Addictive Crack Pasta Salad (Printable)

Creamy ranch-bacon pasta salad with crunchy veggies and cheddar, ready in 25 minutes.

# 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 (30 g) ranch seasoning mix
05 - 1–2 tbsp milk, to loosen 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 Steps:

01 - Boil rotini or penne in salted water until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold running water, and set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, ranch seasoning packet, 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 bowl and toss until every piece is evenly coated.
04 - Gently fold in the halved cherry tomatoes, diced bell pepper, shredded cheddar, bacon bits, sliced green onions, and thawed peas.
05 - Mix until all ingredients are uniformly distributed. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld before serving.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • It comes together in 25 minutes flat which means you can throw it together while something else is on the stove
  • The dressing clings to every single curl of pasta so no bite is ever dry or bland
02 -
  • Skip the cold rinse and your pasta will keep cooking in its own heat turning soft and gummy by the time the dressing goes on
  • Adding the dressing to warm pasta makes it soak up too much and the salad becomes dry after chilling
03 -
  • Use the large side of a box grater for the cheddar instead of buying pre-shredded because the coating on bagged cheese prevents it from melting into the dressing
  • Cook your bacon in the oven on a sheet pan at 400 degrees for perfectly even crispy bits every single time

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