Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe
This Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad is a delicious and refreshing dish combining tender rotini pasta, crisp romaine lettuce, juicy grape tomatoes, and crispy bacon, all tossed in a smooth homemade buttermilk ranch dressing. Perfect as a side or a light main course, this salad is easy to prepare and makes for a crowd-pleasing meal or picnic addition.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 1 pound rotini pasta
- 1 heart of romaine lettuce, chopped (about 3–4 cups)
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 8 pieces of bacon, cooked to crispy and crumbled
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
- 3/4 cup buttermilk (divided)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Follow the package instructions to cook the rotini pasta until al dente. Once cooked, rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process and let it drain well.
- Prepare the ranch dressing: While the pasta cooks, whisk together 1/2 cup buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried dill, salt, pepper, and fresh chives in a bowl. Gradually drizzle in the remaining 1/4 cup of buttermilk while whisking until the dressing becomes smooth and pourable. Chill the dressing until ready to use. It can be made up to three days in advance.
- Combine the salad components: In a large bowl, mix the drained pasta, chopped romaine lettuce, and halved grape tomatoes.
- Toss with dressing and bacon: Pour the chilled ranch dressing over the salad mixture and toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly. Finally, stir in the crispy crumbled bacon.
- Serve: Enjoy the pasta salad immediately as a side dish or a light main course.
Notes
- The ranch dressing can be prepared up to three days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- For a vegetarian option, omit the bacon or substitute with crispy smoked tempeh or mushrooms.
- Make sure to rinse the pasta under cool water to prevent it from sticking and to cool it for the salad.
- Feel free to swap rotini for other pasta shapes like penne or bowties.
- This salad tastes great when served chilled but can also be served at room temperature.
Keywords: Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad, rotini pasta salad, buttermilk ranch dressing, bacon pasta salad, summer salad, picnic salad
Find it online: https://famdishes.com/creamy-ranch-pasta-salad-recipe/
