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Ranch Pasta Salad

Ranch pasta salad with creamy ranch-coated rotini, bacon, cheddar, and crunchy vegetables. Chilled for at least 2 hours so every bite stays coated and tender.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

rotini pasta
  • 1 lb rotini pasta
ranch dressing
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
milk
  • 0.25 cup milk
cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
bacon
  • 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
broccoli florets
  • 1 cup broccoli florets, blanched
red onion
  • 0.5 cup red onion, diced
salt and pepper
  • salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook rotini pasta according to package directions until tender, then drain. Rinse with cold water to stop cooking and keep the pasta from sticking.
Make the ranch mixture
  1. Whisk ranch dressing, mayonnaise, and milk until smooth and pourable. Stop whisking once no streaks remain.
Assemble the salad
  1. Combine pasta, cheddar cheese, bacon, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, and red onion in a large bowl. Mix gently so the vegetables and bacon are evenly distributed.
  2. Pour the ranch mixture over the salad and toss to coat evenly. Keep tossing until the pasta looks glossy and lightly dressed.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then toss one more time. Stop when the seasoning is evenly speckled throughout.
Chill
  1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours before serving. The dressing should thicken slightly and cling to the pasta as it chills.

Notes

For the best texture, rinse the pasta well after draining so the ranch coating doesn’t turn gluey. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freeze is not recommended because the vegetables and dairy dressing can break. To make it lighter, use low-fat mayonnaise and milk (or a reduced-fat ranch) to keep the same creamy consistency.