Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
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Posted: 06/17/23
Updated: 06/19/23
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Mix up your summer pasta salad with this delicious Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad! Loaded with ranch seasoning, bacon, pasta and peas. It will quickly become a staple at all of your summer BBQs, parties and dinners!
I love a great pasta salad at any party I’m at. They are a staple and always seem to be hits! My favorite is Cashew Chicken Rotini Salad, but it has a contender now for that favorite spot in my heart!
This Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is right up there with it. So creamy and delicious. I know you are going to love it too! It’s loaded with pasta, peas, carrots and ranch seasoning. Anything with ranch is a winner in my book!
I’ll admit it. I use the Kraft box salad mixes. I thought it was time that I made my own version of my favorite boxed salad mix, Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad!
I have to admit it’s really not much harder than the boxed version and it tastes way better!
This salad is a perfect summer treat to accompany your grilled food. It is going to be replacing my need for the box mixes.
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Why You Should Make Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad!
- It takes pantry staples that are easy to keep on hand so you can make this easy pasta salad whenever you want.
- This is always a winner at any potluck we go to. It’s got “normal” ingredients and the kids love it, plus the adults do too. It seems like anything with ranch and bacon is always a winner.
- It only takes about 15 minutes to prep and make this salad so there’s no excuse not it try it this summer!
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Ingredients
- Pasta – We used penne pasta, but any short pasta will work.
- Mayonnaise – Miracle Whip will also work but it will give the salad a sweeter taste.
- Sour cream – Also could use Greek yogurt.
- Peas – Thaw out the frozen peas before adding to your salad.
- Carrot – For a time saver grab a bag of pre-shredded carrots in the produce section.
- Real bacon bits – You could use bacon and chop it up too.
- Dry ranch seasoning mix – We used Hidden Valley but any brand will use.
Another option is to substitute the mayonnaise, sour cream and ranch seasoning mix for ranch dressing from the bottle! So many options to make these easy summer salad recipe yours.
Can I use a different pasta than Penne in this salad?
- Rotini: This spiral-shaped pasta is great for pasta salads because its twists and turns hold onto the dressing and other ingredients well.
- Farfalle: Also known as “bow-tie pasta,” farfalle has a shape that holds up well in salads and is easy to eat.
- Fusilli: Similar to rotini, fusilli’s corkscrew shape is great for holding onto sauces and smaller ingredients.
- Rigatoni: This tube-shaped pasta is larger than penne, but its ridges make it a good option for holding onto sauces.
- Macaroni: A classic choice for pasta salads, macaroni is small, easy to eat, and holds onto dressing well.
- Gemelli: This pasta looks like two strands twisted together and it’s great for pasta salads because it holds onto ingredients well.
How to Make Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
- Prepare pasta according to directions. Rinse with cold water and drain well.
- In a large bowl combine other ingredients. Stir in pasta and combine well. Chill for 2 hours before serving.
More Great Ad-Ins For Your Salad!
- Diced onion
- Diced celery
- Cubed or shredded cheese
- Diced red pepper
- Pickles
- Pickle juice
- Diced hard boiled eggs
How Long Can Pasta Salad Sit Out?
This is a bit of a tricky question. Macaroni salad can sit out for up to 2 hours at room temperature, but there are factors that play into this. If it is sitting in the sun at an outdoor function it can spoil much faster.
Try to keep it in the shade when you are serving otherwise put a large bowl under the bowl with the macaroni salad in it and then put ice in that bowl to keep it cold longer.
Storage Tips!
- Cool Down: Allow the salad to cool down to room temperature before storing. Do not leave it out for more than 2 hours to prevent bacterial growth.
- Transfer to Container: Transfer the leftover salad to an airtight container. This will help maintain freshness and prevent the salad from absorbing odors from other foods in the fridge.
- Seal and Store: Seal the container tightly and store it in the refrigerator.
- Revive Before Serving: If the salad seems a bit dry when you’re ready to eat it again, you can add a little more mayonnaise or ranch dressing to moisten it.
How Long Can I Store Macaroni Salad In The Fridge?
I love making this salad ahead of time so I can just pull it out of the fridge and we are ready to go.
You can safely store this macaroni salad in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store in an airtight container to maximize freshness.
If it starts to dry out simply at a little more mayonnaise to it, otherwise only add have of the mayonnaise to begin with and add the rest right before serving.
Should you rinse macaroni when making macaroni salad?
Yes, rinsing it in cold water cool the macaroni down plus it will help stop the cooking progress, so your pasta doesn’t become overcooked and mushy. Another great thing is it takes some of the starch off the pasta which prevents it from sticking together or clumping.
How do I keep macaroni from absorbing mayonnaise?
After the macaroni is done cooking run it under cold water to cool it off. Then place it in the refrigerator to cool it down completely. After it’s cooled the mix your dressing and macaroni together. A cooled macaroni will absorb the mayonnaise slower.
Serve it as a Main Dish!
If you want to make it a main dish just add in some grilled or shredded chicken and you’d have an entire meal!
Pro Tips!
- Pasta Cooking: Cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. This means the pasta should be cooked so that it is still firm when bitten. Overcooked pasta can become mushy in the salad.
- Rinsing Pasta: Rinse the cooked pasta under cold water not only to cool it down quickly but also to remove excess starch which can make your salad gummy.
- Dressing: If you’re preparing the salad ahead of time, consider reserving some of the dressing to mix in just before serving. Pasta salads can absorb dressing as they sit, so this can help keep it moist.
- Variations: Feel free to customize this salad with your favorite add-ins. Some diced red bell pepper, shredded chicken, or even some hard-boiled eggs could add more flavor and texture.
- Serving: This salad can be served immediately, but for the best flavor, let it chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together.
- Storage: Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and are best consumed within 5 days. If the salad seems a bit dry after storage, stir in a little extra mayonnaise or ranch dressing to refresh it.
- Food Safety: If serving this salad at an outdoor event, remember to keep it cool to prevent spoilage. It should not sit out for more than 2 hours at room temperature.
What Should I Serve With Cold Pasta Salad?
Add a main dish, fruit salad and grilled vegetables and we are ready to go!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Creamy Pasta Salad Loaded with Pasta, Peas, Carrot, Bacon Bits and Ranch!
servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- ½ cup real bacon bits
- 2 packets dry ranch seasoning mix (1 ounce each)
Instructions
- Prepare pasta according to directions. Rinse with cold water and drain well.
- In a large bowl combine other ingredients. Stir in pasta and combine well. Chill for 2 hours before serving.
Tips
- Diced onion
- Diced celery
- Cubed or shredded cheese
- Diced red pepper
- Pickles
- Pickle juice
- Diced hard boiled eggs
Video
Nutrition Information
Calories: 476kcal (24%), Carbohydrates: 44g (15%), Protein: 12g (24%), Fat: 27g (42%), Saturated Fat: 7g (44%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 36mg (12%), Sodium: 802mg (35%), Potassium: 328mg (9%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 5g (6%), Vitamin A: 4301IU (86%), Vitamin C: 11mg (13%), Calcium: 50mg (5%), Iron: 1mg (6%)
Elaine says
Yum!!! This was the perfect addition to our poolside BBQ. Everyone loved it!
Andrea Boles says
Delicious!
Julie Evink says
Glad you enjoyed it Andrea!
Rhonda Barrett says
I loved the Suddenly Salad version I had a few years ago, but wanted a homemade version for my family reunion, so your recipe was it with a few changes. I used:
1 lb. Rotini pasta
1 cup light mayo
1 cup light sour cream
1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dip mix
2 cups of frozen peas & carrots
8 sliced of freshly fried and chopped bacon
A bit of 2% milk
Evening before:
While the pasta was cooking, I put the frozen peas & carrots in the colander and mixed the sour cream, mayo and Hidden Valley Ranch Dip mix together in my large serving bowl. After the pasta was cooked, I poured the pasta directly onto the peas and carrots and stirred them together in the colander at the same time the cold running water was stopping the cooking process on the pasta. I then added the pasta, peas and carrots to the dressing mixture, and mixed it altogether. I covered it and refrigerated it overnight.
The next morning:
While I fried and chopped up the bacon, I had the salad mixture sitting out to “thaw”. Since it “dried” out after being refrigerated, I stirred in a little milk and added the bacon.
It was perfect. My family loved it. For just my bff and myself, I’ll cut the recipe in half.
Thanks for sharing this with the world.
Julie Evink says
Sounds like great twists on this recipe! Glad you enjoyed it!
Jaime @ Mom's Test Kitchen says
Lol, I’ve got three of those boxes sitting in my pantry right now!! <3
Thanks for sharing this for the round up!
caterers in new york says
I added some parmesan cheese and it tasted really delicious. Thank you very much.
Sunshine says
mmmmmm…I must make this!
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Krista says
Glad you liked it Julie and thanks for the kind words! ~EMM