Broccoli Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad – this delicious salad is loaded with veggies (broccoli, cherry tomatoes, sweet peas), sharp Cheddar cheese, pasta shells, and bacon! Smothered in a creamy Ranch dressing.
With so many veggies in this pasta salad, you get both healthy food and comfort food all in one! This bacon ranch salad is easy to put together, only 30 minutes from start to finish! It’s perfect for cook-outs, BBQ’s, parties, or as an easy weeknight dinner!
Cook’s tips:
- The ranch pasta salad can easily be made gluten free by using gluten free brown rice pasta shells.
- Blanch broccoli by bringing a pot of water to boil and adding broccoli to the pot of boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove and drain well.
- Cook bacon in the oven by lining the rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, adding bacon strips in one layer and baking in the preheated oven at 350 F for about 20 minutes or until the desired doneness. Drain bacon on paper towels and chop into small chunks.
- If using frozen sweet peas, cook them in the same pot you cook pasta by adding them during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Use either grape or cherry tomatoes. Do nut cut cherry tomatoes – this will allow the salad to stay fresh longer in the refrigerator!
- I make Ranch dressing by combining mayo, milk and dry Ranch mix. You can use store-bought creamy Ranch dressing instead.
- Add salad dressing gradually – do not dump all of it in the salad at once. Some people might like a lot of creamy Ranch dressing, some don’t like a lot on their salad.
Storage tips:
- If you pre-make the broccoli bacon ranch pasta salad, do not add the salad dressing. Keep both the salad and the dressing in separate, air-tight containers for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Do not cut cherry tomatoes – use whole ones. This will help to keep the salad fresher and longer in the fridge.
Other broccoli salad recipes
- Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad
- Broccoli, Cashew, Apple and Pear Salad
- Broccoli Salad with Bacon, Raisins, and Cheddar Cheese
Other recipes with Ranch dressing
- Southwestern Chopped Salad with Chicken and Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
- Garlic Chicken and Bacon Ranch Penne Pasta
- Chicken Taco Salad with Ranch Dressing
Broccoli Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Broccoli Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad - this delicious salad is loaded with veggies (broccoli, cherry tomatoes, sweet peas), sharp Cheddar cheese, pasta shells, and bacon! Tossed in creamy Ranch dressing.
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 365 kcal
Ingredients
Broccoli Bacon Salad:
- 4 cups broccoli florets , blanched and chopped into smaller bites
- 10 slices bacon , cooked, drained of fat, and chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes , whole
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese , shredded
- 1 cup peas sweet, cooked
- 8 oz pasta shells , cooked
Ranch Dressing:
- 2/3 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons dry Ranch mix
Instructions
Broccoli Bacon Salad
- In a large bowl, combined chopped blanched broccoli, chopped cooked bacon, whole cherry tomatoes, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, cooked sweet peas, cooked pasta shells.
Ranch Salad Dressing
- In a medium bowl, combine mayo and milk and add 1 or 2 tablespoons of dry Ranch mix. Mix well and taste to see if you need to add more dry Ranch mix to the dressing.
- Gradually add the salad dressing to the large bowl with the salad ingredients. Some people like lots of dressing on their salad, some don't - let your taste be your guide as far as how much dressing to add!
Nutrition Facts
Broccoli Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Amount Per Serving
Calories 365 Calories from Fat 216
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 24g 37%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 33mg 11%
Sodium 556mg 23%
Potassium 304mg 9%
Total Carbohydrates 24g 8%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Sugars 3g
Protein 11g 22%
Vitamin A 11.2%
Vitamin C 50.5%
Calcium 12.5%
Iron 6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Is it ok to mix this salad 5 hours before eating it?
I love this recipe! I am making it right now for the second time!
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This is Sooo good! I’ve made it several times last summer and it always turns out great! It’s now my fave pasta salad. Thanks so much for the recipe!
I am so happy to hear that! 🙂
I have not made this yet, but here’s what I do when adding veggies to a pasta salad. Instead of blanching, I chop the veggies while the pasta is cooking and then put them in the bottom of my strainer. Then when the pasta is done, I pour the boiling water and pasta into the strainer. Let the pasta sit on top of the veggies awhile while it cools. You will find your veggies very slightly blanched and not raw tasting.
That’s a great tip, Sue, thank you! Saves time and the number of pans used.
Hi, I just wanted to say I love this recipe. Now I only noticed today when reading all your tips that if you don’t eat it all in the same day not to put the sauce in it. Each time I’ve made it I had added the sauce right away and he following day there was a string taste. For some reason I think it’s the broccoli not sure why. But my question is if I don’t mix the sauce in and put the rest of the salad in fridge will the pasta have become dry? Thanks!
Thank you! I am so glad you liked this recipe! If you store the salad without the dressing in an air-tight container in the fridge, the pasta will not get dry.
Thinking about using cucumber instead of the broc6
I used the broccoli and didn’t care for it. Cucumber sounds so much better
Just made this for the first time and it was delicious! Definitely recommend!!
So glad you liked it! Thank you for your comment!
I just now made this using a gluten free pasta and I must say, it is excellent. I didn’t use the shell form but rather fussili pasta. It tastes really good. I’m sure it will be even better in a few hours for our holiday gathering! It’s a very easy to follow recipe and I even blanched the broccoli. I love the blanched flavor so much better than completely raw! I guess you could leave it raw and save that step but why? when the flavor is so much better! I did the broccoli prep work last night so it had a chance to chill, and I did the bacon ahead of time, too. Makes assembling the dish faster and easier. THanks for sharing this recipe. I’ll use it more in the future I am sure.
What are your thoughts on using penne pasta instead of shells? I don’t think it would make much difference really but would like your thoughts on it.
Would it be absolutely terrible if I eliminated the milk??