Growing up in northern Ohio, winter seemed to last six months, so as soon as the weather warmed up a little, everyone wanted to cookout. Sitting outside on a warm evening while the grill was full of hamburgers, bbq chicken and brats was the way we spent many Saturday nights. My dad was in charge of the grill and my mom handled the sides. One of her favorites was Betty Crocker’s “Suddenly Salad”. If you are unfamiliar, it is a super simple pasta salad mix with bacon bits, powdered ranch and little pasta shells. It was ready in minutes, everyone loved it and to this day, a burger plate doesn’t look complete without a scoop of it nestled between the chips and baked beans.
This weekend, we have highs in the 70’s and tons of sun on the way, so I was feeling kind of cookout-ish and I decided to make a batch from scratch. Although it was not much more difficult than making the boxed version, it is way more delicious. Fresh, flavorful and I know every ingredient in that big creamy bowl of pasta salad tastiness. So, with cookout season fast approaching, save this simple, delicious bacon, ranch and sweet pea pasta salad recipe, because you are going to love it!
Let’s get it started…
To begin, gather 16 ounces of orecchiette or any similarly shaped small shell pasta, 10 ounces of sweet peas, 6 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar, 1/3 cup of finely chopped fresh parsley, 6 slices of thick cut bacon, 1 diced red sweet bell pepper and 3 hard boiled eggs diced up small.
Boil the pasta according to the instructions on the box, drain it and rinse with cold water. Crisp the bacon either in a skillet or the oven and set it aside on a paper towel lined plate to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 1/3 cup of sour cream, 1/4 cup of milk, 1 teaspoon of dried dill, 1 teaspoon of dried chives, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder and a pinch of salt and black pepper.
Transfer the cooked and rinsed pasta into the bowl with the dressing and toss until all of the pasta is thoroughly coated.
Once your pasta is dressed in that delicious ranch goodness, add the diced hard boiled eggs, finely chopped parsley, diced red sweet bell pepper, shredded sharp cheddar, thawed sweet peas and chopped bacon.
Carefully toss everything together, cover and chill until you are ready to serve this magnificent bowl of pasta salad.
This side dish is so fabulous. Each noodle is coated in a creamy homemade ranch dressing, the bacon adds saltiness, the bell peppers and peas are sweet, the sharp cheddar is perfect as always, the hard boiled eggs add extra creaminess and the parsley brings a bit of light freshness that just brings it all together in a really delicious way.
Each bite is amazing and whether you serve this fun side dish next to a big juicy burger or some roasted chicken, you and everyone you share this with will love it!
Bacon, Ranch & Sweet Pea Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces of orecchiette or similar dried pasta
- 10 ounces of sweet peas, thawed
- 6 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 red sweet bell pepper, diced
- 6 slices of thick cut bacon, diced
- 3 hard boiled eggs, peeled, diced
- 1/2 cup of mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup of sour cream
- 1/4 cup of milk
- 1 teaspoon of dried dill
- 1 teaspoon of dried chives
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
- a pinch of salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta according to manufacturers instructions, drain and rinse with cool water
- Cook 6 slices of bacon until crisp and cool on a paper towel lined plate
- Hard boil 6 eggs and transfer into a bowl of ice water to cool
- In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 1/3 cup of sour cream, 1/4 cup of milk, 1 teaspoon of dried dill, 1 teaspoon of dried chives, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder and a pinch of salt and black pepper
- Transfer the cooled pasta into the bowl with the dressing and toss until evenly coated
- Add the sweet peas, diced hard boiled eggs, finely chopped parsley, diced bacon, diced red sweet bell peppers and shredded sharp cheddar
- Mix until all of the ingredients are fully combined
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator
