Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe
- Kim
- 10 minutes ago
- 3 min read
This Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad recipe is a great side dish made with tender pasta, crisp veggies, Parmesan cheese, and a creamy dressing. Toss everything together in a large bowl for a delicious salad that’s perfect for your gatherings!
This Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad is a delicious combination of tender pasta, crisp veggies, and a creamy ranch dressing. Made with regular and tricolor rotini pasta, fresh vegetables, and plenty of ranch flavor, this cold pasta salad is an easy side dish for summer picnics and family dinners. It is a great option when you want a flavorful pasta salad recipe that does not take much time to prepare and can be made ahead of time.
What You Need
Rotini Pasta
Tri-Color Rotini Pasta
Roma Tomatoes
Cucumber
White, Yellow or Red Onion
Ranch Dressing
Italian Dressing
Parmesan Cheese
Tips for Making Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad
Tricolor rotini pasta is a great choice because the spiral pasta noodles hold onto the creamy ranch dressing. Bow ties would also work well.
Green bell peppers, red bell pepper, green onions may be added if they are your favorites!
Black olives add a nice salty flavor. You can use whole olives or slice them into smaller pieces.
This is a great make-ahead recipe for summer gatherings because the flavors continue to develop as the salad chills.
Serve the cold pasta salad chilled.
More Delicious Side Dishes
How to Make Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad
Step 1: Cut the fresh vegetables into small pieces so they are easy to scoop up with the pasta. Clean and chop 3 Roma tomatoes and set aside. Peel and chop enough crisp cucumber to make 1/2 cup, then set aside. Peel and chop enough onion to make 1/4 cup and set aside.
Step 2: Cook 6 oz Rotini pasta and 6 oz tri-color pasta according to package directions until is is al dente. Be careful not to overcook it, since the pasta will continue to soften as it sits with the creamy dressing. Once the cooked pasta is done, drain it and rinse it with cold water to stop the cooking process. Allow the cooled pasta to drain well before adding the other ingredients.
Step 3: Add 8 oz. ranch dressing and 8 oz. Italian dressing to the bowl with the pasta and vegetables. Stir until well combined. Top with 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Note: If the pasta salad absorbs some of the dressing while chilling, stir in a little additional dressing before serving.
How to Store Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad
Store leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It makes a great lunch or side dish the next day.
This ranch pasta salad is the perfect side dish for grilled chicken, burgers, sandwiches, pork chops, or just about any meal. Whether you are looking for an easy pasta salad recipe for a weeknight meal or a favorite pasta salad to bring to your next gathering, this Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad is a great way to add something fresh, creamy, and flavorful to the table. With tender pasta, crisp veggies, and creamy ranch dressing in every bite, this is a recipe that is sure to disappear quickly. It's Forkin' Good!
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