Description
A vibrant and flavorful Easy Ranch BLT Pasta Salad combining crispy bacon, rotini pasta, fresh vegetables, and a creamy ranch dressing. Perfect for potlucks, picnics, or as a light meal, this salad is chilled and tossed to blend all the delicious flavors together.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 1 lb. bacon
Pasta
- 16 ounces rotini pasta
Dressing
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup Marie’s Creamy Ranch Dressing
Vegetables
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1 orange pepper (cored, seeded and diced for a pop of color, if desired)
- 2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
Seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the bacon: Bake the bacon in an oven following typical baking instructions (usually 400°F for 15-20 minutes). Once baked, drain on paper towels to remove excess grease and allow to cool. Crumble the cooled bacon into small pieces.
- Prepare the pasta: Cook rotini pasta according to the package directions, typically boiling for about 10 minutes until al dente. Drain the pasta and let it cool completely before transferring it to a large mixing bowl.
- Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and Marie’s Creamy Ranch Dressing until well combined, creating a creamy base for the salad.
- Combine salad ingredients: Pour the dressing mixture over the cooled pasta in the large bowl. Add the halved cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, and diced orange pepper. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld.
- Finish the salad: After chilling, add the crumbled bacon and chopped Romaine lettuce to the bowl. Gently toss everything until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve immediately.
Notes
- For crispier bacon, bake on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to allow fat to drain away.
- Chilling the salad for at least 30 minutes enhances the flavor melding but can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before serving.
- Feel free to substitute rotini with other short pasta shapes like penne or fusilli.
- Adjust the amount of ranch dressing and mayonnaise based on your preferred creaminess level.
- Orange pepper adds a pop of color but can be omitted or replaced with a red or yellow bell pepper.
- To make this salad gluten-free, choose a gluten-free pasta variety.
