Bow tie pasta salad is always the fanciest salad at the BBQ.
Tender bow tie pasta, cheese, onions, tomatoes, celery, and sliced black olives are tossed in ready-made ranch dressing and ready to serve in minutes.
Cool, creamy, and refreshing, bow tie pasta salad is a summer stunner.
Ingredients and Variations
This easy bowtie pasta salad uses simple ingredients for the perfect potluck or picnic dish.
Pasta – AKA “farfalle”, bow tie is the perfect size and shape for the dressing to cling to. Use other ridged pasta like rotini, penne, cavatappi, or large macaroni shells.
Dressing – What’s easier than a cup of ranch dressing? A cup of Caesar, Thousand Island, blue cheese, or any vinaigrette will add new flavor profiles to this recipe.
Cheese – Shredded cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey Jack, a Mexican cheese blend, feta crumbles, or parmesan will all work.
Vegetables – Onions, tomatoes, and olives add color to this salad. Green onions, sundried tomatoes, and kalamata olives can be used instead for a more Mediterranean-style salad.
How to Make Bow Tie Pasta Salad
- Cook, drain, and “shock” pasta (see TIPS in next section).
- Combine all remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
- Refrigerate and stir before serving (as per the recipe below).
Pasta Salad Tips!
- Cook pasta to “al dente” so it stays firmer longer. Once drained, pour it into a large bowl of ice water. This process “shocks” the pasta and prevents it from cooking, keeping it al dente.
- Bow tie pasta salad tastes best when it’s extra cold, chill it for at least 30-60 minutes. Or prepare up to a day ahead.
Serving And Storing Pasta Salad
Bow tie pasta salad can be customized to match any main dish. Serve as a vegetarian dish, with burgers, BBQ bacon chicken sliders, or some quick and easy pork bites.
Make it a main dish “protein salad” and add crumbled bacon, diced ham, shredded chicken, shrimp, tuna, or even salmon.
Keep leftover bow tie pasta salad in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir in a little fresh ranch dressing or fresh pasta before serving.
Other Tasty Pasta Salad Recipes
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Bow Tie Pasta Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 ounces bow tie pasta
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- 1 cup cheese shredded
- ½ red onion diced
- ½ cup celery chopped
- ½ cup tomato diced
- ⅓ cup black olives sliced
Instructions
- Cook the pasta 'al dente' according to package directions. Drain and cool completely.
- Combine all remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix until combined.
- Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes, and stir before serving.
Notes
- Cook pasta to al dente, drain, then “shock” the pasta by placing in a large bowl of ice water. This helps keep the pasta firm.
- Cover leftovers and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Before serving, stir and add a bit of ranch dressing to refresh the flavors.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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