Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

We all love bacon and ranch flavor so it seemed like the perfect combination for pasta salad. This easy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is so amazing. I love that it is very inexpensive to make but can easily feed a large group or crowd.

If you are going to a BBQ or potluck, this is a very easy pasta recipe to make without much time or expense. You may like Easy Pasta Salad Recipe, Salad Supreme Pasta Salad, Cowboy Pasta Salad, Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Recipe, Classic Italian Pasta Salad, Easy Macaroni Salad Recipe and BLT Pasta Salad.

Why We Love This Recipe

This truly is the perfect dish to feed a crowd on a budget. You can use any type of pasta you prefer or have on hand. This all blends together for an amazing pasta salad dish ready in minutes

Everyone loves pasta salad and this is one of our favorites. Don’t buy those box kits for pasta salad at the grocery store. You can save so much money making your own and I promise it tastes much better. This is a must try and only takes 15 minutes to prepare.

Ingredients

• Rotini Pasta – Cook and Cool Pasta before mixing with other ingredients.
• Mayonnaise and Sour Cream – Substitute with Greek Yogurt
• Dry Ranch Mix – Try making Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix instead of store bought
• Slices of Bacon – Make Air Fryer Bacon then chop in bite size pieces
• Cheddar Cheese – Cut the cheese into cubes

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.

Variations Ideas

• Pasta – Use what pasta that you prefer. I often use what is on sale that week at the grocery store or already is in the pantry. Penne, elbow macaroni and bowtie pasta are all great in this recipe.
• Veggies – Sometimes I add extra tomatoes and toss in a few other veggies. I like bell peppers and red onion. You can substitute grape tomatoes for the Roma tomatoes. Just use what you have for this bacon ranch pasta. We have even used shredded carrots and green onion.
• Additions – To make this pasta salad a complete meal you can easily add in shredded chicken. Diced avocado would also be a great addition.

How to Make Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

• Step 1 – In a medium size mixing bowl, stir to combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, milk and ranch seasoning.

• Step 2 – In a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta and the ranch mixture that you just made.

• Step 3 – Then mix in the bacon, tomatoes, black olives and cheddar cheese. Stir until well combined.

• Step 4 – Serve cold and keep in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Recipe Tips

• Pasta – Boil pasta according to the package, al dente in a large pot of lightly salted water.
• Combine Homemade Ranch Dressing – Completely combine the dressing separately before mixing with the pasta and vegetables.
• Chill Pasta Salad – After combining the ingredients, we like to chill so that we serve it cold.

Serving Suggestions

We think it is the perfect side dish to go along side hot dogs and hamburgers. It is also so tasty with this Easy Grilled Chicken Kabob Recipe or Grilled Balsamic Glazed Chicken.

This pasta salad goes with just about anything. The pasta salad is pretty in a glass bowl or even a trifle dish is pretty.

Now, if I am taking this pasta salad to a pot luck or cookout, I like to use one of these plastic bowls with lids. These are so handy for traveling and the lid keeps everything mess free.