It’s hard to beat a creamy make-ahead pasta salad in Spring or Summer! Pasta Salads are so versatile that I can always find ways of making various versions of the same recipe, depending on what I have in my fridge at the time (which is great for those veggies you might not get to in time). Check out my 30 Pasta Salad Recipes if you don’t believe me 😉 The combination of bacon, pasta, and cheese in the creamy ranch dressing is deliciously comforting, but it’s great because it’s also packed with veggies! It’s a great option for making ahead lunches during the week, as it will last up to 4 days in the fridge. We also love it for a lighter dinner during the summer or as a side dish with our summer BBQs! If you love this recipe, you’ll also love my Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta, my Creamy Ranch Bowtie Pasta Salad Recipe, and this Dill Pickle Pasta Salad!
Ingredients Needed:
Pasta: I’ve used gemelli pasta here, but you can use any kind of pasta you like. See the Variations for notes on using other pasta. Bacon: thick-cut bacon works well in this recipe to add smokiness and delicious crispy crunch, but any kind of bacon will work great. Don’t throw out that fat! Vegetables: use cherry or grape tomatoes, or on the vine if you can get them, as well as cucumbers, broccoli florets, and carrots for this salad. Feel free to mix up the veggies according to your tastes! Cheese: sharp cheddar cheese adds a strong cheesy flavor, but you can use your favorite cheese. I like to cube it because shredded tends to clump together. Ranch Dressing: creamy ranch dressing will bring some great herby flavors to this salad. Use your favorite brand from the grocery store, or make it yourself. Mayonnaise: we’ll add mayo to the ranch dressing to make it extra creamy. Salt & Pepper: use kosher salt and black pepper to enhance the flavors of the dressing.
How to Make Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
This recipe is quick and easy to make! Full instructions are included in the recipe card below.
Tips and Notes
Chill before serving. You can serve this pasta salad straight away, but for best results, chill the salad for about 2-3 hours once it has been assembled. As it chills, it will set up a bit, and the flavors will meld together too. Bacon Fat. I’ve used reserved bacon fat to flavor the dressing, but you can leave it out if you forgot to save it or used packaged bacon bits. It does add incredible flavor though! Garnishes. You can add pretty much anything you normally would into a salad or pasta dish to bring more flavor or substance to this dish. Add chopped green onions, fresh cilantro, or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for extra pops of flavor! Leftovers. This is a great recipe for using up meat leftovers, just add it to the dish for extra protein. Shredded chicken would be a great add-in, as would baked ham like that from my Easy Spiral Ham recipe!
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Variations
Change the Pasta: you can use any shape of pasta you like here, but I generally recommend short pasta cuts for pasta salad. Gemelli pasta is flat so you can pack a lot into a cup. If you are using curly pasta like rotini or fusilli, I recommend increasing the amount of pasta to 5 cups. Bacon: you can use any kind of bacon you like! With thin-cut, you’ll need to use a little more. Remember to reserve the fat after removing the bacon because it will help to flavor our dressing! Mayonnaise: you can use low-fat or fuller-fat mayo, or even natural plain greek yogurt if you prefer. Vegetables: use fresh veggies for the best flavor, and add in any vegetables that your family enjoys! Some great add-in options would be red onion, black olives, green peas, orange bell pepper, or red bell pepper. Dressing: To keep things simple I doctored some store-bought ranch dressing. If you prefer, you can use a homemade ranch dressing made with ranch dressing mix (just follow the directions on the package, adding mayo and sour cream) or add additional ranch seasoning (or onion powder and garlic powder) for more flavor if desired.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is always such a crowd pleaser. Serve it as a side dish or main dish along with Corn on the Cob, Maple Bacon Baked Beans, my Homemade Coleslaw, or another of my Best BBQ Sides for Summer! We always love having some bread on the dinner table too. Try my No Knead Artisan Bread, this Cheesy Garlic Bread, or my Brioche Bun Recipe for a delicious bread side.
More Pasta Recipes to Try
Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Bake
Italian Sausage Gnocchi Skillet
Green Chile Mac and Cheese
Creamy Crockpot Tortellini Soup
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