This Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is ready to rock your next backyard party or potluck! Tender pasta is tossed with fresh tomatoes, romaine lettuce, scallions, bacon, and Cabot cheddar cheese, then tossed in an easy homemade ranch.
Today I’m teaming up with my friends at Cabot Creamery Co-op to bring you the ultimate Summer pasta salad, perfect for those end-of-season Labor Day barbecues with the fam!
Cabot is a co-operative owned by farm families throughout New England and New York and 100% of the profits go back to the farmers.
Cabot cheddar cheeses are my absolute FAVORITE! They’re crazy flavorful, deliciously creamy, and naturally lactose-free to boot.
I couldn’t imagine making a cheese board without their spicy Habanero Cheddar or making melty queso without a big pile of grated Cabot Pepper Jack.
My latest recipe, this baller bacon ranch pasta salad, features a combination of Cabot Medium Cheddar Cheese and Colby Jack Cheese. Only have one of the two handy? No worries! Feel free to use just one type for this sassy salad.
Pasta Salad Pairings and Serving Suggestions
Pasta salad is a party, picnic, and barbecue staple pretty much year-round and makes a fantastic side dish!
This baller Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad makes a fantastic side dish for veggie burgers, grilled protein, sandwiches of all shapes and sizes, and always tastes amazing nestled up to a creamy potato salad or a side of grilled vegetables.
The pastabilities are endless!
Pasta salad is super customizable too, so feel free to add your favorite extras! Olives and/or peas are super popular mix-ins for this type of salad.
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
This pretty pasta salad is perfect for sharing! As written, it yields 10 servings.
Feel free to double the recipe to serve a large crowd at your next backyard barbecue or shindig or even halve the recipe as a tasty Summer side dish to serve with dinner!
Need a speedy shortcut? Feel free to use your favorite bottled ranch dressing if you’re short on time. Or you can make my delish homemade ranch in advance as a bonus timesaver to make future you’s life a bit easier!
Ready for the ULTIMATE bacon ranch pasta salad?
This tasty pasta salad has the most delicious BLT vibe that we just can’t get enough of! The combination of pasta, bacon, lettuce, tomato, scallions, cheddar, and colby cheese is positively face-plant worthy.
Be sure to whip it up for Spring and Summer potluck, picnics, barbecues, and gatherings galore. It vanishes FAST!
Let’s get our recipe on:
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 oz bowtie pasta
- 8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 2-3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 cup diced tomato plus extra to taste
- 1/3-1/2 cup chopped scallions
- 2-3 oz cubed Cabot Medium Cheddar Cheese
- 2-3 oz cubed Cabot Colby Jack Cheese (or feel free to swap for more cheddar)
EASY HOMEMADE RANCH DRESSING
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup milk (2%, whole, or buttermilk)
- 1 clove garlic (smashed, peeled, and minced – approx. 1/2-3/4 tsp)
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp dried dill
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup finely chopped scallions or chives
- 1/8-1/4 tsp hot sauce
Instructions
- First whisk together your dressing. Combine all dressing ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk well until smooth. Place in the fridge to chill while you make your pasta salad.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Once tender, drain and rinse with cold water.
- While the pasta boils, cook bacon via your favorite method and crumble once cooled.
- Chop lettuce, tomatoes, and scallions. Chop your Cabot cheese into small cubes.
- Add everything but the bacon to a large bowl and toss to coat. For that coveted crispy bacon experience, add bacon just before serving and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
If you get a chance to try this delish Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad, let me know!
Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
More Tasty Pasta Salad Recipes
- READER FAVORITE: Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Classic Italian Pasta Salad
- Homestyle Macaroni Salad – SO GOOD!
- Tomato Lovers Pasta Salad via Sarcastic Cooking
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad
I also have a fun round-up with 10 Tasty Vegetarian Pasta Salad Recipes and Cabot has several party-perfect pasta salad recipes too. Their Bow Tie Pasta Salad looks delicious!
This is perfect for summer! Can’t wait to try it!
I’ve got a pot luck coming up very soon so will definitely be giving this a try – it has all of my favourite ingredients and sounds absolutely divine!
Soooo excited for you to try it, Bintu!
Bacon and ranch is such a delicious combination, so this looks epic!
It’s absolutely chucking with rain in London, so this summery treat is exactly what I needed to see! Loads of cheese too?? Can’t go wrong!
Thanks John! We’ve been getting oodles of rain here too in Florida. Hopefully some sunshine heads our way soon!
Loved how easy this was to make and all the flavors in this! The whole family enjoyed it.
So stoked it was a hit! Thanks Emily!
An incredibly satisfying pasta that is both creamy and full of bold flavors. It was super easy to make and my family loved it!
I’m totally happy dancing over here! Thank you, Jen!
Super easy and delicious pasta salad! This will easily be my new go-to dish to share! That Cabot cheese made all the difference! And the homemade ranch was a game changer!
Love it!
Thank you, Melanie!