Description
A creamy, savory cold pasta salad featuring bacon and ranch flavors, perfect for your Memorial Day gathering or summer cookout.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound rotini or medium shell pasta
- 1 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 (1 ounce) packet dry ranch seasoning mix
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup milk or buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: 1 cup cooked, diced chicken breast
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking process. Place the cooled pasta in a very large bowl.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the dry ranch seasoning mix, mayonnaise, milk or buttermilk, and black pepper until smooth. This is your dressing.
- Add the crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, celery, red onion, thawed peas, and optional chicken to the bowl with the pasta.
- Pour the prepared ranch dressing over the pasta and mix-ins. Stir gently until everything is evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the salad for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld.
- Before serving, stir the salad again. Add a splash more milk if the salad seems too thick after chilling. Serve cold.
Notes
- You can prepare the bacon and chop the vegetables a day ahead of time to speed up assembly.
- This salad tastes best when made the day before serving.
- If you are transporting this salad, keep it well-chilled in a cooler with ice packs.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Unsaturated Fat: 21
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 15
- Cholesterol: 45