This pasta salad is filled with bacon, cheese, and chicken in an easy, creamy homemade dressing. This pasta salad is perfect for picnics, potlucks, and hot summer evenings.
A Main Dish Pasta Salad
This super easy salad is so hearty we enjoy it as a lunch or main dish. It also makes a perfect side dish for barbecues and beyond! It keeps up to 4 days in the fridge, perfect for quick weeknight meals. Use leftover chicken and your favorite veggies to create your own version. The quick homemade ranch dressing is my favorite part of this recipe but you can sub it for bottled dressing if you’d like.
Ingredients for Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Pasta – This salad is perfect for medium-sized pasta with ridges or holes such as rigatoni, bowties, or rotini pasta. Chicken – Rotisserie or leftover chicken are both great in this recipe. Salmon is a great alternative. Bacon – Crispy bacon adds a salty, smoky flavor. Short on time? Use a package of pre-cooked bacon bits and microwave them for about 30 seconds to crisp. Cheese – Cubed (or shredded) cheddar cheese adds flavor. Other – Tomatoes add a pop of fresh flavor, while avocado adds richness. If you plan for leftovers, add the avocado to each serving.
An Easy Homemade Dressing
The dressing is a version of my favorite homemade ranch salad dressing, and it’s delicious! It’s a quick combination of mayo and sour cream with herbs and seasonings. Greek yogurt can be used instead of sour cream for a tangier flavor and to lighten the recipe a little bit. Option: You can also use store-bought ranch mixed with a bit of sour cream in place of homemade dressing.
Variations
Try adding any of the following to this salad:
chopped celery, bell pepper, or red onions sliced black olives green peas
How to Make Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Recipe Tips
Cook the pasta al dente in salted water. Rinsing under cold water helps stop the cooking so the pasta doesn’t get mushy. The pasta will soak up the dressing as it sits, so dress generously. The homemade dressing in this recipe is so good, sub the herbs/seasonings with ranch seasoning or a packet of ranch mix if it’s what you have.
Leftovers
Leftover bacon ranch pasta salad will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Stir before serving.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
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