Crack Pasta Salad recipe – loaded with cheddar bacon and ranch. This stuff is seriously THE BEST! I could make a meal out of this pasta salad! Penne pasta, olive oil, buttermilk, mayonnaise, ranch dressing mix, bacon, cheddar cheese, and parsley. Makes a ton. Great
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool.
Whisk together oil, buttermilk, mayonnaise, and ranch dressing mix in a large bowl. Add cooked pasta, cheddar cheese, chopped bacon, and parsley. Toss to coat.
Cover and refrigerate 8 hours before serving.
Notes:
You can use any short pasta that you prefer. Penne, rotini pasta, bowtie, or cavatappi.
Use a good quality mayo such as Duke's or Hellmann's.
This is a great base recipe. Feel free to add some fresh vegetables to the pasta mixture. Red onion, cherry tomatoes, peppers, green onions, peas, and black olives are all great.
Can Crack Pasta Salad be made in advance? Yes! I actually think this pasta salad tastes better the next day. Refrigerating the pasta overnight gives the flavors time to develop.
The pasta salad will keep about 5 days in the refrigerator.
Add rotisserie chicken or chopped turkey to the pasta salad to turn this into a main dish.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.