Cold pasta salads are the perfect summer pot-luck food. Easy to make in advance and easy to take along wherever you go, pasta salads are a crowd-pleasing side dish any time.
And whether you're making this pasta salad for a Fourth of July barbeque or a family reunion picnic, this ranch bacon pasta salad recipe will please even the pickiest eaters at your gathering. Just be sure to bring the recipe along with you, because everyone will be asking you for it.
You can make this pasta salad recipe up to a day in advance. Just put the salad ingredients in one bowl and the dressing in another. And just before you're ready to serve it, toss in the dressing.
If you don't have low-fat mayonnaise on hand, feel free to substitute with low-fat or non-fat sour cream or even plain low-fat yogurt. But the mayonnaise or sour cream will give the dressing the best texture.
For a bit more protein, add a can of drained tuna fish or a cup of cooked rotisserie chicken to this ranch bacon pasta salad recipe.
Ranch Bacon Pasta Salad Recipe
- 1 pound (16 oz.) fusilli (corkscrew pasta)
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 cup carrots, peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup celery
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced
- 1 large red pepper, diced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- 2 slices turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 oz. sliced black olives
- 3/4 cup non-fat or low-fat mayonnaise
- 1 0.4-ounce packet of dry ranch salad dressing mix
- 1/4 cup prepared barbecue sauce
Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain in a colander. Transfer to a large bowl. Add in the peas, carrots, celery, cucumber, red pepper, onion, tomatoes bacon and olives. Stir to mix well. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, ranch salad dressing mix and barbecue sauce.
If making ahead, store the pasta salad and the dressing in separate sealed containers in the fridge until ready to serve. Just before serving, pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss to combine. Serve cold.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Per serving (based on 10): 240 calories, 8 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 35 mg cholesterol, 35 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 8 g protein, 61% vitamin A, 42% vitamin C, 3% calcium, 13% iron
For more quick and easy summer salad recipes, see also:
- Cold Pasta Salad
- Broccoli Salad Recipe
- Carrot Raisin Salad
- Greek Salad
- Pea Salad
- Bok Choy Salad with Ramen Noodles
- Jicama Salad
- Christmas Salad Recipe
- Fuji Apple Walnut Chicken Salad
