This is a very flavorful bacon ranch pasta salad. The crisp cooked bacon really adds a nice flavor. I get requests for this popular side dish for every get-together and cookout.
Ingredients
- uncooked tri-color rotini pasta: 1 pack (12 ounce pack)
- bacon: 10 slices
- mayonnaise: 1 cup
- dry ranch salad dressing mix: 3 Tbsp
- garlic pepper: 0.5 tsp
- garlic powder: 0.25 tsp
- milk: 0.5 cup (or as needed)
- tomato: 1 piece (chopped)
- black olives: 1 can (4.25 ounce can, sliced)
- sharp Cheddar cheese: 1 cup (shredded)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
-
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook rotini at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes; drain.
-
Place bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook until evenly brown. Drain and chop.
-
Mix mayonnaise, ranch dressing mix, garlic pepper, and garlic powder together in a large bowl. Stir in milk until smooth.
-
Place rotini, bacon, tomato, black olives, and cheese in a bowl and toss to coat with dressing. Cover and chill at least 1 hour in the refrigerator. Toss with additional milk if the salad seems a little dry.
