Ranch Pasta Salad

 This ranch pasta salad is the perfect side dish! Cooked pasta is tossed with veggies and coated in a creamy homemade ranch dressing with fresh herbs.

If you grew up on ranch dressing like I did, I know you’re going to love this pasta salad recipe! It’s creamy and delicious, but surprisingly vegetarian (easily made vegan) and gluten-free!

Whether you want a simple light lunch or are looking for the perfect summer pasta salad recipe to bring to a potluck, this recipe is sure to be a hit.

It’s so Easy to Whip Up!

This ranch pasta salad is really easy to make (even with the homemade ranch dressing)!

You just have to boil the pasta, chop the veggies, whisk the dressing and then combine everything! I like to mix it up a few hours in advance so the flavors can meld together and the salad has time to chill in the fridge.

Here’s What You Need

• pasta – I recommend using a gluten-free pasta, but any type of pasta works. I used Banza rotini.
• cucumber – finely chopped for a refreshing pop of flavor. I love using mini cucumbers or english cucumbers because they have less seeds.
• broccoli – I love the texture, color and flavor that fresh broccoli adds! Feel free to use pre-chopped broccoli for a shortcut.
• red bell pepper – a slightly sweet addition to the salad. It adds a great crunch too!
• sweet vidalia onion – you can also use a white onion if you can’t find a vidalia onion!
• homemade ranch dressing – a creamy combination of Greek yogurt, mayo, fresh dill, fresh chives, white vinegar, garlic salt, onion powder, black pepper and sea salt.

Homemade Ranch Dressing

If you’re intimidated by making homemade ranch, don’t be! All you have to do is whisk all of the ingredients together. The hardest part is mincing the dill and chives… which is pretty simple! After mixing your dressing, store it in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to marinade as you prep the rest of the salad.

Tip!

Make this dressing vegan by using vegan sour cream or vegan yogurt in place of the Greek yogurt and vegan mayo in place of the regular mayo! Or you can make my vegan ranch dressing instead! 

Can I Use Store-Bought Ranch?

While I do think homemade dressing is so much better than store-bought dressing (and super simple to make!), you can absolutely use store-bought ranch. Here are the brands I recommend:

• Tessemae’s Organic Creamy Ranch
• Primal Kitchen’s Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing with Avocado Oil
• Sir Kensington’s Classic Ranch

All of these options are dairy-free and made with great ingredients!

What to Serve with Ranch Pasta Salad

Like I mentioned earlier, this would be the perfect side for a backyard BBQ or potluck. Here’s what I would serve it with:

• Black Bean Burgers – seriously, the best veggie burgers!
• Grilled Sweet Potatoes – an upgraded take on potato wedges!
• Fruit Salad with Mint – I love having fruit at backyard BBQs.
• Chocolate Covered Banana Pops – these pops are the perfect sweet treat to round out the meal.

How Long Will Ranch Pasta Salad Last?

I recommend storing any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should last 3-5 days!

source: https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/ranch-pasta-salad