Buffalo Ranch Pasta
Enjoy this Buffalo Ranch Pasta Salad as a side at your next barbecue, or make it the star of your work week lunch by adding chicken.
This Ranch Pasta Salad will be the potluck winner
When it comes to creating a standout Ranch Pasta Salad that will be THE most talked about dish at your next summer potluck, it’s not just about tossing ingredients together.
It’s about understanding how to balance different flavors, which is why the tangy ranch dressing flavors in this recipe are balanced by the bold kick of buffalo sauce.
And unlike many ranch pasta salads, this one actually isn’t creamy. It stays firmly in the “light and tangy” camp, which means it won’t weigh you down on a hot day, but it’s still perfect to pair with burgers and hot dogs or just about anything else!
Why you’ll love this Buffalo Ranch Pasta Salad
- Enjoy this versatile dish as a side at your next barbecue, or make it the star of your work week lunch by adding chicken.
- You can adjust the heat level to suit your preference by adding more or less buffalo sauce, so everyone can enjoy this delicious dish.
Buffalo Pasta Salad Ingredients
- pasta – the base of the ranch pasta salad. I’ve used rotini here, but any short shape that you like will work.
- buffalo sauce – this infuses the pasta with its signature buffalo taste. I use Frank’s RedHot Original Hot Sauce (cayenne pepper sauce).
- olive oil – coats the pasta to add richness.
- ranch seasoning mix – this adds the herbs and spices that creates the classic ranch profile. I use a packet of Hidden Valley Original Ranch Seasoning, Salad Dressing and Recipe Mix.
- celery – contributes a crunchy texture and subtle flavor.
- carrots – provides sweetness and color.
- bell pepper – adds a crisp texture and mild, sweet flavor that complements the tanginess of the buffalo sauce.
- chicken – this is an optional addition for added protein. If you want to add chicken, I suggest about 2 cups of shredded or chopped cooked chicken. I would use a rotisserie chicken for this!
How to Make Ranch Chicken Pasta Salad
- PASTA. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, rinse it with cold water, then drain it again.
- DRESSING. In a large bowl, whisk together the buffalo sauce, olive oil and ranch mix.
- TOSS. Add the celery, carrots, green pepper and pasta to the bowl with the dressing and toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Variations for this Chicken Ranch Pasta Salad
- AVOCADO – add diced avocado for creaminess and texture.
- CHEESE – add crumbled blue cheese or feta to complement the buffalo flavor in this ranch pasta salad recipe.
- CUCUMBER – add a handful of diced cucumber for extra crunch.
Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe Home Chef Tips
- Allow the chicken ranch pasta salad to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to develop.
- To make a creamy dressing, use mayonnaise in place of the olive oil.
How to serve Buffalo Pasta Salad
Buffalo pasta salad makes a delicious side dish for any occasion. Some of my favorite main dishes to serve it with are:
How to store Ranch Chicken Pasta Salad
Buffalo ranch pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Give it a good stir before serving.
Buffalo Chicken Ranch Pasta Salad FAQs
Yes, rinsing pasta under cold water stops the cooking process and helps prevent the pasta from becoming mushy. It also removes excess starch, preventing the noodles from sticking together.
The best shapes for pasta salad are short shapes with nooks and crannies to catch dressing. Rotini, penne, farfalle (bowtie) and fusilli are all excellent choices.
Pasta salad can become too dry if it’s not dressed with enough dressing, or if it’s not stored in an airtight container.
Buffalo Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
- ½ cup buffalo sauce cayenne pepper sauce
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 packet ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix 1 ounce
- 4 celery stalks thinly sliced
- 2 carrots chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.
- Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk together buffalo sauce, olive oil and ranch mix.
- Add celery, carrots, green pepper and pasta to bowl with buffalo sauce mixture; toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Allow the chicken ranch pasta salad to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to develop.
- To make a creamy dressing, use mayonnaise in place of the olive oil.
We love buffalo anything so this pasta dish is going to have make an appearance on our table soon! You have had a busy summer! My goodness! I’m sorry I missed meeting you at the conference – I was so bummed about that – hopefully next year! Thanks for sharing this delicious dish, Lori!
I know, Marion, I was bummed we didn’t get to meet. I don’t think I realized you were there until I got home! Hopefully next year is right 🙂
It sounds as if you had a busy summer! Pasta salad is one of my favorite foods, and I love that this one looks light and not heavy on sauce… yum!
That’s the way I like pasta salad too, Anne. I hate it when there’s way too much sauce. It just needs a light coating 🙂
Everything is better with buffalo sauce! Love this pasta salad.
Thanks Heather!
Love love love that we were able to meet at the Food and Wine Conference! My boys are crazy for anything buffalo ranch and I can not wait to make this pasta salad for them!!
I was so glad we were able to meet as well! I think your boys will love this 🙂
I swear, this summer just flew by! This pasta salad sounds fantastic, and I just love your idea of adding blue cheese (I don’t think I could resist).
Haha yeah, the real reason it’s not in there is because I forgot to buy it and was too lazy to go to the store 😉 Otherwise, I’d be alllllll about the blue cheese.
What a perfect pasta salad for any party (or any time!). Love the buffalo and ranch flavors…just wonderful Lori!
Thanks Alida! You really can’t go wrong when the words “buffalo” and “ranch” are involved, right? 🙂
What a beautiful dish, lori! And I love the bowl!!!! Fantastic color with your yummy pasta!
Thanks Susan! I use any excuse to break that bowl out 🙂
You could not have made it any easier to make a delicious dish for Labor Day entertaining. Then again, this is too good not to enjoy every day!!!
Thanks Betsy!
Love all of the bright veggies in this pasta salad – I would totally be loading my plate up!
Thanks Katie!
This is my kind of pasta salad!
Yay!
I adore pasta salad and yours with a glass of Riesling looks like a perfect Labor Day treat!
Thanks so much, Emily!
Your pasta looks bright and fun! Enough reason to brighten up the dining room with the family 🙂
Julie
Gourmet Getaways
Thanks Julie!
Your salad looks great! I like that you kept it vegetarian friendly – pasta salads made up of all veggies are perfect for BBQs since you know the grill will be loaded up with tons of meat!
Definitely! If you can’t depend on a pasta salad to be vegetarian, then what is the world coming to? 🙂
Oh, wow! This is the perfect pasta salad to take to ANY summer gathering! I hope you’re feeling better…sinus surgery is brutal!!!
Six day later, and I am *almost* back to normal. Have a follow-up appt. tomorrow to take some splints out, and then I should be good to go. Wasn’t too bad!
What a great summer you had. And what a great pasta salad too. I like the spicy kick of the buffalo sauce in it.
Oh, this one is spicy, for sure 🙂