Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
My ranch obsession continues with this Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad. This veggie-loaded pasta salad gets drenched with ranch dressing and loaded with shredded cheddar cheese and crispy bacon crumbles.
It’s no surprise that I love all things ranch. I’ve displayed my affection for the herby dressing in this Chicken Bacon Ranch Potato Salad post, and then again when I posted the recipe for Roasted Garlic Ranch Mashed Potatoes.
It’s a love affair I never want to end.
Guess what? It doesn’t have to, because I decided to bump up my ranch game by making this Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad for the Big Game. You know the one. It’s only the biggest game of the year.
Super Bowl!
While I don’t keep up with football throughout the season, I do look forward to Super Bowl Sunday. Not for the game itself. Psht, I could care less who wins or loses. I come for the food. Endless amounts of dips, sliders, chili, cocktails, and other various appetizers. The food is where it’s at, my friends!
Without food, Super Bowl wouldn’t be nearly as much fun. Without the food, it would just be watching football. What fun is that?
This Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is loaded with all of my favorite ingredients, and it’s beyond easy to make thanks to Sabra and their new Farmer’s Ranch Greek Yogurt Dip. Ever since I got my hands on their ranch dip, I haven’t been able to get enough. I dipped anything and everything in it. Then it occurred to me, why not use it as a dressing? So I did.
I loaded this salad with a ton of veggies: broccoli, red onion, cucumber, and red pepper. That takes care of your daily dose of veggies, but this is the Super Bowl, and don’t nobody want healthy, so I balanced it out with cheddar cheese and bacon. Now it’s a party! I even added a little fresh herb action for a boost of flavor. Because, again, this is the Super Bowl–go big or go home, right?
Score a $5 gift card when you purchase Sabra and Stacy’s together during Sabra’s Buy, Snap, Score promotion before 2/15/2016.
Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
This veggie-loaded pasta salad gets drenched with ranch dressing and loaded with shredded cheddar cheese and crispy bacon crumbles.
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces dried pasta (I used large macaroni)
- 1 lb. bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 and 1/2 cups chopped seedless cucumber
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 small red onion, diced
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 (10-ounce) package Sabra Farmer’s Ranch Dip
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water with a few generous pinches of kosher salt. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 12-13 minutes. Drain the pasta; set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Add the cooked pasta to a large bowl. Fold in the cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, broccoli, dill, chives, parsley, cheese, and bacon crumbles. Add the ranch dip and fold to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bob’s Red Mill. All opinions are 100% my own.