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Ranch Pasta Salad

Ranch pasta salad with creamy ranch-coated rotini, crispy bacon bits, and shredded cheddar tossed with crunchy vegetables. Chilled for at least 2 hours so the dressing clings to every spiral—ideal as an easy potluck dish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and toppings
  • 1 lb rotini pasta
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup broccoli florets, blanched
  • 0.5 cup red onion, diced
  • 1 salt
  • 1 pepper
Ranch dressing
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup milk

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and rinse
  1. Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking and cool the pasta quickly.
  2. Blanch the broccoli florets until bright green and just tender, then cool them under cold water and drain so they don’t water down the salad.
  3. Cook the bacon until crisp, then crumble it so the bacon bits stay distinct in the chilled pasta salad.
Make the ranch dressing
  1. Whisk together ranch dressing, mayonnaise, and milk until smooth and creamy, with no streaks of mayonnaise visible.
Assemble and chill
  1. Combine the pasta, cheddar cheese, bacon, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, and red onion in a large bowl.
  2. Pour the ranch dressing over the salad and toss until every spiral looks coated and clings to the vegetables.
  3. Season with salt and pepper and toss again so the seasoning is evenly distributed.
  4. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving so the dressing thickens and the pasta salad firms up slightly for clean scoops.

Notes

For best texture, rinse pasta thoroughly and cool it completely before mixing—warm pasta can melt cheese and thin the ranch. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days; for convenience, freeze is not recommended because mayo-based dressing can separate when thawed. For a lighter option, swap mayonnaise for Greek yogurt in the dressing and reduce the milk by 1–2 tbsp if it gets too loose.