Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is the ultimate summer side! It starts with copious amounts of bacon, a perfectly tangy ranch dressing, fresh vegetables, and tortellini pasta.
Pasta salads are a summer favorite of ours, like our ever-popular Hawaiian Tortellini Pasta Salad and my favorite Italian Roasted Vegetable Penne Pasta.
Pasta salads are a summer favorite of ours, like our ever-popular Hawaiian Tortellini Pasta Salad and my favorite Italian Roasted Vegetable Penne Pasta.
We officially broke 100 degrees here in Arizona last week. That is when I automatically start craving and looking for cold side salads. I love pasta salads.
They are one of my favorites. They pretty much incorporate all my favorites into one bowl: pasta, cheese, veggies, and yummy dressings and toppings. That is summer salad perfection.
Luckily for me and my family and friends, Chad and Munchkin are not as keen on pasta salads as I am so I am fortunate enough to share with our loved ones.
Oddly, I can't seem to eat an entire recipe on my own and I love to love to feed my loved ones. Something about it is so fulfilling. Am I the only one?
Last week I was able to share with several of our friends and it received rave reviews! I have to say this was one time that I actually thought "maybe I should have kept more for myself". It was such a fabulous lunch. To lighten it up a bit I added in more veggies and kept everything else the same. Check out the cook's notes for more information on that.
Loaded with fresh vegetables and tortellini pasta this Bacon Ranch Tortellini Pasta Salad is almost perfect, add a sweet and tangy dressing to the mix and you have yourself a must-try recipe! My new favorite summer salad and I am sure you will love it too.
I took inspiration from my favorite Greek Tortellini Salad and loaded this pasta salad with fresh vegetables and tortellini pasta.
The ranch dressing and the bacon really make this salad Bursting with flavor it is sure to be a hit at your summer get together!
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Helpful Tips to make Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad:
- It is important to not overcook your tortellini otherwise it will fall apart when tossed.
- After pasta is rinsed and drained, immediately add it to a large bowl then toss it with half of the dressing to keep it from sticking.
- This salad is excellent the next day. When making ahead, use 1/2 of the dressing when preparing the salad and reserve the remaining dressing to pour over the salad before you serve it.
- For the cheese, I prefer to use sharp cheddar, cut into bite-size pieces. If you prefer you can substitute any sliceable cheese.
What you will need to make Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad:
- Colander – this kitchen essential makes life so much easier! You can use it to drain pasta or wash veggies and fruit.
- Cutting Board- A big good solid cutting board so you can prep all your veggies on one surface. I use my cutting board daily so it’s worth the investment.
- Quality Knives- Quality knives make prep time much quicker and are important for safety as well. If you make one kitchen investment, I believe it should be in quality knives.
Enjoy!
With love from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Check out more of our favorite tortellini pasta salads:
Hawaiian Tortellini Pasta SaladMuffaletta Tortellini Pasta Salad
Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad
Antipasto Tortellini Pasta Salad
See how easy this Bacon Ranch Tortellini Pasta Salad is to make. Watch the video!!!
Yield: SERVES 8
Bacon Ranch Tortellini Pasta Salad
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is the ultimate summer side! It starts with copious amounts of bacon, a perfectly tangy ranch dressing, fresh vegetables and tortellini pasta. It's the perfect summer salad bursting with vibrant colors and flavors.
prep time: 10 MINScook time: 10 MINStotal time: 20 mins
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) bag cheese-filled tortellini pasta
- 16 ounces grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 bell peppers (1 orange and 1 yellow), cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 English cucumber, cut into spears and then sliced
- 1/2 medium red onion, rough dice
- 1 (4.25-ounce) can sliced black olives
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
- 1 cup bacon crumbles (1 pound cooked, cooled and crumbled)
Easy Ranch Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons dry ranch salad dressing mix
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves minced garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic paste)
- 1 teaspoon course ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook tortellini according to directions on the package (do not add salt to the water). Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, prepare the salad dressing: In a medium bowl whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, and milk. Add remaining dressing ingredients. Place in refrigerator until ready to dress the salad.
- Combine tortellini 1/2 of salad dressing and toss to combine.
- Add remaining salad ingredients in a large bowl, toss until combined. Reserve the remaining dressing. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss with salad tongs until well coated.
DONNA'S NOTES
- The salad is excellent the next day. When making ahead, use 1/2 of the dressing when preparing the salad and reserve the remaining dressing to pour over the salad before you serve.
- It is important to not overcook your tortellini otherwise it will fall apart when tossed.
- After pasta is rinsed and drained, immediately add it to a large bowl then toss it with half of the dressing to keep it from sticking.
- If you prefer your salad more vegetable heavy, add 1 more orange pepper, 1 yellow pepper, 1 cucumber. Follow the instructions for the remaining steps.
- For the cheese, I prefer to use sharp cheddar, cut into bite-size pieces. If prefer you can substitute any sliceable cheese.
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Originally published May 2015, updated and republished May 2020. Sumber https://www.theslowroasteditalian.com
