Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

In my opinion, any occasion is an occasion for pasta salad. There’s always room for at least one bowl on any table, and this bacon ranch pasta salad is a new favorite of mine that’s been making repeat appearances due to popular demand.

Like any of the best pasta salad recipes, this one begins with tender, al dente pasta. Then, crisp chopped bacon is added along with peas, broccoli and cheddar cheese. Everything gets tossed in a super simple, nonetheless delicious, ranch-style dressing. The result is a total crowd-pleaser, so you may as well go ahead and make a double batch because it won’t last long at your next event.

Ingredients for Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home

• Pasta: Tricolor rotini is our favorite pasta shape for this bacon ranch dressing pasta salad. Rotini has the perfect shape for clinging with the tantalizing ranch dressing, and having multiple colors of noodles (hence, tricolor) in the salad is just plain fun.
• Mayonnaise: You can choose your favorite brand of mayonnaise for this recipe, or try your hand at making homemade mayonnaise.
• Sour cream: Sour cream counters the mayo’s sweetness, adding extra creaminess and subtle tang to the dressing.
• Ranch salad dressing mix: For this ranch and bacon pasta salad recipe, you’ll need one packet of classic ranch dressing mix. For extra tang, opt for a buttermilk variety or add heat with a spicy ranch mix. You can also make your own ranch dressing mix.
• Seasonings: For a little extra flavor, we add a pinch of black pepper and garlic powder to the dressing.
• Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese is a natural partner to bacon and ranch. You can use any type of cheddar you enjoy. We like to use a sharp cheddar for maximum cheesy flavor. Use the rest of the bag in another cheddar cheese recipe.
• Broccoli: Bite-sized pieces of fresh broccoli combine nicely with the ranch and bacon, adding crunch, texture and freshness to this easy pasta bacon ranch salad recipe.
• Peas: A handful of green peas brings a little sweetness to counter the salty bacon. The peas also pepper the pasta salad with a wonderful green color.
• Bacon: Everything is better with bacon (that’s why there are so many top-rated recipes with bacon). It adds smokiness and a salty, meaty flavor to this delectable potluck recipe.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the pasta

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and then rinse with cold water.

Editor’s Tip: Rinsing the cooked noodles in cold water halts the cooking process, which is important because you want to make sure your pasta isn’t mushy. Otherwise, it will break down when you stir all the ingredients together.

Step 2: Make the dressing

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, ranch seasoning, black pepper and garlic powder until combined.

Step 3: Toss to combine

Add the pasta, cheese, broccoli, cooked bacon and thawed peas to the bowl with the dressing. Toss until everything is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Editor’s Tip: Like many pasta salad recipes, this one also benefits from resting in the fridge for a bit before serving. The quick chill allows the flavors to develop and marry together, resulting in a more flavorful bacon ranch pasta salad when it’s time to eat.

Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Variations

• Replace the bacon: If you don’t have bacon, this pasta salad is also delicious with chopped ham or cooked pancetta.
• Add chicken: Chicken, bacon and ranch? Yes, please! Add up to 1 cup chopped grilled chicken breast to make this a chicken bacon ranch pasta salad.
• Make vegetable substitutes and additions: As with other pasta salads with vegetables, you can swap in and add other vegetables you enjoy. Sliced cherry tomatoes, julienned bell peppers, cucumbers, thinly sliced red onion or black olives would also work nicely in this salad.
• Choose a different cheese: If you don’t have cheddar, you can swap in another type of cheese you enjoy. Smoked Gouda, fontina, Swiss or pepper jack would all make tasty swaps in this pasta bacon ranch salad.

How to Store Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

Like other cold pasta salad recipes, bacon ranch pasta salad should be stored in an airtight food storage container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

How long does bacon ranch pasta salad last?

Ranch and bacon pasta salad lasts up to five days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For food safety reasons, don’t leave the dish at room temperature for more than two hours if you’re serving it at a potluck. Knowing how to keep food cold at events is useful for food safety and preventing food waste.

Can you make bacon ranch pasta salad ahead of time?

Yes! You can make this bacon ranch dressing pasta salad up to 24 hours ahead. However, keep in mind that the pasta salad will lose some of its sauciness as it sits, since the pasta will soak up some of the dressing. If you choose to make the pasta salad ahead, we suggest either reserving half the dressing or making additional dressing to add to the salad just before serving.

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Tips

Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home

What other pasta shapes can you use for bacon ranch pasta salad?

We went with tricolor spiral pasta for a colorful presentation. However, you can choose any short-cut pasta shape that you enjoy. Medium shells, macaroni, penne or cavatappi would work well in this recipe. For pasta salads like this one, we like to use pasta shapes with ridges or a tubular appearance since the dressing will cling to the ridges or collect in the tubes.

What can you do if your bacon ranch pasta salad is dry?

If you feel your ranch and bacon pasta salad is dry, you can whip up some extra dressing to add moisture. If you want your dressing to be a bit thinner, you could add 3 to 4 tablespoons whole milk or buttermilk (for extra tang) to the dressing before combining it with the pasta.

What can you serve with bacon ranch pasta salad?

This pasta bacon ranch salad recipe pairs well with an array of potluck recipes and picnic favorites. Serve it with colorful fruit and cheese kabobs and a platter of barbecue chicken sliders, or opt for some loaded baked potato dip and some cranberry chicken salad sandwiches.