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Creamy Bacon and Ranch Tortellini Salad

A hearty, crowd-pleasing pasta salad featuring cheese tortellini tossed in a savory, herb-speckled creamy ranch dressing with crispy crumbled bacon, sweet cherry tomatoes, and red onion.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling Time 1 hour
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salad Base
  • 20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini one large package
  • 8-10 strips bacon cooked very crispy and crumbled
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
  • 0.5 medium red onion thinly sliced
Creamy Dressing
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise good quality
  • 0.5 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp ranch seasoning mix dry powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper freshly cracked
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Equipment

  • Large Pot (for boiling)
  • Colander
  • Skillet or baking sheet for bacon
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Whisk

Method
 

  1. Cook tortellini in salted boiling water according to package directions (usually 3-5 minutes). Drain and rinse immediately under cold water until cool. Drain well.
  2. While pasta cooks, fry or bake bacon until very crispy. Drain on paper towels and crumble once cool.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, ranch seasoning, and black pepper until smooth.
  4. Add the cooled tortellini, halved tomatoes, sliced red onion, and about 3/4 of the crumbled bacon to the bowl with the dressing.
  5. Gently toss everything together until evenly coated.
  6. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to let flavors meld.
  7. Before serving, stir gently and top with remaining crispy bacon and fresh parsley.

Notes

Use refrigerated tortellini for the best texture. If the salad seems dry after chilling, stir in a tablespoon of milk to loosen the dressing.