Cheese, Ranch, Bacon… all wrapped up in this cold pasta salad is one of our FAVORITE creamy pasta salad recipes to date! Add chicken to make a quick weeknight dinner that’s perfect any time of year!
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Why You’ll Love this Recipe
With spring and summer potlucks and barbecues just around the corner, this Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is a cold pasta salad recipe that you need on deck. Simple ingredients and prep work make this pasta salad a snap to put together and it just may become one of your favorite summer salads!
Hey Fantabulosity readers, it’s Meg popping in from Meg’s Everyday Indulgence. I promise you are going to love today’s easy pasta salad – my Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe
A good pasta salad is so perfect to have in your wheelhouse. Whether it’s for a potluck dinner, dinner party, barbecue or you’re looking for the perfect side dish for a quick weeknight dinner!
Recipe Ingredients
(You can find the full printable recipe card with instructions below too!)
You only need 6 ingredients for this delicious pasta salad.
- 1 lb. short cut pasta -The first of course is the pasta. You can use whatever type of pasta you prefer but I definitely recommend it being a short cut pasta. Elbows, penne, shells, bowtie or my personal favorite, cavatappi, all work really well. We love a fun shaped pasta around here.
- 1 lb. bacon – What makes this pasta salad its best self, is a whole pound of crispy bacon. It gets cooked up to crispy perfection before being stirred into the pasta salad. A pound may seem like a lot but with a pound of pasta, it’s the perfect amount!
- 1 dry ranch mix
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2 cups cubed cheddar cheese – I firmly believe cheese makes most things better and that’s very true with this bacon ranch pasta salad. I personally prefer cubed cheese over shredded cheese in a pasta salad. Shredded seems to get a little weird in texture. Dare I say squishy? And who doesn’t love a big bite of cheese with their creamy pasta?! It’s a way better option in my opinion.
Salad Dressing Tips
The ranch flavor comes from a ranch dressing packet, mayo
When you mix together the dressing for the pasta salad it will be runny. It’ll seem too runny but trust me, it’s just right. The magic to this pasta salad is making it ahead of time to allow it to soak up the delicious sauce and thicken up to create a creamy ranch dressing!
Note: You don’t have to make it the night before, but it should be mixed up at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to mingle.
Step by Step Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Dice bacon into small pieces and add to the hot skillet. Cook until crisp. Drain on paper towel.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the ranch dressing mix, mayonnaise and milk. Set aside. (IMAGE 1)
- Once pasta is done, rinse well with cold water. Shake as much water off the pasta as possible. Add to the ranch mixture. Add bacon and cheese cubes. Stir well. Let sit in the fridge for at least an hour or up to overnight. Stir again before serving. (IMAGE 2)
I love the textures in this pasta salad. The pasta has that little bite, the bacon keeps its crispiness, the cheese is a little chewy and the creamy sauce brings it all together. I am not embarrassed to say I wanted to hide this from my whole family. I didn’t but I seriously considered it because it’s a great recipe!
Optional Pasta Salad Mix-In Ideas
This pasta salad is super basic but I’ve listed some ideas of additional ingredients you can stir in to make it a little different and cater to your family’s tastes.
We like the basic ranch, bacon, cheese situation at our house for a side dish idea, but you can stir in sliced black olives, fresh veggies like sweet peas or orange bell pepper, red onions, green onions, garlic powder, onion powder, or diced tomatoes.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Know what else I love? Being able to add a protein like chicken to salad recipes like this, and transform it in to a jam-packed heartier dish, or even a main dish recipe!
Feel free to grab a cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, frozen cooked chicken breast, or even make your own chicken in the Instant Pot to keep this recipe quick and easy but hearty!
If you’re looking forward to warm weather and outdoor gatherings as much as me, keep this bacon ranch pasta salad in mind. It’s one of the easy recipes you’ll want to keep on hand for so many reasons!
You will also love this amazing collection of pasta salads, especially this Italian Pasta Salad, so you can fill your summer meal plan with many different salads!
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb. short cut pasta
- 1 lb. bacon
- 1 1 oz. ranch dressing packet
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2 cups cubed cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Dice bacon into small pieces and add to the hot skillet. Cook until crisp. Drain on paper towel.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the ranch dressing mix, mayonnaise and milk. Set aside.
- Once pasta is done, rinse well with cold water. Shake as much water off the pasta as possible. Add to the ranch mixture. Add bacon and cheese cubes. Stir well. Let sit in the fridge for at least an hour or up to overnight. Stir again before serving.
Jo says
I was looking for a good pasta salad for dinner this past weekend. This salad was super quick to put together and the taste was amazing! I did use Uncle Dan’s Country Ranch dressing mix…….and it was AWESOME! I added peperjack cheese as well as the cheddar cheese to give it a bit more zing! I’m making it again tonight. My family loved it.
Jessica says
Oh my goodness that sounds delicious!! Thank you for taking the time to let us know what all you did! If you want to leave a star review as well, I’d be so appreciative!!