by Diana Rattray
Ranch pasta salad is always a hit, and an excellent choice when you need something to take to a cookout or potluck dinner. The ranch-style dressing mixture with sour cream and mayonnaise makes the salad perfectly creamy and delicious, and it is super easy to make. It just requires cooking the pasta and chopping and slicing some vegetables. Everyone will love this pasta salad!
A ranch pasta salad is versatile, too. If you don’t want the typical bacon ingredient, add diced cooked ham, salami, or pepperoni. Or use diced turkey ham. Black olives give it extra flavor as well, but feel free to leave them out or replace them with another vegetable, such as sliced red onions, cucumber, or shredded carrots. Sliced or whole pickled pepperoncini peppers is another tangy, spicy ingredient that would be amazing in this salad.
Serve this pasta salad with burgers, pulled pork, fried chicken, grilled steak or chicken, hot dogs, or chops. If you like a variety of salads for the table, make an egg and potato salad and creamy coleslaw to go with it. The recipe is easy to double or triple for a crowd!
You might also like this hearty macaroni salad with ham or this colorful rotini pasta salad. This broccoli crunch salad is another great crowd-pleaser.
Tips
- Add a generous amount of salt to the pasta cooking water. Add about 1 1/2 tablespoons to 3 to 4 quarts of water.
Ranch Pasta Salad Variations
- Add about 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil to the salad just before serving.
- Add 1/2 cup of diced cucumber to the salad with the celery, bacon, and black olives.
- Instead of cheddar cheese, use mini mozzarella cheese balls in the salad.
- Diced pepperoni or salami are tasty substitutes for bacon or ham.
- Add a few teaspoons of fresh herbs to the dressing mixture, such as minced chives, parsley, or dill.
- Swap out the rotini with another short pasta, such as farfalle, fusili, gemelli,
How long does leftover pasta salad last?
Leftover pasta salad with mayonnaise and sour cream should be eaten within 4 days.
PrintRanch Pasta Salad With Bacon or Ham
A creamy pasta salad is an excellent dish to take along to a potluck or cookout. With bacon or ham, vegetables, and a creamy ranch flavored dressing, this ranch pasta salad is the best!
- Prep Time: 17 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta Salads
Ingredients
- 8 ounces rotini pasta
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
- 3/4 cup diced celery
- 1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon or diced ham
- 1/3 cup sliced black olives
- 4 green onions, sliced, optional
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Dressing
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 packet ranch dip and dressing mix
Instructions
- Cook the rotini in boiling, generously salted water following the package directions; drain thoroughly in a mesh strainer and rinse with cold water or dunk the strainer in a big bowl of ice water stop the cooking process quickly. Set aside.
- In a large bowl (2 to 3-quart) combine the tomatoes, celery, bacon or ham, black olives, green onions, if using, and cheese. Toss and add the pasta; mix well.
- In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat thoroughly.
The dressing is a combination of ranch dressing, mayonnaise, and sour cream.
Diced fried bacon adds to the flavor and texture of this pasta salad.
These are the vegetables in the salad.
Mix the pasta with the vegetables and dressing for a hearty, delicious salad.
