Addictive Crack Pasta Salad (Printable Version)

Creamy ranch-bacon pasta salad with crunchy veggies and bold cheddar flavor.

# 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, as needed to loosen

→ 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:

01 - Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold running water to halt cooking, then 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 additional milk as needed to reach a pourable consistency.
03 - Add the cooled pasta to the dressing and toss thoroughly 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 components are evenly distributed. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed before chilling.
06 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The ranch-bacon-cheese combo hits the same pleasure center as a loaded baked potato but in pasta form
  • It comes together in 25 minutes and actually tastes better the next day
02 -
  • Serving this right after mixing is a mistake because the dressing has not soaked into the pasta yet and it will taste separated
  • Rinsing the pasta with cold water is not optional because the residual starch makes the dressing slide right off
03 -
  • Pat the thawed peas completely dry before adding them or they will water down your dressing
  • Shred your own cheddar from a block because pre shredded cheese is coated in anti caking powder that makes it gritty in cold salads

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