Description

This Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is a creamy and flavorful side dish perfect for picnics, potlucks, or family dinners. It combines tender elbow pasta with a zesty ranch dressing made from buttermilk, mayonnaise, and seasoning mix, then tossed with juicy grape tomatoes, sharp cheddar cheese cubes, and crispy chopped bacon. The salad is best served chilled after allowing the flavors to meld overnight.

Ingredients

Scale

Dressing

3 tablespoons ranch dressing mix
¾ cup buttermilk
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Pasta Salad

8 ounces dried elbow pasta
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
8 slices bacon, chopped
Black pepper to taste

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Instructions

Prepare the dressing: Whisk together the ranch dressing mix and buttermilk until well combined. Stir in mayonnaise and rice wine vinegar. Set the dressing aside.
Cook the pasta: Boil the elbow pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to cool and stop the cooking process.
Combine pasta and dressing: Place the cooled pasta in a large mixing bowl and pour the prepared ranch dressing over it. Stir thoroughly to ensure each piece of pasta is coated with the dressing.
Add the mix-ins: Add the halved grape tomatoes, cubed sharp cheddar cheese, and chopped bacon to the pasta. Toss gently to combine the ingredients evenly.
Chill the salad: Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 8 hours or overnight to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to chill properly.
Final touch: Before serving, stir the pasta salad again. If it seems dry, add a little more milk or buttermilk to adjust the consistency to your liking.

Notes

Using cooled pasta helps the salad hold its shape and prevents it from becoming mushy.
Allowing the salad to chill overnight enhances the flavor by letting the dressing soak into the pasta and ingredients.
For extra crisp bacon, cook in the oven or skillet until very crispy before chopping and adding to the salad.
You can substitute grape tomatoes with cherry tomatoes or diced cucumbers for different textures.
If a lower fat option is desired, use reduced-fat mayonnaise and milk instead of buttermilk.