Recipe: Simple & Delicious Ranch Pasta Salad

My husband isn't a fan of the boxed pasta salad mixes you can buy at the grocery store, he says they're bland. I grew up eating them (and love all things pasta) so I had to figure out a way to make one that he would like. Pasta salad is a great side dish to any meal, and this version is super easy and delicious!

 

 

Ingredients:

• about 3 cups of uncooked pasta (we used spirals and a little cheese tortellini)
• 1 cup of corn, frozen
• 1/4 cup bacon bits or pieces
• 1 cup Mayonnaise
• *Dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning mix (packaged from the grocery store, just one pouch. I hardly ever by the premade kind when I'm at the grocery store, my favorite homemade dry Ranch mix is below).

*If you chose to make your Dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning from scratch, you will also need these ingredients:

• 1 tbsp dry Parsley
• 1 tbsp Dill
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp onion flakes or dry minced onion
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder

 

 

Instructions:

 

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. About 3 or 4 minutes before your pasta will be done, add your frozen corn to the water. Strain pasta & corn mixture, set aside.

 

 

2. Mix your ranch dressing seasoning mix or package in a medium bowl with mayonnaise. Pour over pasta and corn mixture and stir until well blended. Mix in bacon bits.

 

This pasta salad can be served immediately after preparing or you can refrigerate it for a few hours and serve it cold.

 

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.