Easiest Way to Prepare Perfect Lauren's Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

Lauren's Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad. I used a chopped roma tomato because that's what I had on hand, & I'm not a big fan of garlic powder so I subbed fresh minced garlic. It's the perfect summer salad bursting with vibrant colors and flavors. The recipe makes a big batch of pasta salad and it's easy to double for a crowd.

If I make it ahead for a party, I can't stop sneaking bites! I have made a good handful of pasta salad recipes over the years and this one might. This pasta salad is made with ranch dressing instead (even lite. You can cook Lauren's Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad using 19 ingredients and 4 steps. Here is how you achieve it.

Ingredients of Lauren's Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

You need 1 (12 oz) of box small shell or rotini pasta.
Prepare 5 strips of bacon.
You need 1 cup of chopped cucumbers.
You need 1 cup of chopped tomatoes.
You need 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
It's 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese.
You need 1 1/4 cup of ranch dressing or more to taste.
You need of My Homemade Ranch Dressing.
Prepare 1/2 cup of Mayo.
You need 1/2 cup of buttermilk.
Prepare 1/4 cup of sour cream.
You need 1/2 tsp of dried parsley.
Prepare 1/2 tsp of dried dill weed.
You need 1/2 tsp of dried chives.
You need 1/2 tsp of onion powder.
You need 1/2 tsp of garlic powder.
Prepare 1/2 tsp of worcestershire sauce.
Prepare 1/4 tsp of salt.
You need 1/8 tsp of black pepper.

I've made this recipe for a Sunday afternoon get-together, then portioned out the leftovers to take to the office for lunch along with chicken or chilled grilled salmon. Both are great additions to this. Do you know what a "tell" is? For instance, in poker an opponent will be studied to see if they subconsciously blink when.

Lauren's Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad instructions

Cook bacon in skillet or oven at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes or until crispy..
Cook pasta according to package instructions. Remember to salt the pasta water so the noodles have some flavor. I use about 1 teaspoon salt. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water so pasta can cool..
In a mixing bowl combine the cooled pasta, cucumber, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese parmesan cheese and bacon. Stir. Add ranch and stir again to coat the noodles and veggies in the ranch..
Serve right away or let it refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving. Pasta salad tends to dry out in the fridge so don't leave it in there too long before serving. If needed, add some additional dressing or a dash of olive oil and give it a good stir to moisten it back up..

This recipe makes a huge bowl and it tastes so much better with fresh ingredients. Why cut corners when it doesn't really even save you time or money? Seriously good pasta salad starts with homemade ranch dressing. What's the secret for a pasta salad everyone will want to try? Here's your brand new go-to side for a backyard barbecue, potluck, or picnic.