Description
A delightful summer salad made with creamy ranch dressing, crunchy veggies, crispy bacon, and tender pasta, perfect for barbecues and picnics.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces pasta (like rotini or penne)
- 4 ounces cooked bacon, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and let cool completely.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, chopped bacon, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red onion, and shredded cheddar cheese.
- Pour ranch dressing over the pasta mixture and stir to coat all ingredients evenly.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to meld flavors.
- Before serving, give the salad a quick stir and garnish with chopped parsley.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Add more ranch dressing if needed before serving again.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Chilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 30mg