Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Creamy bacon ranch pasta salad with crispy bacon, sharp cubed cheddar, and sweet peas. It's got a little splash of pickle juice to keep it bright instead of heavy. The make-ahead side that disappears fast.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 12 oz rotini pasta
- 10 slices thick-cut bacon cooked crispy and chopped
- 8 oz cheddar cheese cut into small cubes
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed and patted dry
- 4 green onions sliced
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon dry ranch seasoning
- 1 tablespoon pickle juice
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Cook the rotini in well-salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cooled. Let the pasta drain well.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, ranch seasoning, pickle juice, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, bacon, cheddar cheese, peas, green onions, and red onion.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and stir until evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving for the best flavor.
- Before serving, stir again and add a splash of milk if needed to loosen the dressing slightly.
Notes
- Make sure the peas are fully thawed and dried so they don’t water down the dressing.
- Block cheddar cut into cubes works much better than shredded cheese for texture.
- The pasta will absorb some dressing as it chills, so don’t panic if it looks extra creamy at first.
- For even more bacon flavor, reserve a little crispy bacon to sprinkle on top right before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 581kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 892mg | Potassium: 304mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 625IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 239mg | Iron: 1mg