Description
A vibrant and refreshing salad featuring cheese tortellini, crispy bacon, and a creamy ranch dressing, perfect for summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb cheese tortellini, fresh or frozen
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup ranch dressing, homemade or store-bought
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Cooked chicken (optional), shredded
Instructions
- Cook the tortellini in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions (about 3-5 minutes), then drain and cool.
- Combine the cooled tortellini, crumbled bacon, ranch dressing, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced green onions, and chicken (if using) in a large mixing bowl.
- Toss gently with a spatula to mix, ensuring the ranch dressing coats the ingredients evenly.
- Add the shredded cheddar cheese and season with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature, optionally refrigerating for at least 30 minutes to enhance flavor.
Notes
Add additional vegetables like bell peppers or cucumbers for more color and freshness. This salad is great for meal prep; just add the dressing before serving for the best results.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: tortellini salad, summer salad, ranch dressing, bacon, picnic recipe