Ranch Pasta Salad

Summer and pasta salad just go hand in hand at my house.  Quick, economical and delicious!  Now let me beat you to it, yes I know Summer’s long gone and it’s already November. While that may be the case, another thing that go hand in hand in our home, are quick and easy meals. A hearty pasta salad is also a favorite of ours for a light dinner or a really filling lunch. So even though I’m loving living in the land of Soup, Stew, and Comfort Food at the moment pasta salad, or a version of it, still visits frequently. This is one of our favorite creamy/mayonnaise based pasta salads. I don’t make it too too often, but when I do I always wonder why I don’t make it more often.  I normally make it with rotini pasta (I feel the ‘dressing’ sticks to it best), but you can use pretty much any shaped pasta you’d like.

 

Pasta salad doesn’t have to be the tired stuff of bad salad bars anymore (it’s 2014 people). Think of it as a blank canvas for fresh and flavorful ingredients you can toss in. Just look at all the vibrant colors we’re throwing into this one. They add one heck of a fresh flavor punch.

I urge you to try a pasta salad with ranch dressing. It’s a lovely, lovely thing.

Ranch Pasta Salad

recipe adapted from Inspired Craft Ideas 

1 cup Greek yogurt (fat free is great!)
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 packet ranch dressing mix, plus extra, to taste, if desired
1 lb rotini pasta, cooked
2 large carrots
1½- 2 cups broccoli
1 cup ham
1 cup cheddar cheese
½ yellow bell pepper
½ red bell pepper

Directions

1. Combine the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, and ranch dressing mix. Set aside.
2. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water, drizzle with a bit of olive oil so it doesn’t stick.
3. Chop the veggies, ham, and cheese into bite sized pieces. Combine with the pasta and ¾ of the dressing. Stir well, add additional dressing if it is too dry.
4. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out these other fan/family favorites as well.

Southwestern Chicken Pasta Salad

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Ranch BLT Pasta Salad

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Ranch Chicken Tacos

This is our new favorite taco seasoning. The combination of ranch and taco flavors reminded me strongly of cool ranch Doritos. Fill your shells with the cooked chicken and top with your favorite fixin’s. We kept it pretty basic with just cheese and lettuce. Mine had diced tomatoes as well, but the sons and the hubs detest the red fruit with a burning passion. Makes no sense to me, but whatever floats their boyish boats. Top each ‘filled’ taco with a drizzle of ranch and chow down. Don’t stop at just tacos either, this goes great on tortillas, toastadas, or even over salad. Just seeing them again has had me thinking about them all morning. Seriously, I can’t get them out of my head. Guess I know what we’ll be having for dinner tonight!

Ranch Chicken Tacos

 

3 cups cooked, chunked chicken
1 pkt. taco seasoning (chicken or beef)
1/2 cup Ranch dressing, plus extra for serving
taco shell, tortilla, or toastadas
lettuce
cheese
tomatoes
any of your other favorite taco toppings

Directions

1. Heat a skillet over med-high heat. Add chicken & warm it for a few minutes. Sprinkle on the dry taco seasoning. Do not add any water! Heat for 5-7 minutes until the chicken is heated through & the powder is stuck to the chicken.
2. Add Ranch dressing, heat an additional 2-3 minutes to warm through.
3. Serve in taco shells with all the fixings you love – plus an extra drizzle of Ranch.

It doesn’t get any easier, or any tastier, than that!

Ranch BLT Pasta Salad

I love, love, love this pasta salad. I can’t quite put into words all the love I have for. My family thinks it’s because it’s such a crowd pleaser. I’m leaning more towards it being the ranch dressing. It’s my sauce of choice. Also, it’s the versatility. I can easily make this as a side to dinner, or add extra lettuce to make it an all-in-one meal. The recipe easily feeds our family, but is simple to double to serve a larger group.

Originally, I was skeptical of the Swiss it called for. I’ve only ever included cheddar in any ranch-based pasta salads before, but my skepticism was unnecessary. The Swiss perfectly compliments the other flavors in the bunch. Simply put, it’s delicious. If you’re looking to branch out of your more traditional pasta salad comfort zone, looking for a dish to ‘wow’ family and/or friends, or simply trying to ditch the pre-packaged, processed box versions, this recipe is a must try.

Ranch BLT Pasta Salad

recipe adapted from Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice

• 1 lb radiatore pasta
• 16 oz ranch dressing
• 2 cups diced tomatoes, seeds removed
• 1 1/2 cup cubed Swiss
• 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 lb bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
• 2 cups finely chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Cook the pasta, according to package directions, in salted water.
2. Drain pasta. Toss with just enough dressing so that the pasta is lightly coated and won’t stick together. Refrigerate until cold.
3. In a large bowl, toss the pasta with the tomatoes, Swiss, onion, bacon, and lettuce.
4. Add enough dressing to generously coat everything, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve. If not serving immediately, don’t mix the lettuce in until you’re ready to serve to prevent wilting.