Move over Suddenly Pasta Salad. You don't need it once you make this recipe! This Creamy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is the ultimate crowd-pleaser! Packed with crispy bacon, tender pasta, shredded cheese, and a rich, tangy ranch dressing, this easy side dish is perfect for BBQs, potlucks, and meal prep. Whether you’re serving it at a summer cookout or making it ahead for a quick weekday meal, this cool and refreshing pasta salad will be a guaranteed hit!
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This post was originally published in 2021. It has since been updated.
Table of Contents
Why Readers Love This Recipe
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This will be my new go to BBQ weekend side dish, and I will absolutely be coming back to this homemade ranch recipe. So easy and delicious.
~Shauna
What Type of Pasta to Use
The best types of pasta are short, sturdy shapes that hold onto the creamy dressing and mix-ins well. Here are the top choices:
- Rotini – The spiral shape traps dressing and bacon bits perfectly.
- Fusilli – Similar to rotini but slightly tighter curls for great texture.
- Penne – Holds its shape well and provides a nice bite.
- Bowtie (Farfalle) – Adds a fun shape and holds dressing well.
- Elbow Macaroni – A classic choice for pasta salads, especially for a creamier texture.
- Cavatappi – Corkscrew-shaped, giving great texture and surface area for the creaminess.
Ranch Seasoning
I like to use my Homemade Ranch Seasoning in this recipe. The store-bought packets include some processed ingredients I like to avoid. I feel like I'm better off simply making my own. It's pretty easy. Feel free to use store-bought seasonings like Hidden Valley if you wish.
How to Make Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Exact measurements and detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cook rotini in accordance with the package instructions.
- Rinse the rotini in cold water and pat dry.
- Add the rotini to your serving dish along with cucumbers, bacon, ranch seasoning, tomatoes, olives, shredded cheese, and spinach.
- Chill.
Additional Toppings and Ideas
- Chopped Broccoli
- Chopped Cauliflower
- Chopped Dill Pickles
- Sweet Pickle Relish
- Chicken Breast
- Shrimp
- Jalapenos
- Celery
- Red Peppers
- Green Peppers
- Creole Seasoning
- Cajun Seasoning
- Homemade BBQ Seasoning
How to Make it Vegetarian
Simply omit the bacon.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The salad should not sit out for more than 2 hours at room temperature below 90 degrees. In hot weather above 90 degrees, 1 hour max before it becomes unsafe to eat. You can read the Food Safety Guidance from the FDA here.
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is perfect for making ahead of time, and in fact, it often tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together. It will last in the fridge tightly covered and sealed for 3-4 days.
1 Day in Advance: Assemble the pasta salad without adding the bacon (it stays crispier this way). Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Up to 3 Days Ahead: The pasta salad can be made 2–3 days in advance, but keep in mind that the dressing may thicken over time. Stir in a splash of milk, mayo, sour cream, Greek yogurt or ranch dressing before serving to refresh the texture.
You can freeze it, but I wouldn’t recommend it. In general, mayo, yogurt, and sour cream do not freeze well and usually develops ice crystals.
Sure, if you want. Swap out the mayo or sour/cream Greek yogurt for equal parts ranch. I'm not a huge fan of the texture when salad dressing is used. I like for this pasta salad to be thick and creamy. The combination of Greek yogurt and mayo does that for me.
Yes, you can sub it for additional Greek yogurt or sour cream.
Pair This Dish with These Main Dishes
Air Fryer Ribs
Grilled Baby Back Ribs
Air Fryer Cheeseburgers
Air Fryer Catfish
Slow Cooker BBQ Meatballs
How to Grill the Best Burgers
How to Grill Chicken Wings
More Salad and Side Dish Recipes
Southern Potato Salad
Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheese
Smoked Mac and Cheese
Bow Tie Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
Easy Spaghetti Salad
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Southern Macaroni Salad
Southern Coleslaw
More Ranch Recipes
Roasted Ranch Potatoes
Keto Low Carb Ranch Dressing
Crispy Ranch Chicken Wings
Creamy Ranch Mashed Potatoes
Get a full listing of BBQ and Cookout Recipes here. Pair this with Traeger Smoked Bacon and Air Fryer Croutons.
Creamy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 oz rotini pasta
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- ½ cup mayo
- 8 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 1 cup chopped cucumbers
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup cherry tomatoes Sliced in half. You can use any tomatoes.
- ¼ cup sliced black olives
Homemade Ranch Seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons chives
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried dill
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the rotini in accordance with the package instructions.
- Rinse the rotini in cold water and pat dry.
- Add the rotini to your serving dish along with the remaining ingredients. Taste repeatedly and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Chill for a minimum of 1 hour. 2-3 hours is optimal.
Video
Notes
- Make this pasta salad yours! Load it up with the vegetables that you like.
- I’ve always made this dish for a crowd. Feel free to cut the recipe in half. You can cut the recipe in half by using half of the ingredients noted.
- You can double the recipe by using double the ingredients.
- If you use a seasoning packet, start with 3 tablespoons.
- If you like a wet pasta salad, then serving immediately after chilling the dish will work best for you. You may find that you need additional mayo or sour cream (Greek yogurt). Add additional to suit your taste and texture needs.
- You can omit the bacon to make the dish vegetarian.
- You can use whatever pasta you like. Anything will work, i.e. penne, linguine, etc.
- You can use ranch dressing if you wish. I’m not a huge fan of the texture when salad dressing is used. I like for this pasta salad to be thick and creamy. The combination of Greek yogurt and mayo does that for me. Use enough to suit your taste.
- Add additional seasoning to suit your taste if necessary.
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Want to save this recipe for later?
I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later! You will also get our free digital cookbook with 30-Minute One-Pot Recipes and weekly recipes and tips.
anwitasinha says
Thanks for Sharing!!
staysnatched says
I hope you enjoyed it!
Janele says
This is so amazing, I can’t wait to make it again. I have some really gross tasting alternative pasta that I’ve been forcing myself to get through and this recipe is the only thing that made me happy eating it. Perfect amount of Mayo and the flavor is so good. We added extra bacon because my husband insisted but as written is the perfect amount. Thank you!
staysnatched says
That pasta sounds interesting, so I guess I will stick with what I use lol. Glad you enjoyed it.
Shauna says
This will be my new go to BBQ weekend side dish, and I will absolutely be coming back to this homemade ranch recipe. So easy and delicious.
staysnatched says
Yay! Glad you enjoyed the homemade ranch.
santhathi says
love the recipe
staysnatched says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Allison Sterbling says
Wow! This recipe is amazing. Photos don’t do the taste justice. Love the information on the blog about what gross stuff is in a ranch packet and I made my own, following this recipe. Soooo good. Does not have that sodium salty taste as a ranch packet would. Tastes fresh and so flavorful. Love how Brandi spells out what additions you can add and how to modify the recipe. I followed her ingredients to a tee and it turned out spectacular. Will definitely make this over and over again.
staysnatched says
Glad to hear you will make it over and over.
Ty says
This is definitely going into the regular rotation! It's a quick and easy way to get a ton of veggies on your plate. I used cucumbers, spinach, olives, red + green peppers, red onion and sun dried tomatoes and it's delicious. Would have never thought about making my own before but I will NEVER use a ranch seasoning packet again!!
staysnatched says
Yes! So glad you enjoyed it.
Christiane DeSalvo says
I absolutely love this recipe. What a great side dish and/or main dish (depending on the day). This is the perfect summertime salad that is a fantastic compliment to your main dish. We made ribs this evening and this salad was a fantastic side, with plenty of leftovers for lunch this week (bonus!).
We opted out of bacon (I know, heathens 😂) and subbed in shrimp as our protein and we used Banza pasta for even more protein. Brandi put together an amazing recipe and its timing is dead on. Cheers to her for another slam dunk!
Looking forward to the next solid recipe from Miss B!
staysnatched says
haha! Love it. Glad you enjoyed it.
Tiffani says
I can’t wait to make this this weekend.
staysnatched says
I hope you enjoy it!
Tiffani says
@staysnatched, I did! Making it for Easter for my family this weekend.
Lulu says
In the making right now for our Easter spread tomorrow, it’s loaded with veggies, bacon and cheese! If you don’t follow this amazing young lady you don’t know what you’re missing, this salad is awesome! Thank you Miss Brandi for all the hard work you put into your recipes and thank you for sharing!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! Enjoy.
Erin says
Made this for a family get together, everyone really liked it! Added extra mayo and yogurt to make it a little creamier. I also used cucumbers, peppers, and broccoli because that’s what I had on hand. It was really good and I will definitely make again!
staysnatched says
I'm glad to hear it!
Kayla says
I made this for Easter and let me tell you, this was by far the best pasta salad I have ever made. I opted to use the seasoning listed and it did not disappoint. I will never use another ranch packet in my lifeeeee!
staysnatched says
haha! I love to hear it.
Janelle says
Amazing!!! It was an awesome side dish to my meal tonight. Will use this recipe again.
staysnatched says
I'm glad to hear it!
Janice says
I just made this yesterday and it’s delicious, perfect for the holiday weekend. I’ll definitely make this again over the summer!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it.
Betsy says
I’ve been wanting to make this ever since it was posted on IG and it did not disappoint! It is so delicious, and I love making my own ranch instead of a packet or bottle. Definitely going to make it again, thank you!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Jocelyn beach says
My new favorite pasta salad. I love to be able to use up all my vegetables and the dressing is so good!
staysnatched says
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Kelsee says
This recipe is delicious! Always a crowd-pleaser at family gatherings. I like to chop the spinach and tomatoes into bite size pieces. The homemade ranch seasoning makes it perfect!
staysnatched says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Alicia says
I make this pasta salad every other week for lunches and quick dinner sides. It is toddler approved! Just finished making it and I went with zucchini, corn, and tomatoes. Thank you for this recipe!
staysnatched says
I love those substitutes!
Carissa says
If I could rate this higher than 5 stars, I would! Just made it at my friend’s and she asked for the recipe as soon as she tasted it! Can’t wait to make this all the time!! Thank you!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Joanna says
The boxed version of this was a staple in my house growing up - this cleaned up homemade version is just as good, if not better/ I love it and have been making it on repeat!
staysnatched says
Yay! I'm glad you enjoyed this version.
Adrienne says
I made this for a bbq and it was a hit!! It was a last minute get together and this pasta salad took less then 20 minutes to throw together. Will definitely be making this again. Can’t wait to try different veggies and see which combo is my favorite! Thanks for sharing all your tips in the paragraphs above the recipe, they were helpful!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Tiffani Butler says
Another hit!!! I’m mad at myself for cutting the recipe in half. Thankfully I still have all of the ingredients.
staysnatched says
haha! Keep the ingredients on hand.
Melissa says
Made this for a family gathering and everyone loved it. Will not be using store bought ranch seasoning anymore.
staysnatched says
Yes! I'm so glad to hear that!
dolargroup says
You’re doing a great job Man,Keep it up.
staysnatched says
Thank you! I hope you enjoyed the recipe.
Tasha W says
This pasta salad is LIFE …. Debate your momma .. I’ve made this recipe so many times and get raving reviews every single time.
staysnatched says
haha! I love that!
Jade says
I was in charge of bringing a side dish to a family dinner and this recipe did not disappoint! Everyone raved about how delicious it was! It’s such an easy recipe to whip up ahead of time and keep in the fridge until ready to serve. I will definitely be making this again! Thanks for the great recipe!!
staysnatched says
Such great feedback!
Erica Martinez says
Best pasta salad!! I made it without bacon last time and it definitely wasn't the same, so don't skimp on the bacon. The bacon add this really nice salty component.
staysnatched says
Wonderful! So glad to hear it.
Joanna says
Been making this on repeat since I discovered the recipe/your blog earlier this year. So, so good. I grew up on the boxed bacon ranch pasta salad and this is 1000x better (and obviously healthier)
staysnatched says
I'm glad it's been on repeat!
dolargroup says
Loved!
staysnatched says
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Mariel B says
My husband and I got invited to a cookout and we wanted to see if we could whip something up without going to the store. I've seen Brandi share this recipe on her IG a few times and decided to look up the recipe. I'm so thankful for how versatile this dish is. We used a combination of chopped veggies we had on hand and had a ranch packet + mayo/yogurt to use up so we did that and it was delicious. Next time we'll use Brandi's homemade ranch recipe but I appreciated how "throw together" this could be especially on short notice.
staysnatched says
Awesome. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
brainstrominfotech says
Impressive！Thanks for the post
staysnatched says
I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Jacqueline says
This dish was a hit! So flavorful. And really simple to put together, I had most of the ingredients in my fridge.
staysnatched says
I'm glad it was a hit!
Alisha G. says
I made this for meal prep earlier this week and its very tasty! Easy way to get in more vegetables
staysnatched says
Yes! Loaded with veggies.
Kee Kee says
I added sun dried tomatoes, feta cheese as well as the 4cheese blend to the bacon ranch pasta. It will be added as a dish to our cookouts. It pairs well with fried chicken. Thank you so much for the recipe
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Alyssa says
Enjoying this pasta salad for lunches - I used chickpea pasta and Turkey bacon as this is what I had a on hand! Great way to use up veggies as well - thank you!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Nek C says
When I told my family this is what we were having for dinner, they laughed and said they have NEVER heard of bacon ranch pasta salad. So I shut allll the talk down by going ahead and making it. The next thing I heard when they ate it was, ohhh we need that recipe, this is SO good, we gotta run this back. Sometimes you just have to prove people wrong! lol Thank you for the delicious meal, Brandi.
staysnatched says
You're welcome, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
ALICE says
COLD PASTA SALAD TASTE SO GOOD, "MAKE YOU WANNA SLAP YO MOMMA!" MAKING MY OWN RANCH (THAT TASTE BETTER THAN ANY BOTTLED DRESSING) WAS A GAME CHANGER! I SUBBED REGULAR PASTA FOR A TRADER JOES BROWN RICE PASTA AND ADDED SOME BROCCOLI CAUSE I LOVE VEGGIES. SUPER SIMPLE AND DELICIOUS, I WILL DEF BE MAKING THIS AGAIN 🙂
staysnatched says
Glad to hear you will be making it again!
Felicia says
Very easy to make and delicious! I used the veggies I had on hand. And I refreshed it by adding some Greek yogurt before serving. This one was a hit and it’s perfect for the extra hot days we’ve been having.
staysnatched says
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it
Carissa says
I’ve made this so many times so I’m going to review it again!! Everywhere I take this I get so many compliments so thank you for the staple pasta salad recipe that never goes unnoticed!
staysnatched says
I'm glad you enjoy it!
Jill says
This salad is bomb. I took the tip of using a different veggies. I added carrots and bell peppers. I am also using microwaveable bacon. I meal prepped this salad so I will add the bacon right before eating so it is nice and crispy.
staysnatched says
That sounds so good!