Description
A make-ahead, crowd-pleasing pasta salad featuring smoky crispy bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, and a creamy ranch dressing. It holds up well in heat and tastes even better the next day.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) rotini or fusilli pasta
- 1 pound (450g) thick-cut bacon
- 2 cups (200g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 stalks celery, finely diced
- 1 cup (100g) green onions, sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup (240g) full-fat sour cream
- 1 cup (240g) full-fat mayonnaise
- 1 packet (1 oz / 28g) ranch dressing mix
- 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Salt, for boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Arrange bacon in a single layer and bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy. Cool and chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente (8-10 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and rinse pasta with cold water to cool. Spread on a baking sheet to let steam escape.
- In a large bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, ranch dressing mix, buttermilk, dried dill, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper until smooth.
- Dice celery, red bell pepper, and slice green onions.
- Add cooled pasta to the ranch dressing and toss to coat. Add bacon, celery, red bell pepper, green onions, and shredded cheddar cheese. Toss gently but thoroughly.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (preferably 4 hours or overnight). Before serving, stir well and add reserved pasta water or extra buttermilk if needed to loosen the dressing.
Notes
Cool the pasta completely before adding dressing to prevent cheese from melting and mayo from separating. Use full-fat dairy products to ensure the dressing stays creamy and doesn’t separate in heat. Shred your own cheese to avoid anti-caking agents. This salad improves with age and is best made the night before.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 420
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 12
Keywords: pasta salad, bacon ranch, labor day recipe, summer bbq, make ahead salad, crowd pleaser, potluck side dish