Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad combines crispy bacon, tender pasta, sharp cheese, sweet peas, and a cool ranch dressing to create the BEST pasta salad ever! You can never have too many salad recipes in your recipe box, and this one is an all-time favorite.
This salad is the perfect side dish for BBQ Chicken Legs, Crock Pot Chicken Thighs, and Air Fryer Hot Dogs.
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If you have kids, you’re probably familiar with the last-minute gatherings and calls saying, “Hey, can my friends come over in an hour?” (or less). It’s one of the joys of parenthood, and I mean it. I’ve become so proficient at last-minute party food that can feed a crowd that if I were a superhero, that would be my power. This bacon ranch pasta salad is my go-to recipe because everyone loves it, and I usually have everything on hand!
Why I Love This Easy Pasta Salad Recipe
- It serves a crowd with minimal effort because all you need to do is chop up a few things, boil pasta, and mix. Plus, you can add certain ingredients if you have more on hand (like doubling the pasta and dressing to feed hungry teenage boys).
- It’s perfect as a quick and easy side dish because it only takes minutes to assemble. The longest part of the recipe is waiting for the pasta to boil.
- It is super portable, making a great salad for parties, cookouts, and summer barbecues.
Ingredients Needed For This Simple Pasta Salad Recipe
- Pasta – I like to use Rotelli or elbow pasta.
- Cheddar Cheese – Cube the cheddar cheese for easy eating.
- Peas – I prefer frozen peas that I thaw because they are always in my freezer.
- Bacon – Cook it to crispy perfection and then chop it small. For different ways to cook it, you can try my air fryer bacon or oven baked bacon.
- Fresh herbs – I use a combination of chives and parsley to bring a freshness to the pasta salad.
- Seasoning – This is a Hidden Valley ranch pasta salad through and through. Hidden Valley ranch packets are made with simple ingredients, and you can’t beat the flavor they pack.
- The cream – To make the rest of the dressing, I use a combination of sour cream for tang, mayonnaise for creaminess, and milk to help thin out the dressing.
How To Make Homemade Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
- Begin by cooking your pasta according to the directions on the back of the box. Drain and rinse the cooked pasta thoroughly. Place the pasta in a large bowl with cubed cheddar cheese, thawed peas, and chopped bacon pieces.
- In a small bowl whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, dried ranch seasoning, and milk until creamy and smooth. Pour this dressing over the pasta mixture and gently stir to coat all the ingredients.
- Sprinkle fresh chives and parsley over your salad and toss until well combined. Serve immediately or cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Additions And Variations To This Cold Pasta Salad
- Chicken – Adding chicken can transform this recipe from a tasty side dish into a whole meal!
- Sriracha – If you’re a fan of spicy foods, add a tablespoon of Sriracha to the dressing for a kick of heat!
- Fresh Basil – While it’s a welcome addition to most recipes, fresh basil is particularly good in this one! Sprinkle it with your chives and parsley, and it’ll give the salad an added burst of freshness.
People Often Ask…
I think the answer to this is completely based on personal opinion! This salad has many of the same ingredients as macaroni salad and is often served the same way at parties, cookouts, and potlucks.
Run the pasta under cold water while straining.
Yes, you can make this up to a day in advance, but I recommend waiting to add the bacon and dressing until right before serving.
This pasta salad will last 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. It will settle in the refrigerator so toss it with a little olive oil or extra dressing before serving.
More Pasta Salad Recipes You’ll Love
If you tried this Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta – rotelli or elbow
- 8 oz cheddar cheese – cubed
- 1 bag (10 oz) frozen peas – thawed
- 8 strips cooked bacon – chopped
- 2 tablespoons chives – chopped
- 1 tablespoon parsley – chopped
Dressing
- 4 tablespoons (2 packages) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to directions on box. Drain and rinse. Place pasta in a large bowl along with cheddar cheese, peas and bacon.
- Mix dried ranch, sour cream, mayonnaise and mix together until smooth. Pour over pasta and other ingredients and sprinkle on chives and parsley. Toss together until well mixed. Serve immediately. Can be stored in fridge – may need to additional sour cream/milk if pasta sticks together.
Notes
- You can make this up to a day in advance, but I recommend waiting to add the bacon and dressing until right before serving.
- This pasta salad will last 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. It will settle in the refrigerator so toss it with a little olive oil or extra dressing before serving.
Nutrition
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Joe
Love it made it five times now
Donya
Hey there Joe!
Oh my goodness, I am thrilled to hear that you’ve been enjoying this recipe, it’s a family favorite in my house too! Thank you so much for your kind words of support and for your fantastic rating, feel free to reach out if you ever have any questions about a recipe, I’d be happy to help!
~Donya
Angela M Butler
love this dish..easy..and delish
Donya
Hey there Angela!
Wow! Thank you so much for your fantastic rating, I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! If you liked this recipe, you should check out my Caprese Pasta Salad recipe, I think you’d really enjoy it! Thank you for your support, if you ever have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out!
~Donya
Paula
Excellent! I was asked to bring a pasta salad to an upcoming event. I tested this recipe as written and loved it. It will definitely be coming with me to the party. Thanks for posting! My new favorite!!!
Donya
Hey there Paula!
Wow! Thank you so much for your sweet words and your phenomenal rating, I really appreciate it! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, I agree it’s perfect for a party side or a potluck dish. If you’re going to a big party/cookout you might want to double the servings, but even as is the recipe will make a decent amount. Thank you so much for your support, I hope everyone at the party enjoys!
~Donya
Jan
I want to try this recipe but we have a 2 hour drive to get to our family reunion. The recipe says to serve immediately upon mixing. Should I wait to mix it together?
Donya
Hey there Jan!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, it’ll be a PERFECT dish to serve at a family reunion! I would recommend waiting to combine all of the ingredients until you arrive, it doesn’t take long to put together once the dressing is made, and that way everything will stay nice and fresh. I really appreciate your support, please let me know if you have any other questions, I’d be more than happy to help!
~Donya
Claudine Bratcher
Oh, YUM! I love pasta salads especially with BACON. Thanks for sharing.