Creamy Ranch BLT Pasta Salad – An amazing Pasta Salad Recipe
The perfect pasta salad recipe for any potluck, cookout, picnic or back yard BBQ! This amazing side dish is loaded with bacon, tomatoes, crisp green leaf lettuce, and topped with a fantastic creamy ranch dressing. Make extra – this disappears FAST!!
Does your summer consist of getting together with neighbors, family and friends for cookouts, barbecues, and potlucks? Much like many of you, our neighbors have become our second family. We love getting together all through the spring and summer months for fun potluck dinners, where everyone brings a dish or two to share. We always end up with lots of fantastic food, and this pasta salad recipe is the perfect side dish that everyone loves!
Loaded with tender, delicious pasta, and all of your classic BLT favorites and a creamy (and EASY!) ranch dressing that is sure to please. The flavors are just like a BLT sandwich! It goes wonderfully with burgers, chicken, hot dogs, ribs, pork chops and more!
This salad comes together quickly and easily, and can be made ahead and refrigerated for picnics and cookouts. The beauty of this simple pasta salad recipe is that you can sub-in any type of pasta that you might already have in your pantry. I’ve made this with rigatoni, penne, fusilli (bow-tie pasta), and even little wagon-wheel pasta. Another great sub is to make the dressing with plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. It will still be creamy and delicious, but with a little less fat.
Here is a quick shopping list of the ingredients you’ll need for this great pasta salad recipe:
- Small to Medium pasta (your choice)
- Bacon
- Grape or Cherry Tomatoes
- Green leaf or romaine lettuce
- Sour Cream or Plain Greek yogurt
- White vinegar
- 1 packet of Ranch salad dressing mix
Here’s the easy, delicious recipe for my Cream Ranch BLT Pasta Salad:
Erin Indahl-Fink
Yields 6-8 servings
The perfect side dish for any potluck, cookout, picnic or back yard BBQ! This Creamy Ranch BLT Pasta Salad is loaded with bacon, tomatoes, crisp green leaf lettuce, and topped with an amazing creamy ranch dressing! Make extra - this disappears FAST!!
10 minPrep Time
10 minCook Time
20 minTotal Time
Ingredients
- 10 oz. small pasta, cooked to al dente
- 1 c. sour cream
- 2 Tbsp. white vinegar
- 1 (1 oz.) packet, Ranch seasoning/dressing mix
- 1 pint, grape tomatoes, halved
- 6-7 slices bacon, cooked crisply, cut into pieces
- 4 large, green leaf lettuce leaves, torn into pieces
- Fresh ground pepper, if desired
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Let sit in sink to drain and cool.
- In a large bowl, add the sour cream, vinegar, and ranch seasoning. Whisk together to combine. Toss in cooled pasta. Add tomatoes, bacon pieces, and lettuce pieces. Toss together to coat with the dressing.
- Serve right away or refrigerate until ready to serve. Top with fresh ground pepper, if desired.
I hope you get the chance to get together with family, friends and neighbors and share a fantastic meal or two. Bring this fantastic pasta salad, and while you’re at it, make extra – it will disappear quickly!! Enjoy! ~Erin
Here are a few of my other tasty, salad recipes that you’ll be sure to love:
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