Name: Pickle Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 8 ounces pasta, dry; 5 slices bacon, cooked and rough chopped; 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half; 1/2 a shallot, thinly sliced; 3 cups arugula or spring mix; 1 cup fermented pickles, chopped; 1/3 cup crumbled feta; 1/2 cup Greek yogurt ranch dressing

Gut Healthy Pickle Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

I know, I know. Pickle Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad doesn’t sound very healthy. But it is actually quite healthy and supports gut health. How can this salad possibly be good for gut health, you ask? It’s all about ingredient quality:

A pasta salad should taste delicious and be enjoyable to eat. Salads should never be boring, and enjoying your food is essential for gut health.
Choose organic, non-GMO, bronze-cut pasta for the best texture and taste. If you prefer gluten-free options, brown rice pasta is also a flavorful choice.
Select organic vegetables! For this pasta salad, I use arugula or spring mix, cherry tomatoes, and shallots.
Opt for organic, high-quality dairy and bacon. Feta is my top pick for pasta salads, and I always go for nitrate-free, organic bacon.
Use a homemade probiotic salad dressing. Homemade dressings help avoid unnecessary ingredients often found in store-bought versions. A probiotic salad dressing can also support the digestion of fresh vegetables. My Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing is obviously perfect for this recipe.

measured out ingredients for pickle bacon ranch pasta salad on a wooden cutting board. from left to right there is a bottle of ranch, chopped cherry tomatoes, chopped pickles, sliced shallot, crumbled feta, leafy greens, and roughly chopped bacon.

Probiotic Salad Dressings

Ranch is vital to this recipe, so try my homemade Greek yogurt ranch dressing! You can also try my Greek Yogurt Caesar dressing if you want something besides ranch. Either dressing only takes 10 minutes max to throw together.

Pickle Pasta Salad

No salad is complete without something pickled or fermented! Summer is the best time for salad, and it just so happens to also be the best time for making pickles! Feel free to use any of your favorite pickles in this recipe. Even store-bought or water bath-canned pickles work great. Here are my favorite pickle recipes to make every year, that work great in my pasta salad recipes:

Fermenting Sliced Cucumbers Two Ways
Horseradish Pickles
Honey Mustard Pickles
Old Bay Pickles
Kimchi Pickles

The Best Pasta to Use

You can use any pasta shape you like. However, I highly recommend elbows, penne, or fusilli. These pasta shapes catch the dressing so well, making each bite have an even flavor. And, as I said above, choose organic, non-GMO, bronze-cut pasta. High-quality pasta truly makes a difference. What’s pictured here is Rummo Fusiloti, which I would recommend.

Meal Prepping Pickle Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

This pasta salad serves 4 at 1x. So you can totally meal prep it. It lasts great in the fridge for about 4 days. Here are some meal prepping tips:

Cook your pasta in salted water according to the package directions.
Chop and mix all the vegetables, bacon, and feta cheese with the pasta. (Just keep the dressing on the side).
Divide the finished pasta salad evenly into four separate airtight containers. This makes grab-and-go lunches or dinners easy throughout the week.
Store the dressing in small, airtight containers on the side. Add about two tablespoons per serving when ready to eat to keep the pasta and vegetables fresh.

Salads & Sides

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