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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 with Cherry Tomatoes, Sweet Peas, Cheddar Cheese
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.
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:
- ⅔ cup mayo
- ½ 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
Nutrition Information
Broccoli Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Sweet Peas, Cheddar Cheese
Amount per Serving
Calories
365
% Daily Value*
Fat
24
g
37
%
Saturated Fat
7
g
44
%
Cholesterol
33
mg
11
%
Sodium
556
mg
24
%
Potassium
304
mg
9
%
Carbohydrates
24
g
8
%
Fiber
2
g
8
%
Sugar
3
g
3
%
Protein
11
g
22
%
Vitamin A
560
IU
11
%
Vitamin C
41.7
mg
51
%
Calcium
125
mg
13
%
Iron
1.1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I am planning on making this in large quatities for a reception. Any idea how much crumbled bacon from 10 strips? I was thinking to use precooked real bacon crumbles and ranch dressing. Thank you.
I like to add chicken and black olives as well very very delicious !!!
Delicious! Adding chicken and olives makes it more like a dinner!
I made this today and added some leftover grilled chicken to it. It was super yummy and made for a nice and light lunch! I will be making it again soon.
Chicken sounds like a delicious addition! I should try that!
My husband said it reminded him of my seven layer salad which he loves! After I assembled it and put it in the fridge for a few hours I decided to add about a quarter cup of Italian dressing because the pasta seem to have absorbed most of the dressing and I wanted it a little more moist. This I felt put it over-the-top delicious! Thanks for posting a simple easy and very yummy recipe !
Karen, so glad you enjoyed it! I'll have to try this salad with the Italian dressing now to see how it would taste.
My husband says it reminded him of a 7 layer salad ( which he LOVES!)
After I assembled and had it in the fridge for a few hours, I decided to mix in about a quarter cup of Italian dressing, because the pasta seemed to soak up the dressing and I wanted it a little more moist, and I felt that put it over -the -top -delicious!! Will definitely make this again! It was simple, fast and very yummy! Thanks!
I am pork free. What can I use to replace bacon.
Turkey bacon.
Could you use regular ranch?
Yes, you can use regular Ranch.
I made this today thinking I would cheat and use regular ranch dressing instead of making it but all I had was ranch with bacon dressing...omg yummier yet! Thanks so much for this recipe!!
Ranch with bacon dressing - better yet! 🙂
Could I make this the night before and Refrigerate until ready to serve? Or does it need to be made fresh?
You could chop up all the salad ingredients, refrigerate and add the salad dressing when you're ready to serve, next day - you can definitely do that! That's why I use cherry tomatoes - it make refrigerating this salad very easy.
I made this tonight, but doubled all the vegetables and added shredded carrots. So good! All the kids loved it!
Love carrots - what a great addition!
Hi! I made this pasta salad for a church potluck. It is delicious! I followed the instructions to the t. It is now on my favorites list.
Thank you, I am glad you enjoyed it!
Wonderful recipe. Thanks a lot for sharing this. I will certainly try it and post the feedback here.
Regards
Archana
This looks so colorful and yummy! Anything with bacon is delicious in my book!
This looks amazing! My husband doesn't like plain broccoli but he likes broccoli with "stuff" LOL! And great tip about leaving the tomatoes whole...I never thought of that!
Made this tonight and loved it! Had 2 bowls of it already! Thank you for the recipe. 🙂