Instant Pot Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad pairs well with sandwiches, burgers, chicken, steaks, kabobs, almost anything really. Using the Instant Pot gets the job done quickly and doesn’t heat up the kitchen.
Today I’m sharing another variation of one of my favorite sides – pasta salad. Because it’s gotten so hot out already I’m using the stove less. For this dish I used the Instant Pot. It gets the job done quickly and doesn’t heat up the kitchen. This dish pairs well with sandwiches, burgers, chicken, steaks, kabobs, almost anything really. As with some of my other pasta salads, you can eat it warm but it’s far better cold. This salad always goes fast and doesn’t usually have many leftovers. Here’s how I make it.
Instant Pot Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Equipment Needed
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- Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- large mixing bowl
Instant Pot DUO60 7-in-1 Programmable Pressure Cooker, 6 QuartPyrex Smart Essentials 4-Quart Glass Mixing BowlCook’s Pro Adjust-A-Measure Set, 3-PiecePyrex PrepWare 3-Piece Glass Measuring Cup Set
Ingredients
- 16 oz box small pasta (you could use elbow macaroni or small shells)
- 1.5 cups frozen peas and carrots
- 1 cup mayo
- 1 packet hidden valley ranch
- 1 cup real shredded bacon
- 3 cups water
- shredded cheese for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Place 1/2 cup of water into the Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker.
Place pasta into the Instant Pot.
Pour remaining 2.5 cups of water into the Instant Pot.
Pour the frozen peas and carrots on top of the pasta.
Set Instant Pot to cook on manual high pressure for 5 minutes.
Once the pasta is finished cooking, do a quick release of pressure.
Rinse the contents of the Instant Pot and pour into the large bowl.
Mix the mayonnaise and ranch dressing mix together.
Add the mayo ranch mixture to the pasta and stir thoroughly.
Add the baon and stir thoroughly.
Refrigerate for at least 2-4 hours before serving (unless you like warm pasta salad). The colder it is the better it tastes.
Serve, topping with a little shredded cheese if you like.
Serving note – If the pasta salad has absorbed more misture than you prefer while in the fridge, you can moisten it by stirring in a splash of milk. Or, if you prefer a creamier, fresh made texture, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of either sour cream or my preference ranch dressing.
Amanda Love
Monday 10th of July 2017
I can already tell how good this is just by looking at the pictures. Ranch is a flavor that I love and if you add some pasta and some bacon, I am sold! This pasta salad is a must try!
Wendy Polisi
Thursday 6th of July 2017
Now that is the good stuff. Instant and bacon are two of everyone's favorite things.
Our Family World
Thursday 6th of July 2017
Bacon, ranch dressing, pasta. Sounds like a perfect salad for me. I'm making this for my family tomorrow. Anything with bacon is an absolute winner in our house.
Brianne
Thursday 6th of July 2017
Every time I see an instant pot recipe, I think how much I really need to buy one! This salad looks delicious!
Shannon Gurnee
Thursday 6th of July 2017
I've heard of so many different recipes with the Instant Pot, but I haven't bought one yet. I would love to try this sometime.