Description
A creamy and tangy pasta salad that’s perfect for gatherings or as a meal prep option, loaded with fresh veggies and customizable ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces of rotini or bowtie pasta
- 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup of cucumber, diced
- 1 cup of bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup of red onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup of frozen peas, thawed
- ½ cup of cooked and crumbled bacon alternative (like turkey bacon or beef bacon)
- 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup of ranch dressing
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley or chives, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Start by boiling water in a large pot. Once boiling, add the pasta. Cook according to package instructions until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, prepare your vegetables by dicing the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion.
- Once the pasta is done, drain it in a colander and rinse it under cold water.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the chopped veggies, peas, crumbled bacon alternative, and shredded cheese.
- Pour in the ranch dressing along with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss everything together well.
- For the best results, let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
Notes
For a lighter version, replace ranch dressing with Greek yogurt mixed with ranch seasoning. You can also use gluten-free or low-carb pasta alternatives.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 30mg