Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad
This creamy ranch pasta salad is loaded with crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, and sweet peas tossed in a homemade ranch dressing. It’s an easy cold pasta salad that’s perfect for BBQs, potlucks, picnics, and summer parties.
A few months ago, I shared a homemade ranch dressing recipe, and since then, all I could think about was using it to make a creamy ranch pasta salad. And so here we are. Dreams really do come true.
Why This Recipe Works
- This ranch pasta salad recipe has an easy homemade buttermilk ranch dressing which is richer and creamier than bottled dressing.
- It’s got the classics: crispy bacon, green peas, and cheddar cheese. You can use sharp cheddar cheese, smoked cheddar cheese, or a combo.
- Rotini pasta holds onto the creamy dressing so every bite is flavorful.
- It’s easy to make ahead for cookouts, potlucks, and summer gatherings.
Ingredients
- Pasta: Rotini is great because the creamy dressing clings to it’s corkscrew shape.
- Bacon: Cooked until crispy.
- Cheddar cheese: I like a mix of sharp cheddar cheese and smoked cheddar cheese.
- Frozen peas
- Homemade ranch dressing: Made with mayo, plain Greek yogurt, buttermilk, and pantry seasoning.
- Fresh parsley
How to Make It
- Boil the pasta and, while the it cooks, make the ranch dressing and then pop it in the fridge to chill.
- Drain the cooked pasta thoroughly and then spread it on a large sheet pan. Set it aside to cool. Place the frozen peas in a strainer and rinse them under cold water to thaw them. Set them aside.
- Cook the bacon in large pan until it’s crispy. Transfer it to a cutting board and roughly chop it.
- Place the cooled pasta, peas, cheddar cheese cubes, and chopped bacon in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and stir to combine.
- Chill the pasta salad until you’re ready to serve it.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
You can prep a lot of this ranch pasta salad ahead of time. Thaw the peas and refrigerate them, cube the cheese, cook and cool the pasta, make the dressing, and cook and chop the bacon.
Instead of mixing it all together, store the components separately and then mix them together when you’re ready to serve the salad. This will keep the pasta from absorbing too much of the dressing so it stays nice and creamy.
It will keep well for a few days in the refrigerator but the longer it sits, the less creamy it will be. You can make and assemble it a few hours ahead of serving it or prep the ingredients and keep them separated in the fridge if you want to make it a day in advance.
More Classic Pasta Salad Recipes
- BLT Pasta Salad – A creamy pasta salad inspired by the classic sandwich.
- Orzo Pasta Salad – Light, colorful, crowd-pleasing!
- Pesto Pasta Salad – Summer pesto, Parmesan cheese, and chicken.
- Italian Pasta Salad – Always a favorite with salami, cheese, and zesty Italian dressing.
Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 10 ounces rotini
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 10 slices bacon sliced into 2-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 8 ounces smoked cheddar cheese cubed
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese cubed
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
Instructions
- Boil 10 ounces of rotini following package instructions.
- While the pasta cooks, mix 1/2 cup mayo. 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Stick the dressing in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the salad.
- When the pasta is done, drain it and spread it on a baking sheet to cool. Place 1 1/2 cups frozen peas in a fine mesh strainer and run them under cold water to thaw them.
- Cook 10 slices of bacon in a large pan until crispy, about ten minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan and place the slices on a plate lined with paper towels. Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop it.
- Place the pasta, peas, bacon, cheese, and parsley in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and stir to combine. Chill the salad until you are ready to serve it.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
More BBQ Side Dish & Potluck Recipes
- Green Bean Potato Salad – a fresh potato salad without mayo.
- Baked Black Beans – with smoky bacon and sweet and savory sauce.
- Grilled Garlic Bread – hot and crispy off the grill!
- Black Bean Corn Salad – easy to make ahead, full of flavor.
If you have a BBQ or potluck on the horizon, this ranch pasta salad recipe would be a great dish to take and share.
Happy Cooking,
