Description

This Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is a flavorful and easy-to-make side dish perfect for summer barbecues, potlucks, or family dinners. Featuring short pasta shapes tossed with crispy crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, sweet corn, peas, and crunchy celery and peppers, all coated in creamy ranch dressing, this salad delivers a delightful mix of textures and tastes. Chilling the salad allows the flavors to meld beautifully for a refreshing, crowd-pleasing dish.

Ingredients

Scale

Salad Ingredients

1 pound short pasta shapes (such as shells, rotini or bow ties)
8 ounces bacon (browned and crumbled)
4 ounces shredded cheese (Monterey Jack or cheddar)
1 cup frozen peas (cooked and cooled)
1 cup canned corn kernels (drained)
1 green pepper (finely diced)
1 stick celery (finely diced)
1 red onion (finely diced)

Dressing

3 cups ranch dressing (plus extra if needed)

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Instructions

Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool the pasta. Drain again thoroughly to avoid excess moisture in the salad.
Prepare the salad mix: In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the browned and crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, cooked peas, drained corn, diced green pepper, celery, and red onion. Pour in the ranch dressing and toss everything gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
Chill and serve: Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least two hours to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to chill thoroughly. Before serving, check the consistency and add more ranch dressing if needed to achieve a creamy texture.

Notes

Use your preferred short pasta shapes for the salad, such as shells, rotini, or bow ties.
For a crisper texture, dice the vegetables finely but avoid making them too small.
If you want to prepare in advance, the salad can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.
Ensure pasta is well-drained and cooled to prevent the salad from becoming soggy.
This salad is best served chilled but can be at room temperature if preferred.
Feel free to add chopped fresh herbs like parsley or chives for extra flavor.