Description
Creamy ranch bacon pasta salad brings comfort and zest to summer gatherings with its irresistible blend of crispy bacon, tangy ranch, and tender pasta. Cool pasta perfection promises to satisfy you at picnics, potlucks, and family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) rotini pasta
- 1/2 cup (120 grams) cooked and crumbled bacon
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 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 Seasoning:
- 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, then drain and cool under cold running water to stop cooking process.
- Whisk ranch dressing and mayonnaise together in a spacious mixing container until smooth and fully integrated.
- Incorporate cooked pasta into dressing mixture, ensuring each pasta strand is evenly coated.
- Gently fold crumbled bacon pieces throughout the salad, distributing them uniformly.
- Add diced red and green bell peppers and red onion to the pasta, mixing carefully to prevent breaking pasta shapes.
- Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt across the surface, tossing gently to distribute seasonings.
- Cover the salad and refrigerate for minimum 60 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and ingredients to chill thoroughly.
- Before serving, give the pasta salad a final gentle stir to redistribute dressing and ingredients evenly.
Notes
- Choose rotini or another short pasta with ridges to help the creamy dressing cling better and create more flavor in each bite.
- Crisp the bacon until golden and slightly crunchy for maximum texture and smoky flavor, which adds depth to the pasta salad.
- Consider using Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise for a lighter, protein-rich version that reduces overall calories while maintaining creamy consistency.
- For vegetarian alternatives, swap bacon with smoked tempeh or roasted sunflower seeds to provide a similar salty and crunchy element without meat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 410 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 25 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg