Featured 5 Star Comment
“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. My new favorite!”
Paula
An Old-School Recipe I Know By Heart
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). Bacon ranch pasta salad is the recipe I reach for every single time someone calls and says, “Can we come over?”
I almost always have everything in the pantry and fridge. The bacon comes out crispy. The dressing is cool, creamy, and tangy from the ranch seasoning. Sharp cheddar cubes are tucked in every bite. It takes less than 30 minutes to pull together, and it holds up beautifully at cookouts, potlucks, or any table that needs feeding fast. Here is everything you need to make it your new go-to, too.
Enjoy!
Donya’s Tips and Things To Know
Cook the pasta al dente: Pasta keeps softening as it sits in the dressing, so pull it just before you think it’s done. A little bite now means perfect texture after a few hours in the fridge.
Rinse with cold water right after draining: This stops the cooking immediately and cools the pasta down fast. It also keeps the noodles from clumping together before the dressing goes on.
Add bacon right before you serve: Bacon stirred in too early turns soft and loses that satisfying crunch.
Use a splash of milk to loosen the dressing: After chilling, the dressing thickens up as the pasta absorbs it. If you need to stir in a small splash of milk.
This salad is the perfect side dish for BBQ Chicken Legs, Crock Pot Chicken Thighs, and Air Fryer Hot Dogs.
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, then chop it into small pieces. 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 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. To make the rest of the dressing, I use a combination of sour cream for tang, mayonnaise for creaminess, and milk to thin it out.
Additions And Variations To 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.
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 refrigerate until ready to serve.
More Pasta Salad Recipes You’ll Love
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
Questions With My Best Answers
I think the answer to this is entirely a matter of 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.
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!
My New eBook!
Top 25 Viral Recipes
Whether you’re cooking for two, feeding a busy family, or filling your home with friends, I’m cheering you on from my kitchen. I hope this eBook brings you comfort, creativity, and plenty of delicious moments around your table.
Southern Cooking: My Signature Recipes
GET THIS FREE GUIDE: Bright seasonal dishes, unfussy prep, and big Southern flavor!
I need some clarification- recipe calls for 4TBS hidden valley ranch OR 2 packages-curious to know what size were your packages? Mine were 1oz. package each- that measured out to MORE than 4TBS….Thanks
Great question — that can definitely be confusing!
The packets are 1 oz each, and yes, 2 packets will be more than 4 tablespoons. The recipe is basically giving you two options depending on what you have:
• 4 tablespoons of the bulk/dry ranch seasoning
• OR 2 (1 oz) packets of ranch seasoning mix
Either works — the packets will just give a slightly stronger ranch flavor
~Donya
Love it made it five times now
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
love this dish..easy..and delish
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
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!!!
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
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?
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
Oh, YUM! I love pasta salads especially with BACON. Thanks for sharing.