This is a macaroni salad built around a from-scratch buttermilk ranch dressing โ mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, lemon, and dried herbs โ with oven-baked bacon, sharp cheddar, cherry tomatoes, peas, celery, and red onion folded in. It comes together in under an hour and makes eight generous servings, which means it pulls real weight as a standalone lunch or a hearty cookout plate-filler rather than an afterthought side.
Shopping notes
- Buttermilk: Shake the carton well before measuring โ it separates in the fridge. If youโre short, stir 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice into ยผ cup whole milk and let it sit two minutes. It wonโt be identical, but it works.
- Thick-cut bacon: Worth seeking out. Thin-cut bacon bakes up too brittle and crumbles to dust when you chop it. You want pieces with some chew.
- Sharp cheddar: Buy a block and cut it yourself into ยผ-inch cubes. Pre-shredded cheddar has a starch coating that makes the dressing feel gritty.
- Frozen peas: No need to cook them โ just thaw in a colander under cold running water for a minute. They stay firm and add a clean sweetness.
- Dijon mustard: Any standard Dijon works. Itโs mainly there to help emulsify the dressing, not to taste like mustard.
What makes this version work
Two things separate this from a gluey deli-case macaroni salad. First, the ice bath followed by steam-drying: stopping the cook fast keeps the elbows firm, and letting them dry on the sheet pan means the dressing coats the pasta instead of sliding off diluted water. Second, the dressing uses three fat sources โ mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk โ which gives it enough body to cling without being heavy. The lemon juice and Dijon cut through that richness so the salad doesnโt taste one-note. Both steps take maybe five extra minutes and theyโre the reason the finished bowl holds up rather than turning into a starchy puddle.
What can go wrong
- Dressing tastes flat after chilling: Cold mutes salt and acid. Taste the salad again right before serving and add a small pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon โ it usually needs it.
- Pasta soaks up all the dressing overnight: Reserve about 3 tablespoons of dressing separately when you first mix the salad. Stir it in the next day to refresh the consistency.
- Cherry tomatoes make the bowl watery: Halve them and let them sit on a paper towel for a few minutes before adding. They release a surprising amount of liquid if you skip this.
- Red onion is too sharp: Soak the diced onion in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry. It keeps the crunch but loses the harsh bite that can overpower everything else.
- Bacon softens before you serve it: Keep the reserved bacon in a small zip bag at room temperature โ not in the fridge, where moisture will make it rubbery โ and add it right before the bowl goes out. Reserve the chives the same way.
Keeping leftovers crisp
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. The pasta will continue absorbing dressing, so the salad gets thicker and drier by day two โ stir in a tablespoon of buttermilk or a small spoonful of mayonnaise to loosen it back up. Keep any remaining bacon separate and add it to individual portions when you serve them; dress it at the table if youโre feeding a crowd over time, because a pre-dressed salad with bacon sitting in it goes limp fast. The tomatoes and celery hold reasonably well, but the salad is noticeably better on day one or two than day three.
Bacon Ranch Macaroni Salad
Equipment
- Oven
- Large rimmed sheet pan
- Wire rack (fits sheet pan)
- Large pot
- Colander
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium bowl
- Whisk
- Chef's Knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Tongs or wooden spoon
Ingredients
For the Bacon & Pasta:
- 8 oz thick-cut bacon about 6โ8 slices
- 1 tbsp kosher salt for the pasta water
- 12 oz elbow macaroni
- 4 cups ice for ice bath
For the Ranch Dressing:
- ยพ cup mayonnaise
- ยฝ cup sour cream
- ยผ cup buttermilk well-shaken
- 1 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ยพ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- ยฝ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- ยพ tsp kosher salt
For the Salad Mix-ins & Finishers:
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup celery small-diced (about 2 ribs)
- ยฝ cup red onion finely diced
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese 1/4-inch dice
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed
- ยผ cup fresh chives thinly sliced
Instructions
- Prep and Bake the Bacon: Preheat the oven to 400ยฐF / 205ยฐC. Line a large rimmed sheet pan with foil and set a wire rack on top. Arrange the bacon in a single layer and bake for 18 minutes, until deep golden and crisp. Transfer to the rack or paper towels to drain, cool 5 minutes, then chop into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Cook the Macaroni: Bring a large pot of water (about 4 qt) to a rolling boil. Stir in 1 tbsp kosher salt, add the elbow macaroni, and cook for 8 minutes until just-tender (al dente). Drain in a colander.
- Chill and Dry the Pasta: Immediately plunge the hot pasta into a bowl filled with 4 cups ice and cold water for 2 minutes to stop cooking. Drain well, then spread on the empty sheet pan and let steam-dry for 3 minutes to prevent watery dressing.
- Whisk the Ranch Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, lemon juice, and Dijon until smooth. Sprinkle in garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, dried parsley, sugar, black pepper, and kosher salt; whisk until emulsified and pourable, about 30 seconds.
- Prep the Mix-Ins: Halve the cherry tomatoes, small-dice the celery, finely dice the red onion, cube the cheddar, and slice the chives. Pat the chopped bacon if needed to remove any excess fat.
- Coat the Pasta: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled macaroni with about two-thirds of the ranch dressing. Toss vigorously for 60 seconds so the dressing clings to every curve.
- Fold in the Mix-Ins: Gently fold in celery, red onion, peas, cheddar, half of the bacon, and half of the chives until evenly distributed. Add more dressing as needed to achieve a glossy, well-coated saladโreserve a few tablespoons for finishing after chilling if possible.
- Chill to Marry Flavors: Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes so the pasta absorbs flavor and the dressing thickens slightly.
- Finish and Serve: Give the salad a quick toss, loosen with a splash of buttermilk if needed, then top with the remaining bacon and chives. Crack on a little extra black pepper and serve cool.
Notes
Chefโs Tips
- Bacon that starts on a rack renders more evenly and stays shatter-crisp; if using sugar-cured bacon, check at 15 minutes at 400ยฐF / 205ยฐC to avoid over-browning.
- Salt your pasta water generously (about 1 tbsp per 4 qt) so the elbows are seasoned from within.
- Steam-drying the pasta after chilling prevents a watery, broken dressingโdonโt skip it.
- For the best texture, start with two-thirds of the dressing, then add more after chilling; pasta continues to absorb as it rests.
- If the salad tightens up on day two, loosen with 1โ2 tbsp buttermilk or a spoon of mayo and a squeeze of lemon.
- Make-ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours in advance; hold back bacon and chives for topping so they stay crisp and vibrant.
- Food safety for picnics: Keep chilled and limit time at room temp to under 2 hours (or under 1 hour above 90ยฐF / 32ยฐC).
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Can I make this salad the night before?
Yes โ itโs actually better after at least 30 minutes of chilling, and overnight works well. Mix everything except the bacon and chives, cover tightly, and refrigerate; add those two right before serving so they stay crisp.
How do I keep the salad from drying out in the fridge?
Hold back a few tablespoons of dressing when you first mix the salad and store it separately. Stir it in the next day โ the pasta absorbs a lot of moisture as it sits and this brings the consistency back without making the salad taste over-dressed.
Can I use store-bought ranch dressing instead of making it from scratch?
You can, but the texture will be thinner and the flavor more one-dimensional. If you go that route, use about ยพ cup and add a tablespoon of sour cream and a squeeze of lemon to give it more body and brightness.
Is this filling enough to serve as a main dish?
At 546 calories per serving with bacon, cheese, and pasta, yes โ it holds up as a lunch or light dinner on its own. Add a thick slice of bread or a hard-boiled egg on the side if you want more protein.
Whatโs the best way to scale this up for a large crowd?
The recipe doubles cleanly โ use the 2x toggle on the recipe card. The one thing to watch is the bacon: bake it in two separate batches on individual sheet pans so the slices arenโt crowded, otherwise they steam instead of crisping.