This Buffalo Ranch Pasta Salad is easy to throw together and totally delicious! This easy, creamy pasta salad recipe is perfect for any gathering.
In the summer months it seems like there is always a need to provide some sort of side dish at a BBQ, picnic or other family gathering. I love the chance to share some of my favorite recipes at these events.
If you’re looking for a real crowd-please, this Buffalo Ranch Pasta Salad is it! As a bonus for you, it’s super easy to throw together and totally delicious! Just imagine creamy pasta salad recipe that combines the perfect flavors of ranch and buffalo. Your family is going to love it! If you are looking for other dishes that feed a crowd, make this easy fruit salad, this taco pasta salad, and this crab pasta salad!
BUFFALO RANCH PASTA SALAD
This summertime staple features some really simple ingredients, and is even easier if you use my Instant Pot Shredded Chicken. Raise your hand if using the Instant Pot has saved you again and again. (Me!)
You guys know how I like to Buffalo all the things. Not everyone knows just how creative you can be with buffalo flavor. For example, this Buffalo Pull Apart Bread is amazing. Or one of my personal favorites this Creamy Buffalo Chicken Noodle Soup.
With love like mine, this pasta salad was really inevitable. The dressing for this is so simple and so delicious, and the mix-ins are totally easy to change up. You can leave out the onions or the blue cheese if they aren’t your thing. Add some tomatoes if those sound good. Or leave it totally as is and try not to eat the entire batch yourself on the way to your family BBQ.
WHAT MAKES A SALAD A SALAD?
Occasionally there is a great friendly debate over whether or not certain side dishes constitute a salad. If you’ve ever wondered this yourself, you can now put your mind at ease. Generally a salad is a cold dish that includes greens, vegetables and toppings. A pasta salad builds on that idea as a cold dish that features pasta as its main ingredient. In the case of this Buffalo Ranch Pasta Salad, there are also vegetables and toppings, so it totally counts. For anyone who is counting :)
MORE GREAT RECIPES TO TRY
Just in case you’re like me and need more than one idea for an upcoming cookout, here are some fantastic side dishes to try. Don’t worry, you don’t have to wait for a cookout to sample them. They taste great with meals served indoors too!
Easy Grilled Parmesan Potatoes
Take this dish to your next gathering and then leave a comment to let us know how well it was received. We love hearing how you adapted the recipe to suit your needs too!
Buffalo Ranch Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 oz penne cooked, drained and rinsed with cold water
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 4 green onions diced
- 2 celery ribs diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup blue cheese
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce
- 1/2 cup light mayo
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix together the ranch dressing, buffalo sauce, light mayonnaise, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Mix together the cooked pasta, cooked chicken, green onions, celery, blue cheese, and bell pepper. Pour the sauce over it and mix until well combined.
Katherine says
Love this combination of ingredients. Sounds delicious!
A MacDowell says
How long will this keep good in the fridge? I’m thinking about making it for camping this weekend.
About three to four days.
Taylor says
Is this supposed to be served cold like a macaroni salad or room temperature?
I liked mine cold!
Johnna Slone says
I’m not a big fan of blue cheese, can I substitute something in for that or just leave it out?
You could just leave it out or replace it with feta!