Addictive Crack Pasta Salad (Printable)
A vibrant, creamy pasta salad with crunchy veggies, cheddar, and a ranch-bacon twist that keeps everyone coming back.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz rotini or penne pasta
→ Dressing
02 - 3/4 cup mayonnaise
03 - 1/2 cup sour cream
04 - 1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix
05 - 1 to 2 tbsp milk, as needed
→ Vegetables & 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
10 - 1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
11 - 3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
# Steps:
01 - Boil rotini or penne in generously salted water until al dente according to package directions. Drain in a colander, rinse under cold running water to halt cooking, and set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, ranch seasoning mix, and 1 tablespoon of milk until smooth. Add additional milk if a thinner consistency is preferred.
03 - Add the cooled pasta to the dressing and toss thoroughly until every piece is evenly coated.
04 - Gently fold in 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 a minimum of 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together faster than deciding what to watch on Netflix
- The dressing clings to every spiral so no bite is ever boring
02 -
- Serving this immediately after mixing tastes flat because the dressing has not had time to marry with the pasta
- Rinsing the pasta with cold water is the single step people skip and then wonder why their salad turned gluey
03 -
- Shred your own cheddar from a block instead of buying pre shredded because the anti caking coating on bagged cheese prevents it from melting into the dressing properly
- Crisp your own bacon and crumble it the size you actually want instead of settling for uniform store bits that all taste the same