Creamy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

Posted by Andrea Updyke

on May 29, 2025

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This Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is the perfect side dish for any summer cookout or family meal. Packed with delicious chopped vegetables like tomatoes, onion, red pepper, and black olives, it’s bursting with flavor and topped with homemade ranch dressing and crispy bacon.

A bowl of creamy pasta salad with rotini, cherry tomatoes, black olives, broccoli, and parsley, on a white countertop near salt, pepper, and fresh herbs.

This is a great summer side dish that would pair well with tuna patties or air-fryer pork chops.

Why I Love This Recipe

  • Make-ahead potluck dish.
  • Full of flavor.
  • Serve as a side dish or as a meal by adding your favorite protein.

Ingredients Needed

Here is a preview of what you need for this side dish. Please see the ingredients and detailed instructions in the recipe card featured below.

Ingredients for pasta salad arranged in bowls, including pasta, bacon, sour cream, mayo, ranch powder, black olives, salt, pepper, fresh vegetables, and parsley on a marble surface.

How to Make Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

The pasta serves as a hearty base, soaking up the flavors of the dressing while holding the vegetables and bacon together.

Perfect for meal prep, this salad can be made ahead and served chilled, making it a go-to recipe for any occasion.

Cooked rotini pasta draining in a metal colander, viewed from above on a white marble surface.

Step 1: Cook and drain pasta. Add to a large bowl.

A glass bowl containing sour cream, mayonnaise, dry ranch seasoning, and black pepper on a white marble surface.

Step 2: In a small bowl, add dressing ingredients and mix until well combined.

A glass bowl containing chopped bacon, broccoli, grape tomatoes, black olives, cucumber, red bell pepper, and red onion on a white marble surface.

Step 3: Cook and chop bacon. Add the chopped veggies and bacon to the bowl with the pasta.

A glass bowl filled with chopped vegetables including broccoli, red onion, tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, black olives, and topped with a thick layer of creamy dressing.

Step 4: Stir in the dressing until well coated, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve cold and enjoy!

A bowl of creamy pasta salad with rotini, cherry tomatoes, black olives, cucumber, bacon bits, and parsley, with a fork in the bowl. Salt, pepper, and parsley are in the background.

Recipe Tips

You can make this recipe the night before. Give it a stir and top with chopped parsley before serving. Season to taste with more salt and pepper.

More Salad Recipes

If you loved this recipe, please leave a star rating and/or comment below! 🌟

A bowl of creamy rotini pasta salad with cherry tomatoes, broccoli, black olives, parsley, and bacon bits on a marble countertop.
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Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

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This bacon ranch pasta salad is creamy and flavorvul with just the right amount of crunch. Serve as a side dish or add your favorite protein to make it a meal.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 10 servings
By: Andrea Updyke

Ingredients 

  • 12 ounces pasta, dried rotini or fusilli
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 1 cup broccoli florets
  • 1 cup cucumber, diced
  • 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
  • 10 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
  • ½ cup red onions, chopped
  • ½ cup sliced black olives
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 ounce ranch dressing mix, one packet
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions 

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare pasta according to package instructions. Drain the cooked pasta and then rinse with cold water. Transfer pasta to a large bowl. Cook and chop bacon.
  • In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, ranch dressing mix, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the dressing if desired.
  • Add the cherry tomatoes, broccoli, cucumber, bell pepper, cooked bacon, onions, and black olives to the bowl.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad and then toss to combine until everything is coated.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This helps the flavors combine and do their magic.
  • Garnish with fresh parsley and serve cold. Enjoy!

Notes

If you don’t want to use all of the dressing, pour in the desired amount and store any leftovers in a jar. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Store leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 448kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 621mg, Potassium: 278mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 798IU, Vitamin C: 32mg, Calcium: 47mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
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About Andrea Updyke

Andrea Updyke is a writer, storyteller, and content creator helping destinations and brands connect with families who love to eat and explore. Her work reaches audiences through AP Newswire, MSN, and an engaged community of 165,000+ food and travel lovers. Andrea believes food and travel bring people to life. And when we get to experience them with family the world becomes a more beautiful place.

Read More About Me

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