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Creamy Ranch Spinach Pasta Salad
A box of Suddenly Salad pasta mix gets stirred with half a cup of ranch dressing and a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, then loaded with two cups of baby spinach, halved grape tomatoes, sliced cucumber, and julienne carrots. The whole bowl goes into the fridge for about an hour so the pasta absorbs the dressing and the vegetables stay crisp. Fresh or dried basil folded in at the end adds a clean herbal note. Serves six as a side at a cookout or potluck.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Stovetop
Ingredients
- 1 box Betty Crocker™ Suddenly Salad™ classic pasta salad mix
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves or small broccoli florets
- ¾ cup grape tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup sliced cucumber, halved
- ½ cup julienne carrots
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
Instructions
- 1Boil the pasta mix in a saucepan of water for 12 minutes, or until tender. While the pasta cooks, whisk the provided seasoning packet, ranch dressing, and lemon juice together in a large bowl.
- 2Drain the cooked pasta and rinse it thoroughly under cold water. This stops the cooking process and removes excess starch so the noodles won't clump together. Shake off the excess water.
- 3Add the cooled pasta, spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, and basil to the bowl with the dressing. Toss everything together until well coated, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Swap: If you don't have baby spinach, small broccoli florets work beautifully in this salad.
- Make ahead: You can chop all the vegetables a day in advance and store them in the fridge until you're ready to assemble.
