A pasta salad that everyone will be fighting over at your next BBQ. This tortellini salad is loaded with crispy bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, and tossed in a creamy ranch sauce.
TORTELLINI SALAD
Have you dusted off your grill for the season yet?
I actually broke out my grill a couple of months ago. That’s one of the few perks I enjoy about living in Florida. With April winding down and all the summer holidays approaching, I’m sure you will be getting your grills in shape and throwing some backyard parties. We actually have a BBQ party planned next week and I am trying out some new recipes.
My husband’s favorite BBQ side dish is a pasta salad, so I wanted to create a pasta salad dish that included some of his favorite flavors. Crispy bacon and ranch were my first flavor choices and adding cheese to the mix seemed like the perfect choice. How can anyone say “no” to a cheddar-bacon-ranch flavor combination?
Now, here is my favorite part of this side dish, it’s made with four cheese tortellini instead of any regular pasta! If you’re one of the few people who hasn’t tried using tortellini in a pasta salad, I urge you to try it as soon as possible.
First time I made tortellini salad, it was my Italian Tortellini Salad. It’s loaded with salami, capicola ham, pepperoni, fresh mozzarella cheese, homemade classic Italian dressing and much more. It was so good, I decided to try tortellini in pasta salads as much as possible. Another variety you can try is my Tuscan Tortellini Pasta Salad.
Some More Side Dish Recipes:
Tips For Grilling Your Perfect Steak
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Cheddar Bacon Ranch Tortellini Salad
Ingredients
- 18-20 oz four cheese tortellini
- 6 oz sharp cheddar cheese
- 10-12 crispy bacon strips
- Fresh herbs for garnish
- Ranch sauce:
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 3 Tbsp buttermilk
- 0.4 oz Ranch mix
Instructions
- Cook tortellini according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside in a mixing bowl.
- Mix all ingredients for the ranch sauce until evenly combined.
- Dice cheese and cooked bacon strips and add them to the pasta.
- Add ranch mixture and stir everything until evenly coated with the sauce.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve
- Garnish with some fresh herbs.
Notes
Glenda says
Absolutely gorgeous and I bet it tastes fantastic, too!
Lyuba says
Thank you so much, Glenda
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
Beautiful colors!! I’d have to admire it for a while before I’d dig in!! Have a great day!!
Lyuba says
Thank you, Marisa!
mimi says
A really fun side dish to grilled meat! I don’t even think you need the cheddar!
Lyuba says
Thank you, Mimi! Enjoy!
PAM says
Would love to make this but is this a package ranch mix you used in this recipe???
Lyuba says
Yes, I used a Hidden Valley packet, Pam.
Sonja says
Do you use the whole packet? Exactly how much is .4 oz?
LyubaB says
Hi, Sonja! Yes, the ranch package is .4 oz so you would use the whole thing.
Jen says
What type of fresh herbs did you use on top? Looks like fill? Added to our dinner plan for next week! Thank you!
LyubaB says
Hi, Jen! Yes, the herb on top is dill! I hope you enjoy it 🙂