Copycat Ruby Tuesday Pasta Salad

This copycat Ruby Tuesday pasta salad brings all the creamy, comforting flavor of the salad bar favorite right to your kitchen. If you’re looking for crowd pleasing side dishes, this easy pasta salad comes together with just a few simple ingredients and always disappears fast.

It’s one of those recipes that works for just about any gathering. From summer BBQs to tailgates and game day spreads, this creamy ranch pasta salad somehow ends up being the first empty bowl every single time.

Getting the pasta texture right makes a big difference here. Different pasta shapes can cook a little differently, so it helps to taste-test as you go instead of relying only on the package instructions.

Once the pasta is cooked, rinsing it well with cold water is key. It stops the cooking process and washes away excess starch, which helps keep the salad creamy instead of sticky or heavy.

Cooling the pasta completely before mixing everything together also matters. Warm pasta tends to absorb the dressing too quickly, which can leave the salad less creamy after sitting for a while.

If you’re adding diced ham, patting it dry first helps prevent extra liquid from watering down the salad or making it overly salty. Small steps like these really help the final texture stay balanced and flavorful.

Over time, the pasta may soak up some of the dressing as it chills. If that happens, stirring in a little extra buttermilk, mayonnaise, or reserved dressing right before serving will bring back that creamy texture perfectly.

Copycat Ruby Tuesday Pasta Salad

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This copycat Ruby Tuesday pasta salad brings all the creamy, comforting flavor of the salad bar favorite right to your kitchen. If you’re looking for crowd pleasing side dishes, this easy pasta salad comes together with just a few simple ingredients and always disappears fast.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 ounces dry rotini pasta
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise not salad dressing
• 6 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dry ranch dressing mix
• 1/2 teaspoon season salt
• 8 ounces diced ham patted with a paper towel to remove moisture
• 1 cup frozen green peas

Instructions

Step-By-Step Instructions

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Notes

• For extra flavor and texture, you can add 1/2 cup diced green peppers and/or 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese.
• As a shortcut, you can substitute the mayonnaise, buttermilk, and dry ranch seasoning with a mixture of 1 1/2 cups bottled ranch dressing and 1/2 cup mayonnaise. Keep in mind that the flavor will be slightly different.
• The flavor develops even more after chilling, so this dish tastes even better after some time in the refrigerator.

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