Bacon Ranch Macaroni Salad Recipe

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Servings: 8
Yield: 8 servings

Description

This bacon ranch macaroni salad recipe is tastier than others because it has bacon and Cheddar cheese, especially when made the day before serving.

Ingredients

6 slices bacon
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 (8 ounce) package Cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 small red onion, diced very small
1/2 small green bell pepper, diced very small
1 (1 ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix

Directions

1 Cook bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 10 minutes; drain on a paper-towel-lined plate until cool. Crumble bacon. Set aside.
2 Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes; drain. Rinse macaroni with cold water until cool; drain again.
3 Combine macaroni, bacon, Cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, red onion, bell pepper, and ranch mix in a large bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate before serving, at least 4 hours.