Pasta Salad is the perfect dish to bring to a Summer barbecue or cookout. What’s even better? A Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad! It has all of my personal favorite ingredients (I can’t ever get enough bacon!) and the sweetness of the homemade ranch dressing is so tantalizing and delicious.

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

Ingredients

1 (12-oz.) package bacon

1 lb. cavatappi pasta (or your personal favorite for making pasta salad)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped

1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp. salt and pepper for seasoning

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

6 oz. sharp or regular cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (I used Monterey Jack)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed at room temperature

1 (3.8-oz.) can sliced black olives, drained

4 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions

Prepare your pasta according to package directions, drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until the bacon is golden and crispy. Drain the bacon on a paper toweled lined plate to drain the excess grease. Let the bacon cool to room temperature and crumble up into bite-sized pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, parsley, dill, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Add the pasta, tomatoes, cheese, peas, black olives, green onions and half of the crumbled bacon.

Mix well until well combined.

Add more salt and pepper for extra seasoning.

Top the salad with the remaining crumbled bacon and refrigerate until it’s time to serve. Enjoy!