G3 Ranch Pasta Salad
A versatile pasta salad that is great for any occasion!
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz box pasta**
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 8-16 oz imitation crab - salad style chunk (optional)
- 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup italian dressing
- 1/3 cup pickle juice
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
Instructions
- In a medium size saucepan - add about 6 cups of water, add some salt and bring to a boil.
- Add pasta and cook until almost done, stop cooking slightly before al dente. You don't want to overcook the pasta because it will continue to get softer and absorb liquid from the sauce. When pasta is done, rinse in cold water until it is completely cooled.
- While the pasta is cooking, mix up the sauce. Add mayo, Italian dressing, pickle juice, mustard and seasoning to a small bowl and mix well.
- In a large bowl - add the pasta, frozen peas, cheese and crab chunks (optional). Pour the sauce over the top and mix well. For best results, refrigerate for 2 hours to let the flavors meld together and the pasta to chill. Enjoy!
Notes
** Makes about 8 generous servings.
** I like to use bow ties, shells or elbow macaroni for my pasta. It's really just personal preference. Be sure to watch the pasta closely while cooking so that it doesn't get over cooked.
** Imitation crab is completely optional. It does add good, sweet flavor and some protein to the salad but it's not necessary.
** I use pickle juice from whatever style of pickles I have on hand. I made my own pickles last summer, so I used the juice from those spicy dill pickles but I have also used store bought pickle juice. Famous Dave's spicy pickle spears have really good juice flavor for using in pasta salad. If you don't have pickle juice, you can sub a couple tablespoons of vinegar and add some dried dill weed if you like.
** Adjust spices to suit your taste. Add extra crushed red pepper if you like spice, skip it if you don't.
** If the pasta absorbs a lot of the liquid from the sauce and the salad seems a bit dry, add a splash of milk and stir well right before serving to get it back to a good consistency.