Ranch Pasta Salad

Read Reviews (68)

"Pasta salad with ranch dressing for the ranch lovers. Use festive pasta for special holidays or events." — Kristi Clark

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and reserve.
In a large bowl, combine black olives, green olives, Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, bacon bits, dressing, onion, ground black pepper and pasta; mix well.
Cover bowl, refrigerate to chill for one hour, and serve.

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Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Jul 25, 2007

DO NOT make this recipe as shown - it is bland, full of calories and not colorful at all. I cut the cheese and ranch dressing in half and omitted the bacon bits (also cubing the cheese instead of shredding it.) I halfed cherry tomatoes, diced red onions instead of yellow onions, quartered cucumber slices, diced some fresh garlic and added it to the pasta along with a couple extra shakes of black pepper. This variation made the pasta colorful as well as "as healthy as" pasta and cheese covered with ranch dressing can be. The result with the veggie modifications was excellent and I would definitely make it again.

—Kaylin

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Feb 06, 2007

oh this was terrible. i guess it really depends on what kind of salad dressing you use. overall, it's just bad.

—ikathegreat

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79 Ratings

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Mar 17, 2006

This is delicious, I get requests to make this all the time. It tastes much better if you make it the night before and let it set over night.

—ceci

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Sep 20, 2007

I love this stuff! I will make it again and probably quite frequently as it's a nice change of pace for lunches. Added: broccoli red onion diced ham cheese crumbles Omitted: shredded cheese green olives Will omit or use depending on purpose of salad: bacon bits I made this recipe Sunday evening and it sat in the fridge overnight and into the day before it was eaten. I'd recommend that. I'd use just the ham in the future for a weekday salad because by the next day, the bacon bits were no longer crunchy. However, if serving fresh, those bacon bits are a nice little crunch. I used only about half a bottle of ranch. When taste testing, it seemed like a lot and to keep calories down, we stopped at half. However, the next day, the pasta had completley absorbed the dressing. That was interesting but overall, the flavor was fantastic and I'd do the same again next time I make this. Everyone in my office wanted this particular pasta salad, so be prepared if you are taking it to work. It was fantastic and all the colors were very appealing.

—Lori

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Jun 13, 2007

For my family this was just way too much cheese. If I make it again I will cut the cheese in half.

—thisgirlcooks

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Mar 26, 2005

This makes a ton! I made it for Thanksgiving and it made enough to bring a batch to each side of the family. My husband and I loved it, as did his family. My family didn't seem to enthused, but it is their loss! I used rainbow rotini to give it some color and I only put about 12 oz. of cheese instead of 16 oz. I made it the night before and it was great the next day! All together a great and easy recipe!

—JEN5502

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May 24, 2003

I really enjoy this pasta salad...it's so easy and makes quite a bit. Great for a picnics and barbeques. What I did do is adjust some of the amounts and use an envelope of ranch dressing instead of a bottle and a jar of "real" bacon pieces instead of bacon bits.

—RHIANNON1313

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Feb 23, 2008

I've made this 2 times and both ways were delicious. 1st time was exactly as recipe stated. 2nd time I substituted diced ham for the bacon, fresh chopped chives for the green onion and 4 cheese Mexican shredded for the cheeses.

—DECAR48

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Nutrition

Calories
959 kcal
48%

Carbohydrates
48 g
15%

Cholesterol
151 mg
50%

Fat
72 g
111%

Fiber
4.6 g
18%

Protein
30.1 g
60%

Sodium
2019 mg
81%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Ranch Pasta Salad

Serving Size: 1/6 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 959
Calories from Fat: 648

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 72g 111 %
Saturated Fat 22.5g 113 %
Cholesterol 151mg 50 %
Sodium 2019mg 81 %
** Potassium 282mg 8 %
Total Carbohydrates 48g 15 %
Dietary Fiber 4.6g 18 %
Protein 30.1g 60 %
** Sugars 3.6g
Vitamin A 22 %
Vitamin C 8 %
Calcium 79 %
Iron 47 %
** Thiamin 55 %
** Niacin 63 %
** Vitamin B6 9 %
** Magnesium 22 %
** Folate 84 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.