Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad with Peas
This bacon ranch pasta salad combines shell pasta, crispy bacon, frozen peas, and a creamy ranch-mayo dressing for an easy cold side dish that's ideal for potlucks and meal prep.
This bacon ranch pasta salad combines shell pasta, crispy bacon, frozen peas, and a creamy ranch-mayo dressing for an easy cold side dish that's ideal for potlucks and meal prep.
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At the grocery store, gather your ingredients, starting with a bag of medium shell pasta.
Add a package of bacon to your cart.
Grab a bag of shredded parmesan cheese.
Find a packet of ranch salad dressing mix.
Get a bottle of mayonnaise.
Finally, pick up a bag of frozen petite peas.
Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Before serving, stir in 1–2 tablespoons milk if the salad has dried out; do not reheat.
Yes. Assemble it up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate. The flavors meld as it sits, though you may need to add a splash of milk or mayo before serving if it dries out.
Frozen petite peas work best—they thaw quickly when mixed with warm pasta and maintain their texture. Fresh peas can be used but must be lightly blanched first.
Cook bacon until very crisp, crumble it completely, and add it just before serving to prevent it from softening in the creamy dressing.
Yes. Penne, rotini, or farfalle work well. Avoid thin pastas like spaghetti, which don't hold the dressing as effectively.
The ingredient ratios scale proportionally. For half the recipe, use 8 oz pasta, 6 oz bacon, 3 oz cheese, and 8 oz mayo. Adjust dressing mix to taste.
