Cowboy Pasta Salad (Printable)

Beef, bacon, and veggie pasta tossed in tangy BBQ ranch dressing for a crowd-pleasing dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz rotini or penne pasta

→ Meats

02 - 10 oz ground beef
03 - 6 slices bacon, chopped

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 cup canned corn, drained
06 - ½ red onion, finely chopped
07 - ½ cup pickled jalapeño slices (optional)
08 - 2 green onions, sliced

→ Cheese

09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

→ Dressing

10 - 1 cup ranch dressing
11 - ¼ cup BBQ sauce
12 - 1 tbsp hot sauce (optional)
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add rotini or penne and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold running water to halt cooking and cool the pasta completely.
02 - While the pasta cooks, place chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, turning occasionally, until evenly crispy and golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease.
03 - In the same skillet, add ground beef and cook over medium heat, breaking it apart with a spoon, until fully browned and no pink remains. Drain off excess fat and season with salt and pepper. Let cool slightly.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, browned beef, crispy bacon, halved cherry tomatoes, drained corn, chopped red onion, pickled jalapeños (if using), sliced green onions, and shredded cheddar cheese.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, and hot sauce if using until smooth and well blended. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly until every component is evenly coated.
06 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. For the best flavor development, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The BBQ ranch dressing is the kind of combination that sounds strange until you taste it and wonder how you lived without it.
  • It holds up beautifully in the fridge, making it ideal for meal prep or making ahead before a gathering.
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water is not optional here because warm pasta will melt the cheese and turn your dressing greasy.
  • Let the beef cool for at least ten minutes before adding it or the cheddar will clump into strange little melt pockets.
03 -
  • Cook the bacon a shade darker than you think is right because it softens slightly when mixed into the salad.
  • Use a BBQ sauce you would happily eat on a ribs plate because its flavor runs through the entire dish.

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