I sure do love a pasta salad! And I could eat this pasta salad as a side or even for my main meal–it’s that good! Like clockwork, when the weather gets warm, I crave this pasta salad and a hot dog. ha! Thank goodness the temps are back up in Kansas and the sun is shining!
I made this for my nephew’s 1st birthday party on Saturday (more on that later this week!). It’s a pretty quick recipe to put together and I always get compliments on it!
Ingredients
adapted from Food Network
16 oz. cooked pasta (I normally do bowtie!)
8 slices cooked bacon, cut into small bite sized pieces (I love Applegate Naturals, see below for cooking tips!)
Pint of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 sprig green onions, finely chopped
1 cup basil, chopped
1 cup sharp cheddar, sliced into small cubes
Dressing –
¾ cup mayo
¾ cup whole milk
4 tablespoons white vinegar
3 teaspoons ranch seasoning (I used the Hidden Valley Buttermilk seasoning packet)
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
Directions
- Mix dressing ingredients together and whisk until smooth
- In a large bowl combine pasta, bacon, tomatoes, green onion, basil, & cheddar together. Add dressing and mix until all ingredients are coated in dressing
- Refrigerate until serving (if you are making ahead of time, I would leave cheddar out until right before serving so it doesn’t get soggy)
*Bacon cooking – I place my uncooked bacon on a foil lined cookie sheet into a COLD oven. Once bacon is in, heat oven to 425 degrees and cook for 18-20 minutes. It always comes out so crispy and perfect!
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