Description
This Creamy Ranch Pea Pasta Salad boasts irresistible flavor with sweet peas, cheddar cheese, and a delightful ranch dressing, making it a perfect dish for quick gatherings or healthy meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups frozen sweet peas, thawed and drained
- 4 cups small sea shell pasta, cooked
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 0.4-ounce package dry restaurant-style ranch dressing mix
- 1/4 cup sunflower kernels
- 1/4 cup diced celery
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the thawed peas.
- Cook the small sea shell pasta in boiling salted water for about 12 minutes until tender.
- Drain the pasta and rinse it with cold water.
- In a large bowl, combine the cold peas and cooked pasta.
- Add the shredded cheddar cheese and mix gently.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, yellow mustard, and dry ranch dressing mix.
- Pour the dressing over the mixture of peas, pasta, and cheese, stirring gently to combine.
- Carefully fold in the sunflower kernels and diced celery.
- Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour before serving for optimal flavor.
Notes
For a lighter version, substitute half of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt.
Feel free to add other vegetables like bell peppers or carrots for extra crunch.
This salad tastes even better the next day once the flavors have melded.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 15mg