Description
Creamy ranch bacon pasta salad delivers summer picnic perfection with crisp bacon and zesty ranch dressing. Cool noodles and tangy flavors combine for a crowd-pleasing dish you’ll crave at gatherings and backyard barbecues.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) rotini pasta
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) cooked and crumbled bacon
Vegetables:
- 1/2 cup (75 grams) diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup (75 grams) diced green bell pepper
- 1/2 cup (80 grams) diced red onion
Dressing and Seasonings:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) ranch dressing
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) mayonnaise
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil rotini pasta in salted water for 8-10 minutes until al dente, ensuring a tender yet firm texture.
- Immediately drain pasta and rinse under cold water to halt cooking process and cool quickly.
- Create a creamy dressing by whisking ranch and mayonnaise in a spacious mixing bowl until fully integrated and smooth.
- Incorporate crispy crumbled bacon pieces into the dressing, providing a salty and crunchy element.
- Add diced red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and red onion to the pasta mixture, creating a vibrant color palette and fresh crunch.
- Gently fold all ingredients together, ensuring each pasta piece is evenly coated with the tangy ranch dressing.
- Sprinkle salt and freshly ground black pepper to enhance the overall flavor profile.
- Refrigerate the pasta salad for a minimum of 60 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and develop a more harmonious taste.
- Before serving, give the salad a gentle stir to redistribute the dressing and reinvigorate the ingredients.
Notes
- Swap pasta for whole wheat or gluten-free varieties to accommodate dietary restrictions without losing the creamy, tangy essence of the dish.
- Crumble bacon extra crispy for added texture, or use turkey bacon for a leaner protein option that still delivers robust flavor.
- Prep vegetables in advance and store separately to maintain crunch and prevent soggy salad, keeping the mix fresh and vibrant for several days.
- Include additional herbs like chopped chives or dill to elevate the ranch dressing’s complexity and introduce a fresh, zesty dimension to the pasta salad.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 493 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 521 mg
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 26 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 22 mg