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a plain bowl of small ear-shaped orecchiette pasta and bright-green broccoli florets in creamy herb-flecked ranch dressing with crisp chopped bacon mixed through and scattered lightly on top
Rachel Kim

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

Small broccoli florets give this bacon ranch salad a crunchy vegetable base, with orecchiette catching the yogurt-rich dressing in their little cups. Blanch the broccoli only briefly. It should be bright green and still firm, not soft enough to crumble as you mix. Save half the bacon for the last toss so some pieces keep their crisp edges, and let the dill, chives and garlic season the dressing before it meets the pasta.
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Prep Time 55 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz dry orecchiette
  • 1 tbsp fine salt for pasta water
  • 3 cups very small broccoli florets
  • 8 oz bacon chopped
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp buttermilk
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped chives
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt for dressing
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Method
 

  1. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until crisp, then drain on paper towels.
  2. Boil orecchiette in water with the tablespoon salt until fully tender, adding broccoli for the last minute. Drain, rinse under cool water and drain thoroughly.
  3. Mix yogurt, mayonnaise, buttermilk, lemon juice, chives, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, dressing salt and pepper.
  4. Fold dressing through pasta and broccoli with half the bacon. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes; the listed prep time includes this chilling.
  5. Add remaining bacon just before serving and stir gently. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.