‘Tis the season for cookouts. For bonfires, outdoor parties, and easy throw-together-and-go pasta salads. I’ve begun to suspect that the whole summer season is actually just one big excuse to get together outdoors and eat food. And pasta salad may just be the glue that holds these cookouts together — I don’t think I’ve ever been to any summertime celebration where there wasn’t at least one chilled Tupperware container full of dressing-soaked noodles… and whatever your familial preferences were in terms of add-ins. But while a classic Italian dressing-tossed pasta salad is good, sure, I think it’s time we spice things up a bit. Your pasta salad and your cookout deserve to be amped up a notch or two, and that’s why I’ve finally perfected this recipe for buffalo chicken pasta salad.
With a heavy-handed pour of buffalo sauce (tempered by an equally heavy-handed serving of ranch dressing) this pasta salad is a feisty side dish that comes together in a matter of minutes — the longest part is boiling the pasta! As with many pasta salads, this one can also be customized to best suit your tastes. Feel free to toss in some garden veggies or celery, but be sure that you don’t leave any of the ingredients out! There are two spoonfuls of mayonnaise stirred in with the buffalo/ranch sauce to maximize the creaminess of the dressing without making it too heavy, and the pasta does a wonderful job of soaking up the sauce for a flavorful kick of heat in each bite. It also makes those nice cold cookout desserts (like this one, or this one) all the more appreciated.
Other Recipes you May Enjoy © SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here. Dill Pickle Potato Salad
Reuben Pasta Salad
Ranch Buffalo Pasta Bake
