Ranch Pasta Salad (with Hidden Valley Seasoning)

If you are looking for a traditional salad that packs a flavor punch, you cannot go wrong with this recipe for bacon ranch pasta. In fact, Ranch pasta salad recipe is filling and has everyone’s favorite flavors, from crispy bacon to creamy ranch and shredded cheddar cheese. 

Super filling for potlucks: Pasta salads are known for not only their ease but make a great recipe to serve that will fill everyone up.

Everyone’s favorite ingredient: Ranch; need I say more? Kraft ranch seasoning IS THE BEST. Using this highly favored and super well-known ingredient is sure to get everyone’s attention.

Customizable: We use bacon, black olives, and tomatoes to keep this one a really Southwestern feel, but its so easy to remove and add ingredients. Many people like Ranch pasta salads with peas, chunks of cheddar cheese, and even boiled eggs.

Skip the made-in-a-box salads and opt for a fresh, delicious, and fan-favorite that is so easy to make! A little pasta boiling and cutting up some delicious ingredients like grape tomatoes and bacon make for a surprisingly filling salad.

Here is the ingredient list. Once you have verified you have all ranch pasta salad ingredients, move on to learning how to make this perfect potluck pasta!

• rotini pasta – rotini pasta is curly q spiral pasta shells that do a great job holding ranch seasoning and dressing
• Hellmann’s Mayo + 1 packet dry ranch dressing
• bacon, cooked and chopped – Fresh bacon is always preferred, but it is fine to use pre-made bacon or even if you need a super quick shortcut, real bacon bits.

• grape tomatoes – Grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes both work equally fine.
• black olives – Black olives have a nice nutty taste and a fantastic splash of color.
• shredded cheddar cheese – Cheddar cheese is the best balance with Hidden Valley seasoning but in a pinch, nearly any of your favorite cheeses will do.

1. Boil a large saucepan of water. Add pasta and cook until done, about 9-11 minutes, but refer to the back of the pasta box for detailed instructions. Drain and rinse pasta with cold water.
2. In a bowl, stir together cooked pasta, tomatoes, drained olives, cut up and cooked bacon, shredded cheese, Kraft ranch seasoning packet, and mix again very well, making sure all the flavors go from top to bottom of the bowl. 
3. Now add in mayo and mix well. It is also fine to mix these two ingredients first and then pour as a ranch dressing.

Need a few more pasta salad recipes to go with this one? 

• Shrimp Pesto Pasta Salad is a delicious gourmet side dish for holiday menus and potlucks but is also a fantastic full-sized dinner option with cheese tortellini and fresh bites of sautéed shrimp. You will LOVE this pasta salad, and after one bite, it will be sure to be a favorite!
• Ready to feed a crowd, easy Tuna Pasta Salad tastes even better the next day and is perfect cold next to a juicy burger. 
• This Vegetable Pasta Salad, a complete macaroni salad with crisp summer veggies, is a perfectly delicious side dish for your next picnic or party. 

• BLT Pasta Salad – BLT Pasta Salad with mayo and ranch seasoning (making Ranch dressing) is the one salad that needs to make it to your BBQ picnics this year. With fresh tomatoes, crunchy bacon, and homemade ranch flavor, the only question you will have is, why didn’t I make more?
• Starting with bow tie chicken, Mandarin Salad with Chicken and tiny and sweet mandarin oranges, and just the right amount of bow tie pasta, it is a great spring salad full of flavor and textures. With a perfect delicious dressing and tiny slivers of almonds that bring an end crunch, you cannot go wrong with this salad at this year’s BBQ.