.

Why is my homemade pasta soggy? ›

If you use a pot that's not large enough, the water temperature will begin to drop. This will result in clumpy, mushy pasta. Additionally, this will create a higher starch-to-water ratio, which causes the pasta to stick together. In conclusion: Avoid clumpy, mushy, and sticky pasta by using the right pot!

Will pasta salad soften in the fridge? ›

Tomatoes are soft vegetables. The pasta can become mushy in a few days. Use acidic ingredients such as lemon juice and vinegar to preserve salads for an additional day or two.

How do you fix soggy pasta? ›

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add your overcooked pasta. Gently sauté over medium heat for a few minutes until the pasta's texture has firmed up. The whole process takes less than 10 minutes and you'll know it is done when the edges of the pasta have started to crisp and light browning has begun.

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