This creamy and cold pasta salad is a quick and easy side dish perfect for a picnic that can be made in under 30 minutes. With a unique flavor, Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad, made with peas, is a recipe you’ll want to serve all summer long.
Why This Recipe Works
Summer is best spent outdoors soaking up those warm longer days, which means recipes that keep you in the kitchen should be few and far between. This simple pasta salad can be made in under 30 minutes, so you can cook less and picnic more.
The bacon and ranch combination is a unique flavor that pairs perfectly with the cheddar cheese mixed in. This is one side dish everyone is going to want to try, which is another great part of this recipe because it makes enough for a crowd.
If you plan on serving this at your next picnic or backyard barbecue you can also easily make it 2 days ahead of when you want to serve it. The bacon, cheddar cheese, and pasta are also super appealng to the younger crown making it super kid-friendly.
What You’ll Need
- Cheddar Cheese: I recommend buying a block of cheddar cheese and shredding it yourself. Shredded cheese is covered in a potato starch to keep it fresh and therefore the flavor is much better when you shred it yourself.
- Sour Cream: choose a full fat sour cream for this recipe so the dressing is thicker.
- Pasta: tubed pasta such as macaroni, penne, or ziti is the best pasta for pasta salad. They have simple shapes that don’t soak up the dressing as much as other shapes.
- Hot Sauce: this is purely optional, but adds a nice kick to the pasta sauce dressing.
Additional Mix-Ins
- Olives: Any type of pitted olives. Adding green olives will bring a nice tangy flavor whereas black olives will be a milder flavor that’s commonly found in pasta salad.
- Tomatoes: Why not make this a BLT pasta salad and add some tomatoes, of course you’ll also need to add some greens too, but tomatoes are a great option to toss in.
- Meats: Salami, Prosciutto, Pepperoni are some options to either add in or swap with the bacon.
- Cheese: You can swap the cheese or add some in. Cut the cheddar cheese amount in half and add in some Colby Jack or Mozzarella instead.
- Vegetables: Try some spinach, cucumber, broccoli, celery or even onions for a little extra flavor and crunch.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the macaroni. Cook until al dente, drain, and then rinse the pasta with cold water. Place the pasta in a large bowl.
- In a medium-sized bowl whisk the ranch dip seasoning mix, sour cream, mayonnaise, hot sauce, and paprika together until fully combined.
- Add the mayonnaise mixture to the pasta and toss to coat evenly.
- Mix the cheddar cheese, peas, and crumbled bacon into the pasta mixture and toss until fully incorporated. Place it in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 1 hour to get the best flavor.
Make it Ahead
Pasta salad gets better as it chills and marinates in the fridge, which is I recommend making a day or two in advance of when you plan on serving it. It will last for up to 5 days if stored in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- To get the ultimate flavor from this pasta salad chill it for at least 2 days before you plan on serving it.
- Since this recipe contains sour cream and mayonnaise make sure to keep it out of direct sunlight if you plan on serving it outdoors.
- To keep the macaroni from absorbing the mayonnaise dressing make sure the noodles are chilled and dry, not wet from rinsing them. I like to spread my noodles out on a paper towel-lined baking sheet before I toss it with the dressing. You can also toss the noodles with 2 tablespoons of olive oil to coat them first.
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad FAQ:
Yes. This is actually a key step because rinsing the pasta in cold water allows it to chill and stop cooking.
Anything from the grill! Grilled chicken, burgers, or even some pulled pork or ribs. This salad makes a great side to summer meals.
Related Recipes
If you made this recipe I want to hear all about it! Share a photo and tag me on Instagram using @AimeeMarsLiving and #AimeeMars so I can see your beautiful work. Enjoy!
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Stock Pot
- Colander
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Cheese Grater
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce box Elbow Macaroni
- 1 1-ounce Hidden Valley Ranch Dip Seasoning Mix
- 1 16-ounce Sour Cream
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons Hot Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 16 ounces Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 1 10-ounce bag Frozen Peas thawed
- 10 slices Bacon cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook pasta until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Don’t overcook the noodles because you want them to hold shape well in the salad. Drain and rinse the pasta in cold water and place in a large bowl.
- In a medium-sized bowl whisk the ranch dip seasoning mix, sour cream, mayonnaise, hot sauce, and paprika together until fully combined. Add in the crumbled bacon and peas, tossing to coat. Stir in the cooked pasta until completely mixed.
- Add the mayonnaise dressing mixture to the pasta and toss to coat.
- Mix the cheddar cheese, peas, and crumbled bacon into the pasta mixture and toss until fully incorporated. Cover and place the pasta salad in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour to get the best flavor.
Notes
- To get the ultimate flavor from this pasta salad chill it for at least 2 days before you plan on serving it.
- Since this recipe contains sour cream and mayonnaise make sure to keep it out of direct sunlight if you plan on serving it outdoors.
- To keep the macaroni from absorbing the mayonnaise dressing make sure the noodles are chilled and dry, not wet from rinsing them. I like to spread my noodles out on a paper towel-lined baking sheet before I toss it with the dressing. You can also toss the noodles with 2 tablespoons of olive oil to coat them first.
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