This is not your typical grocery store pasta salad. We’ve taken a basic pasta salad and dressed it up! This recipe is such a game changer—it’s easy to whip up, and you’ll want this cilantro ranch dressing on everything. We like to make a big batch on Sunday and eat it throughout the week.

If you love this recipe, check out our delicious Classic Italian Pasta Salad.

Why Our Recipe

  • You’ll want to put this homemade cilantro-lime ranch on everything!
  • Loaded with veggies, cheese, and bacon, so no one leaves hungry.
  • Easy to prep the night before and ready to throw together when you need it!
Closeup of cilantro ranch pasta salad being grabbed tongs.

We are thoroughly enjoying the warmer weather over here at The Stay At Home Chef. Our family always stays busy, leaving us to frequently look through the fridge 5 minutes before lunch, hoping to find something we can throw together. This one is great for a quick, last-minute meal, or makes a great addition to any potluck or backyard barbecue.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients used to make Cilantro ranch pasta salad.
  • Bowtie Pasta: We love bowtie pasta in pasta salad, but you can use rotini, shells, radiatorre, or macaroni.
  • Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Either one works. Cut them in halves or quarters so you get the perfect bite. A mix of red and yellow tomatoes looks really pretty too.
  • Cheddar Cheese: If you don’t like cheddar, other great options include mozzarella (fresh mini balls or shredded), Monterey jack, or pepper jack.
  • English Cucumber: These have more flavor and fewer seeds than regular cucumbers, but both can be used.
  • Red Onion: Red onions are the best for eating raw.
  • Bacon: Crumble it up! Cook your own or grab the pre-cooked kind.
  • Avocado: Add them if you love them, and leave them out if you don’t.
  • Salsa Verde: Grab a jar of your favorite mild or medium salsa verde. Use whatever heat level you like.
  • Mayonnaise: Substitute with Greek yogurt, low-fat mayo, or Miracle Whip.
  • Lime Juice: Fresh-squeezed is always going to have the best flavor, but bottled lime juice works too.

Pasta Options

We love this salad with bowtie pasta for its heartier bite, but you can really use any pasta you like. Penne, rotini, cavatappi, elbow, and shells are all great options that hold that delicious sauce well.

Optional Add-Ins

Meat: Not a fan of bacon? No problem. You can easily add some grilled chicken, ground turkey or beef, or even some sliced salami instead.

Veggies: We love a good crunch to our pasta salads. If you’re looking to load up with more veggies, peppers, corn, and olives all pair well with this recipe’s ingredients.

Beans: Add some more substance to your salad! Beans are a great way to make this pasta salad a little more hearty and filling. We recommend black and kidney beans.

Cheese: Feel free to use your favorite cheese. We love the sharpness of cheddar cheese, but you can use mozzarella for a milder option, or spice it up and use pepper jack!

Cilantro ranch being poured onto the pasta salad.

Make-Ahead Instructions

This salad’s super easy to make ahead. You can whip up the dressing 1 to 2 days early and stash it in the fridge. Cook the pasta and bacon the night before, too. Just keep them separate so everything stays fresh. When you’re ready to eat, all you’ve got to do is chop the cheese and veggies and toss it all together in a big bowl. Done and done.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Beyond that, the veggies can become soggy.

Other delicious summer recipes…

I would never guess that this collection of ingredients would make such a fresh and delicious pasta salad. All the flavors complemented each other so well. I loved the avocado, and the bacon in it, especially. I made enough to last a couple days and was glad I did. I added the avocado when serving so it would brown in the fridge. Standing ovation for this recipe! So very good!

– Marina
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