Addictive Crack Pasta Salad (Printable)
Vibrant, creamy pasta salad with bold flavors, crunchy veggies, and a ranch-bacon-cheese twist.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz rotini or penne pasta
→ Dressing
02 - 3/4 cup mayonnaise
03 - 1/2 cup sour cream
04 - 1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix
05 - 1 to 2 tbsp milk, as needed
→ Veggies & Add-ins
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1 cup yellow or red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
09 - 1/2 cup cooked bacon bits or vegetarian alternative
10 - 1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
11 - 3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
# How To Make It:
01 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente, following package directions. Drain in a colander, rinse under cold running water, and set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, ranch seasoning mix, and 1 tablespoon of milk. Add a second tablespoon of milk if a thinner consistency is preferred.
03 - Add the cooled pasta to the dressing and toss thoroughly until every piece is evenly coated.
04 - Gently fold in the cherry tomatoes, diced bell pepper, shredded cheddar, bacon bits, sliced green onions, and thawed peas until uniformly distributed.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust salt, pepper, or additional ranch seasoning as needed.
06 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The ranch-bacon-cheese combo hits every craving center in your brain at once
- It comes together faster than you can set the table
02 -
- Serving this warm is a completely different and worse experience, the chill is what makes the textures work together
- Rinsing the pasta is not optional here because the starchy coating will turn the dressing gummy
03 -
- Sprinkle a handful of extra shredded cheddar on top right before serving so it stays visible and does not sink into the dressing
- If you are using real cooked bacon instead of bits, crisp it extra hard so it stays crunchy even after chilling